April 30, 2010
Top of The Pitt
It’s been awhile since we brought out In the Pitt, but with spring camp over and the May-June recruiting season heating up, it seemed like a good time to dust it off. Today we’re going to cover the 2011 recruiting class and focus on needs and targets:
What positions does Pitt need to fill and who are they targeting to fill those spots?
Before we begin, there are two valuable resources that are worth referencing:
The Scholarship Boardhttp://pittsburgh.rivals.com/content.asp?SID=996&CID=1058017
Pitt’s 2011 offer sheethttp://pittsburgh.rivals.com/offerlist.asp
While much of what we’re talking about is based on the future, the offer sheethttp://pittsburgh.rivals.com/offerlist.asp can give you a broad look at the recruits Pitt is after.
Now then…
The Recruiting Rundown
The general rule of thumb in recruiting is that you target prospects three years ahead. That is to say, you expect that a recruit will be contributing by his redshirt sophomore year. Obviously, that can vary from position to position, but in general, that’s the strategy the coaching staff takes in building its class.
As such, in looking at how the class of 2011 will come together, the first thing to consider is who those players will be replacing. Following the three-years-out rule, the class of 2011 would ideally replace the players on the current roster who have sophomore eligibility. For the most part, that means the players who came in with the class of 2008.
Of course, three of those 2008 recruits - Jon Baldwin, Lucas Nix, Antwuan Reed - have not redshirted, so they won’t be counted in the three-years-out replacements. Likewise, three members of the class of 2009 - Dion Lewis, Ray Graham, and Dan Mason - did not redshirt last season and thus have sophomore eligibility this season, so they will be included (although two of those three won’t be counted; more on that in a minute).
So what we’re going to do is look at four factors:
- Who the players in the class of 2011 will be replacing (the current sophomores/redshirt sophomores who will be seniors/redshirt seniors in the 2012 season)
- Who the upperclassmen will be at each position in the 2013 season (when the class of 2011 recruits will be in their third year)
- The target number at each position for the class of 2011
- The top targets at each position
One caveat with the three-years-out rule is that the numbers don’t always match up. For instance, the scholarships for the class of 2011 will come from the current seniors and redshirt seniors. Pitt’s 2010 roster, as it stands now, lists nine seniors and redshirt seniors. But there are 16 current sophomores/redshirt sophomores, which will be the players the 2011 recruits are expected to replace. So those numbers don’t exactly coordinate.
Another caveat: Without question, there are a lot of liberties being taken here. We are operating on the assumption that every incoming freshman in the 2010 class will redshirt and stay at the position he was recruited to play. As we’ve seen the past five years, those two scenarios don’t always come to pass. Position moves and players forced onto the field in emergency situations are virtually impossible to predict; but for the purpose of this examination, we’ll assume - and there will be plenty of assumptions made in this write-up - that those two stipulations hold.
And yet another caveat: The target numbers - like the projected size of the class as a whole - are always fluid and never set in stone. If the target number at a position is two and Pitt has two commits but Player X, who plays the same position and happens to be a big-time recruit, comes along and wants to commit, they’re not going to turn him down. The target numbers are general parameters to give an idea of what the class could look like.
And another caveat: The top targets are chosen with several conditions in mind. Chief among those conditions is that the prospects listed as top targets have to have at least some interest in Pitt. Also keep in mind that this list is being compiled prior to the May-June camp season, when plenty of new names will emerge as Division I prospects. There are always a few guys who show up at the prospect camps and get offers, so we’ll re-issue an updated version of this list post-June.
Quarterback
2012 seniors
Tino Sunseri
2013 upperclassmen
Mark Myers - redshirt junior
Anthony Gonzalez - redshirt junior
Obviously, the first assumption here is that Gonzalez stays at quarterback. If Myers progresses as Frank Cignetti expects him to, then it seems likely that Gonzalez will move to safety. Myers should be the starter in 2013 - if not before - but the 2011 recruiting class will probably provide the next starting quarterback after Myers departs.
Top targets: Cody Kessler
Nova and Kessler are the only prospects with offers at this point, and Pitt will only offer a new recruit if one of two things happens:
- Kessler and Nova commit elsewhere
- A new QB prospect emerges who is at least as good as Nova and/or Kessler
Chances are that Kessler stays out west, but Nova seems to be a Pitt lean. We won’t make any predictions here, but odds are that Nova will be Pitt’s 2011 quarterback recruit.
Target number: 1 If Pitt only takes one quarterback in 2011 and Gonzalez moves to safety, then the depth chart over the next few years would look like this:
2011 - Pat Bostick (RS Sr.), Sunseri (RS Jr.), Myers (RS Fr.), 2011 recruit (Fr.)
2012 - Sunseri (RS Sr.), Myers (RS Soph.), 2011 recruit (RS Fr.), 2012 recruit (Fr.)
2013 - Myers (RS Jr.), 2011 recruit (RS Soph.), 2012 recruit RS Fr.), 2013 recruit (Fr.)
That works, as long as Myers becomes the player that Cignetti thinks he can be. If there are signs in 2010 or 2011 that Myers might not develop, then they’ll have to take more than one quarterback in the 2012 or 2013 class. But for now, the plan is to take one in 2011.
Running back
2012 seniors
Chris Burns
2013 upperclassmen
Jason Douglas - redshirt senior
Andre Givens - redshirt junior
T.J. Peeler - redshirt junior
There is a pair of assumptions at work here, but assumptions that are safe to make: the assumptions made are that neither Dion Lewis nor Ray Graham will stay at Pitt for a full four years. The coaching staff is already operating under the assumption that Lewis will leave after the 2010 season, which seems to be a high probability so long as he stays healthy and builds on the success he had as a true freshman.
And a number of people at Pitt feel that Graham could very well follow suit after the 2011 season, when he will be the starter and primary ball-carrier. Graham’s skills are over-shadowed by Lewis, and when he gets the opportunity to shine as a starter, it is expected that he will shine quite a bit.
So if Lewis and Graham are both gone after the 2011 season, then Pitt’s depth for 2012 will be Burns, Douglas, Givens, and Peeler, along with the recruits from the 2011 and 2012 classes.
Target number: 2 Even though Pitt would have three running backs on scholarship - Douglas, Givens, and Peeler - when the 2011 recruits are in their third year, two factors make stockpiling running backs a good idea:
Durability and flexibility. Running backs take a pounding, so it’s never a bad idea to have a lot on the roster. And the running back position is one of great versatility; depending on the player, a running back could line up anywhere from tailback, fullback or even slot receiver to linebacker, safety or cornerback.
So loading up on running backs is a good thing.
Top targets: Savon Huggins
Pitt has offers out to half-dozen or more running backs, but Poteat and Huggins are at the top of the list. Overall, Huggins is the better prospect, but he’s got his choice of colleges from across the nation. Still, the unofficial visit he took to Pitt several weeks ago appears to have done wonders for the Panthers’ chances.
Word out of the Huggins camp is that the visit was an eye-opener and put Pitt squarely in the battle. Prior to the visit, Pitt might have been a school he would have given a quick look - somewhat like LeSean McCoy when he attended a summer practice in 2005; at that point Pitt was well out of the running - but after the visit, the Panthers appear to have secured a spot on Huggins’ all-important final five.
A big-time recruit like Huggins will take all five official visits before deciding on a school, so making the cut for an official is huge. That notion was something of an impossibility a few months ago, but Huggins’ relationships with Jeff Hafley and Dion Lewis appear to have made a huge impact.
Of course, getting an official visit is all well and good, and for a recruit like Huggins, there won’t be a commitment without an official visit, but the fact remains that Pitt’s chances of landing the New Jersey standout are probably not great.
However, if the consolation prize is Poteat, Pitt won’t be too depressed. Poteat is an outstanding prospect in his own right, probably a step below Huggins but a sure-fire four-star and a national recruit nonetheless. Most feel that Pitt is the likely destination for Poteat, and some even see the decision coming in the near future.
Whenever it happens, Poteat will be a major score for Pitt. As to the second running back, it’s unlikely to be another big-time recruit like Huggins. Most likely, Pitt’s second running back in the class will be someone like Ryan Brumfield.
Another interesting prospect to keep an eye on is James Wilder. Wilder is a 6’2” 219-pound athlete out of Tampa with offers from all over the country. He has a preference for running back, but at his size it’s not hard to see him as a safety or a linebacker. His offer sheet probably means he’s not likely for Pitt, but we’ll see if Bernard Clark can work some magic and at least get a visit.
Fullback
2012 seniors
None
2013 upperclassmen
Kevin Adams - redshirt senior
As it stands now, after Henry Hynoski graduates following the 2011 season, Adams will be the only fullback on the roster. For some schools, that might be an afterthought, but for Pitt and Dave Wannstedt and Frank Cignetti, that could be a significant concern. The problem is, as the position gets phased out at the NFL and college levels, it is also getting phased out at the high school level.
More and more high schools are going to spread offenses that don’t use fullbacks, so the players who might otherwise line up at the position are instead playing linebacker or, in some cases, the defensive line.
All of that makes things difficult for a school like Pitt.
Target number: ? Fullback is an interesting position. The Rivals database lists five fullbacks in the class of 2011 who currently hold Division I offers. They are from Washington, Colorado, Georgia, Florida, and Ohio. The Ohio fullback is Trayion Durham. He’s 6’1” 230 and has offers from Colorado, Minnesota, and Wisconsin.
Top targets: Who knows? Durham could be an option, but he hasn’t mentioned Pitt interest in recruiting articles. And with a small class, fullback is probably not a priority. If I had to guess, I’d say the most likely scenario is that Pitt finds a big tailback - like Henry Hynoski - and gracefully moves him to fullback. But that player will probably be in the 2012 class.
Wide receiver
2012 seniors
Cam Saddler
Mike Shanahan
2013 upperclassmen
Devin Street - redshirt senior
Ed Tinker - redshirt senior
Andrew Carswell - redshirt junior
Todd Thomas - redshirt junior
Kevin Weatherspoon - redshirt junior
Salath Williams - redshirt junior
As has often been said, Wannstedt has done well recruiting several positions, and wide receiver is certainly one of them. Jon Baldwin will likely leave after this season, but the group below him - led by Saddler and Shanahan and filled out by the impressive group of underclassmen - should carry the torch well. There might not be a Baldwin in the group, but Street, Carswell, Thomas, and Williams all look like front-line players, which adds up to quality depth at wideout for the foreseeable future.
Target number: 2 While there are impressive numbers on the depth chart at wide receiver, the Pitt coaches aren’t likely to lay off in the 2011 recruiting class, and they’ll probably add two more wideouts to the roster. This allows for position changes, eligibility issues, and, most of all, versatility in the receiving corps.
Top targets: Justin Olack
Take your pick of the group. There are varying sizes, shapes, and speeds among those receivers - six of the 10 or 12 that Pitt has offered - and the Pitt coaches would probably be happy with any two of the group.
Olack would probably be considered a Pitt lean at this point, and the Panthers seem to have legitimate shots at Belton and Shuler, who could both play positions other than receiver if both decided to commit to Pitt.
Tight end
2012 seniors
Mike Cruz
Justin Virbitsky
2013 upperclassmen
Brock DeCicco - redshirt senior
Brendan Carozzoni - redshirt junior
Dan Schneider - redshirt junior
There’s a stockpile of tight ends at Pitt right now. The current roster has five scholarship tight ends - Cruz, Virbitsky, DeCicco, Andrew Devlin, and Hubie Graham - and two more will arrive this summer in Carozzoni and Schneider. But there’s position versatility at tight end, too, so expect Pitt to hit the position in this class once again.
Target number: 2 Even though the roster looks crowded right now, the 2011 class is too strong at tight end for the Pitt coaches to sign just one. The Rivals database lists five tight ends who currently claim offers from Pitt, and that’s not including Jack Tabb, a New Jersey tight end who recently picked up an offer from Florida. If Pitt hasn’t offered, I’m guessing they will. Plus there is probably a handful more out there that the Panthers have or will offer.
So despite the big numbers at tight end, Pitt will shoot for two more in this class.
Top targets: Rakim Reed
Collura is already committed, so that’s one down. From the rest of the group, Hamilton is the top choice. Vannett is blowing up on the recruiting circuit right now, so he might be a tough one to land, while Reed’s star seems to have fallen and his future could be at defensive end rather than tight end.
Pitt can sit with one tight end if they miss out on the other top targets or if they feel they need more numbers at another position. But even if they miss on Hamilton and Vannett, there are other prospects like Tyler Kroft who could turn into offered recruits before the process is over.
Offensive line
2012 seniors
Ryan Turnley
2013 upperclassmen
Fernando Diaz - redshirt senior
Juantez Hollins - redshirt senior
Cory King - redshirt senior
Jack Lippert - redshirt senior
Ryan Schlieper - redshirt senior
Arthur Doakes - redshirt junior
Shane Johnson - redshirt junior
Matt Rotheram - redshirt junior
Brandon Sacco - redshirt junior
The offensive line will be young in 2012, but if all of the players listed above make it to 2013, the Pitt coaches will probably feel pretty good about having five redshirt seniors and four redshirt juniors. It remains to be seen how many of them will pan out, but in that group, Pitt will have at least two tackles (King and Hollins); two guards (Diaz and Schlieper); two centers (Lippert and Sacco); and three players who have the potential to line up at guard or tackle (Doakes, Johnson, Rotheram).
The odds would indicate that, from those nine players, Pitt should be able to find five players to line up.
Target number: 2 The class of 2012 will need to be a big one to replace Diaz-Hollins-King-Lippert-Schlieper, but the 2011 group doesn’t need to be quite as large. Two will suffice, and if the coaches want to get a head start on reloading for the following year - and to take a bit of the burden off the class of 2012 - then they could add a third offensive line recruit in this class.
Top targets: Artie Rowell
If I was a betting man, I’d bet on Pitt landing Rowell and Hooks from that group. That would put them at the target number of two, but it wouldn’t be a surprise if the coaching staff also pulled in one of the other prospects on that list. Kouandjio is highly unlikely, Lumpkin seems to have his sights set elsewhere, and Smith’s recruitment continues to rise. But Mangiro and Clemons could be candidates, and there’s always the possibility that a new prospect could emerge at the June prospect camps.
Defensive line
2012 seniors
Shayne Hale
2013 upperclassmen
Bernardo Nunez - redshirt senior
Tyrone Ezell - redshirt senior
T.J. Clemmings - redshirt junior
Aaron Donald - redshirt junior
Khaynin Mosley-Smith - redshirt junior
Bryan Murphy - redshirt junior
That’s a pretty strong group of upperclassmen in 2013. Assuming - as we’ve done all day here - that the incoming freshmen reach their potential, you’ve got two starting ends in Clemmings and Murphy and two starting tackles in Ezell and Donald, plus two backups to rotate in Mosley-Smith and Nunez.
And three of those four starters - Clemmings, Donald, and Murphy - will probably be back in 2014, leaving only a hole at tackle. If Mosley-Smith develops, he should be able to step into that role.
Still, for a defense that’s as line-oriented as Pitt’s - not to mention one that rotates defensive linemen as much as Pitt tries to - the class of 2011 defensive line recruits are key. They’ll provide crucial depth in 2013 and be the next in line in 2014 and 2015.
Target number: 2 For all of Wannstedt’s success in recruiting defensive linemen, there have been some gaps. In the last year’s classhttp://rivals.yahoo.com/pittsburgh/football/recruiting/commitments/2010, Pitt brought in Clemmings, Donald, Mosley-Smith, and Murphy.
The biggest question in all of that is at defensive tackle: the last four classes (2007-10) have only produced four tackles (Caragein, Ezell, Donald, and Mosley-Smith). This would be a good time to load up on tackles for down the road, but between the size of Pitt’s class and the overall lack of standouts at the position, it doesn’t seem that the class of 2011 will be the one that restocks Pitt’s tackle depth. And in the more immediate future, Pitt will have all but one of its current defensive tackles back for next season, while the Panthers graduate both starting ends after this year.
So it’s most likely that the coaches will take two defensive linemen in this class, and both will be ends.
Top targets: Kevin McReynolds (DT)
Pitt would happily take any one of those defensive ends, and while Green seems like the most likely option, Williams is the top of the heap. Despite the listed target number, if Williams, Miller (who says Pitt has told him they like him on the offensive line), Green, and Wujciak all wanted to commit, I’m not sure who Pitt would turn down. And if Oakman - a basketball player at 6’7” - picked Pitt, I think they’d have to take him because he’s the kind of player whose potential they love. Pitt will get one of that group and probably be satisfied because it’s a strong collection of players.
At defensive tackle…not so much. Wright, Croce and McReynolds are the only offered tackles at this point, and while recruits like DeMatha’s Delvon Simmons are intriguing, the staff hasn’t moved on them yet.
From what we’ve been told, the staff was hoping to wait on Simmons until the June prospect camps, but with Michigan and West Virginia offering him, they might not have that luxury. Still, their hesitation to offer thus far says something about their interest in both Simmons and Cooper.
Between the limited number of quality tackles and a seeming preponderance of high-level ends, it’s not a stretch to imagine Pitt taking two ends and no tackles in this class. Of course, it also wouldn’t be a surprise if they push the target number and take two ends and one tackle, given Wannstedt’s love of defensive linemen (and their ability to move to the offensive line).
Linebackers
2012 seniors
Joe Trebitz
Manny Williams
Dan Mason
2013 upperclassmen
Carl Fleming - redshirt senior
Shane Gordon - redshirt senior
Eric Williams - redshirt junior
It’s not too much of a stretch to look at the 2013 upperclassmen and see three potential starters. By that season, Gordon will probably have logged considerable playing time, possibly as an outside linebacker in 2012 before moving back to the middle for his redshirt senior year. Fleming has room for improvement but he’s also got plenty of time to develop. And Eric Williams is another safety-turned-linebacker who might stay at safety; but if he sticks at linebacker, then he has the athleticism and body-type to be a contributor (of course, that’s projecting a long ways out).
Still, 2013 only figures to have three junior or senior linebackers, meaning the chances are good that the 2011 recruits - as redshirt sophomores - could be called on to play.
Target number: 2 If the 2011 scholarship allotment was bigger, the Pitt coaching staff would probably prefer to take three linebackers, since they graduate three after 2012 and two after 2013. But due to the likely size of the class, they will probably have to stick at two.
Top targets: Vinnie Sunseri
That list represents a pretty strong group of linebackers. All five of those players project as middle linebackers, but that’s not necessarily a problem, since Pitt will need a new man at the MIKE after Mason graduates following 2012 and Gordon leaves following 2013. Plus, at 5’11” 193, Sunseri could project as an outside linebacker.
At this point, Pitt seems to have a pretty strong shot with most of those players. Sunseri has family connections to Pitt and, despite holding a number of offers, we’re hearing that the Panthers appear to be the leader. Price is local, and while it’s not a guarantee that a player from Woodland
Hills will go to Pitt, you have to like their chances. And both Alston and Kline have spoken highly of Pitt. Alston told us he favors Pitt and Duke, while Kline is probably an Eastern Pa. recruit who will keep an eye on Penn State; if PSU doesn’t offer, then Pitt’s got a good shot.
Defensive back
2012 seniors
Jarred Holley
Andrew Taglianetti
2013 upperclassmen
Kolby Gray - redshirt senior
Jason Hendricks - redshirt senior
Derrick Burns - redshirt junior
Brandon Ifill - redshirt junior
Jeff Knox - redshirt junior
K’Waun Williams - redshirt junior
A quick glance at the 2010 Scholarship Boardhttp://pittsburgh.rivals.com/content.asp?SID=996&CID=1058017 shows that cornerback is not a very deep position on the current team. When K’Waun Williams Brandon Ifill join the roster this summer, the total number of scholarship corners will be at seven. But even more striking than that number is the set of huge gaps: this year’s roster will have no redshirt sophomores, true sophomores, or redshirt freshmen at cornerback.
Those empty spaces should be filled by corners from the 2008 and 2009. Not one recruit in the class of 2008http://rivals.yahoo.com/pittsburgh/football/recruiting/commitments/2008, there were three cornerback prospects: Jarred Holley moved to safety, Ronald Hobby left before completing his freshman year, and Antwuan Reed didn’t redshirt - some would say needlessly - so he has junior eligibility this season.
All of that leaves some pretty big holes at cornerback. There will be no senior or redshirt senior corners in 2012 (unless Holley moves back from safety), and of the six 2013 upperclassmen listed above, only Ifill and Williams will be corners.
At safety, the situation is a little more secure. This year’s roster will have seven scholarship players at safety - the same number as cornerback - but they are spread out. Holley and Taglianetti are the elder statesmen of the bunch, and both have two more years of eligibility after this season.
It’s anyone’s guess what will become of Gray, who moved to safety from quarterback this offseason, but there is optimism with Hendricks, and Knox will join Pitt this summer with high expectations.
Target number: 3 Cornerback and safety are grouped together because the overall target number at defensive back is three. Most likely, that will break down to two corners and one safety, because it’s hard to imagine this class being filled with less than two cornerbacks.
Top targets: Terrell Chestnut (CB/S)
Not a short list, to be sure. With a lot of good corner prospects in the class and a need at the position, Pitt has handed out a ton of offers to cornerbacks. All are good players, so the staff decided to cast a wide net and see who gets caught.
Pitt was on Dukes and Jarrett early, and it wouldn’t be a surprise if one of those two picks the Panthers. Pitt was one of the earlier offers for Kirby, too, but he got an Ohio State offer, and recent history would indicate that the Gateway product is likely to head for Columbus. Pitts is another interesting option out of Woodland Hills.
At safety, Caputo would seem like the obvious choice, but some feel that he could ultimately end up in Happy Valley. Royster and Tanner are top-level prospects, and Pitt will be in a dogfight to land either one. Meanwhile, Chestnut projects at corner or safety.
The most likely scenario is that Pitt will land Jarrett and either Dukes or Pitts for the two corner spots, and then Caputo or Chestnut for the safety spot. Again, as with all of the positions, new recruits who emerge in the next two months could change that scenario, but we’ve heard that Pitt has put the brakes on sending out new cornerback offers for the time being due to the volume of offers that are already out there.[/URL]
Top of The Pitt
It’s been awhile since we brought out In the Pitt, but with spring camp over and the May-June recruiting season heating up, it seemed like a good time to dust it off. Today we’re going to cover the 2011 recruiting class and focus on needs and targets:
What positions does Pitt need to fill and who are they targeting to fill those spots?
Before we begin, there are two valuable resources that are worth referencing:
The Scholarship Boardhttp://pittsburgh.rivals.com/content.asp?SID=996&CID=1058017
Pitt’s 2011 offer sheethttp://pittsburgh.rivals.com/offerlist.asp
While much of what we’re talking about is based on the future, the offer sheethttp://pittsburgh.rivals.com/offerlist.asp can give you a broad look at the recruits Pitt is after.
Now then…
The Recruiting Rundown
The general rule of thumb in recruiting is that you target prospects three years ahead. That is to say, you expect that a recruit will be contributing by his redshirt sophomore year. Obviously, that can vary from position to position, but in general, that’s the strategy the coaching staff takes in building its class.
As such, in looking at how the class of 2011 will come together, the first thing to consider is who those players will be replacing. Following the three-years-out rule, the class of 2011 would ideally replace the players on the current roster who have sophomore eligibility. For the most part, that means the players who came in with the class of 2008.
Of course, three of those 2008 recruits - Jon Baldwin, Lucas Nix, Antwuan Reed - have not redshirted, so they won’t be counted in the three-years-out replacements. Likewise, three members of the class of 2009 - Dion Lewis, Ray Graham, and Dan Mason - did not redshirt last season and thus have sophomore eligibility this season, so they will be included (although two of those three won’t be counted; more on that in a minute).
So what we’re going to do is look at four factors:
- Who the players in the class of 2011 will be replacing (the current sophomores/redshirt sophomores who will be seniors/redshirt seniors in the 2012 season)
- Who the upperclassmen will be at each position in the 2013 season (when the class of 2011 recruits will be in their third year)
- The target number at each position for the class of 2011
- The top targets at each position
One caveat with the three-years-out rule is that the numbers don’t always match up. For instance, the scholarships for the class of 2011 will come from the current seniors and redshirt seniors. Pitt’s 2010 roster, as it stands now, lists nine seniors and redshirt seniors. But there are 16 current sophomores/redshirt sophomores, which will be the players the 2011 recruits are expected to replace. So those numbers don’t exactly coordinate.
Another caveat: Without question, there are a lot of liberties being taken here. We are operating on the assumption that every incoming freshman in the 2010 class will redshirt and stay at the position he was recruited to play. As we’ve seen the past five years, those two scenarios don’t always come to pass. Position moves and players forced onto the field in emergency situations are virtually impossible to predict; but for the purpose of this examination, we’ll assume - and there will be plenty of assumptions made in this write-up - that those two stipulations hold.
And yet another caveat: The target numbers - like the projected size of the class as a whole - are always fluid and never set in stone. If the target number at a position is two and Pitt has two commits but Player X, who plays the same position and happens to be a big-time recruit, comes along and wants to commit, they’re not going to turn him down. The target numbers are general parameters to give an idea of what the class could look like.
And another caveat: The top targets are chosen with several conditions in mind. Chief among those conditions is that the prospects listed as top targets have to have at least some interest in Pitt. Also keep in mind that this list is being compiled prior to the May-June camp season, when plenty of new names will emerge as Division I prospects. There are always a few guys who show up at the prospect camps and get offers, so we’ll re-issue an updated version of this list post-June.
Quarterback
2012 seniors
Tino Sunseri
2013 upperclassmen
Mark Myers - redshirt junior
Anthony Gonzalez - redshirt junior
Obviously, the first assumption here is that Gonzalez stays at quarterback. If Myers progresses as Frank Cignetti expects him to, then it seems likely that Gonzalez will move to safety. Myers should be the starter in 2013 - if not before - but the 2011 recruiting class will probably provide the next starting quarterback after Myers departs.
Top targets: Cody Kessler
Nova and Kessler are the only prospects with offers at this point, and Pitt will only offer a new recruit if one of two things happens:
- Kessler and Nova commit elsewhere
- A new QB prospect emerges who is at least as good as Nova and/or Kessler
Chances are that Kessler stays out west, but Nova seems to be a Pitt lean. We won’t make any predictions here, but odds are that Nova will be Pitt’s 2011 quarterback recruit.
Target number: 1 If Pitt only takes one quarterback in 2011 and Gonzalez moves to safety, then the depth chart over the next few years would look like this:
2011 - Pat Bostick (RS Sr.), Sunseri (RS Jr.), Myers (RS Fr.), 2011 recruit (Fr.)
2012 - Sunseri (RS Sr.), Myers (RS Soph.), 2011 recruit (RS Fr.), 2012 recruit (Fr.)
2013 - Myers (RS Jr.), 2011 recruit (RS Soph.), 2012 recruit RS Fr.), 2013 recruit (Fr.)
That works, as long as Myers becomes the player that Cignetti thinks he can be. If there are signs in 2010 or 2011 that Myers might not develop, then they’ll have to take more than one quarterback in the 2012 or 2013 class. But for now, the plan is to take one in 2011.
Running back
2012 seniors
Chris Burns
2013 upperclassmen
Jason Douglas - redshirt senior
Andre Givens - redshirt junior
T.J. Peeler - redshirt junior
There is a pair of assumptions at work here, but assumptions that are safe to make: the assumptions made are that neither Dion Lewis nor Ray Graham will stay at Pitt for a full four years. The coaching staff is already operating under the assumption that Lewis will leave after the 2010 season, which seems to be a high probability so long as he stays healthy and builds on the success he had as a true freshman.
And a number of people at Pitt feel that Graham could very well follow suit after the 2011 season, when he will be the starter and primary ball-carrier. Graham’s skills are over-shadowed by Lewis, and when he gets the opportunity to shine as a starter, it is expected that he will shine quite a bit.
So if Lewis and Graham are both gone after the 2011 season, then Pitt’s depth for 2012 will be Burns, Douglas, Givens, and Peeler, along with the recruits from the 2011 and 2012 classes.
Target number: 2 Even though Pitt would have three running backs on scholarship - Douglas, Givens, and Peeler - when the 2011 recruits are in their third year, two factors make stockpiling running backs a good idea:
Durability and flexibility. Running backs take a pounding, so it’s never a bad idea to have a lot on the roster. And the running back position is one of great versatility; depending on the player, a running back could line up anywhere from tailback, fullback or even slot receiver to linebacker, safety or cornerback.
So loading up on running backs is a good thing.
Top targets: Savon Huggins
Pitt has offers out to half-dozen or more running backs, but Poteat and Huggins are at the top of the list. Overall, Huggins is the better prospect, but he’s got his choice of colleges from across the nation. Still, the unofficial visit he took to Pitt several weeks ago appears to have done wonders for the Panthers’ chances.
Word out of the Huggins camp is that the visit was an eye-opener and put Pitt squarely in the battle. Prior to the visit, Pitt might have been a school he would have given a quick look - somewhat like LeSean McCoy when he attended a summer practice in 2005; at that point Pitt was well out of the running - but after the visit, the Panthers appear to have secured a spot on Huggins’ all-important final five.
A big-time recruit like Huggins will take all five official visits before deciding on a school, so making the cut for an official is huge. That notion was something of an impossibility a few months ago, but Huggins’ relationships with Jeff Hafley and Dion Lewis appear to have made a huge impact.
Of course, getting an official visit is all well and good, and for a recruit like Huggins, there won’t be a commitment without an official visit, but the fact remains that Pitt’s chances of landing the New Jersey standout are probably not great.
However, if the consolation prize is Poteat, Pitt won’t be too depressed. Poteat is an outstanding prospect in his own right, probably a step below Huggins but a sure-fire four-star and a national recruit nonetheless. Most feel that Pitt is the likely destination for Poteat, and some even see the decision coming in the near future.
Whenever it happens, Poteat will be a major score for Pitt. As to the second running back, it’s unlikely to be another big-time recruit like Huggins. Most likely, Pitt’s second running back in the class will be someone like Ryan Brumfield.
Another interesting prospect to keep an eye on is James Wilder. Wilder is a 6’2” 219-pound athlete out of Tampa with offers from all over the country. He has a preference for running back, but at his size it’s not hard to see him as a safety or a linebacker. His offer sheet probably means he’s not likely for Pitt, but we’ll see if Bernard Clark can work some magic and at least get a visit.
Fullback
2012 seniors
None
2013 upperclassmen
Kevin Adams - redshirt senior
As it stands now, after Henry Hynoski graduates following the 2011 season, Adams will be the only fullback on the roster. For some schools, that might be an afterthought, but for Pitt and Dave Wannstedt and Frank Cignetti, that could be a significant concern. The problem is, as the position gets phased out at the NFL and college levels, it is also getting phased out at the high school level.
More and more high schools are going to spread offenses that don’t use fullbacks, so the players who might otherwise line up at the position are instead playing linebacker or, in some cases, the defensive line.
All of that makes things difficult for a school like Pitt.
Target number: ? Fullback is an interesting position. The Rivals database lists five fullbacks in the class of 2011 who currently hold Division I offers. They are from Washington, Colorado, Georgia, Florida, and Ohio. The Ohio fullback is Trayion Durham. He’s 6’1” 230 and has offers from Colorado, Minnesota, and Wisconsin.
Top targets: Who knows? Durham could be an option, but he hasn’t mentioned Pitt interest in recruiting articles. And with a small class, fullback is probably not a priority. If I had to guess, I’d say the most likely scenario is that Pitt finds a big tailback - like Henry Hynoski - and gracefully moves him to fullback. But that player will probably be in the 2012 class.
Wide receiver
2012 seniors
Cam Saddler
Mike Shanahan
2013 upperclassmen
Devin Street - redshirt senior
Ed Tinker - redshirt senior
Andrew Carswell - redshirt junior
Todd Thomas - redshirt junior
Kevin Weatherspoon - redshirt junior
Salath Williams - redshirt junior
As has often been said, Wannstedt has done well recruiting several positions, and wide receiver is certainly one of them. Jon Baldwin will likely leave after this season, but the group below him - led by Saddler and Shanahan and filled out by the impressive group of underclassmen - should carry the torch well. There might not be a Baldwin in the group, but Street, Carswell, Thomas, and Williams all look like front-line players, which adds up to quality depth at wideout for the foreseeable future.
Target number: 2 While there are impressive numbers on the depth chart at wide receiver, the Pitt coaches aren’t likely to lay off in the 2011 recruiting class, and they’ll probably add two more wideouts to the roster. This allows for position changes, eligibility issues, and, most of all, versatility in the receiving corps.
Top targets: Justin Olack
Take your pick of the group. There are varying sizes, shapes, and speeds among those receivers - six of the 10 or 12 that Pitt has offered - and the Pitt coaches would probably be happy with any two of the group.
Olack would probably be considered a Pitt lean at this point, and the Panthers seem to have legitimate shots at Belton and Shuler, who could both play positions other than receiver if both decided to commit to Pitt.
Tight end
2012 seniors
Mike Cruz
Justin Virbitsky
2013 upperclassmen
Brock DeCicco - redshirt senior
Brendan Carozzoni - redshirt junior
Dan Schneider - redshirt junior
There’s a stockpile of tight ends at Pitt right now. The current roster has five scholarship tight ends - Cruz, Virbitsky, DeCicco, Andrew Devlin, and Hubie Graham - and two more will arrive this summer in Carozzoni and Schneider. But there’s position versatility at tight end, too, so expect Pitt to hit the position in this class once again.
Target number: 2 Even though the roster looks crowded right now, the 2011 class is too strong at tight end for the Pitt coaches to sign just one. The Rivals database lists five tight ends who currently claim offers from Pitt, and that’s not including Jack Tabb, a New Jersey tight end who recently picked up an offer from Florida. If Pitt hasn’t offered, I’m guessing they will. Plus there is probably a handful more out there that the Panthers have or will offer.
So despite the big numbers at tight end, Pitt will shoot for two more in this class.
Top targets: Rakim Reed
Collura is already committed, so that’s one down. From the rest of the group, Hamilton is the top choice. Vannett is blowing up on the recruiting circuit right now, so he might be a tough one to land, while Reed’s star seems to have fallen and his future could be at defensive end rather than tight end.
Pitt can sit with one tight end if they miss out on the other top targets or if they feel they need more numbers at another position. But even if they miss on Hamilton and Vannett, there are other prospects like Tyler Kroft who could turn into offered recruits before the process is over.
Offensive line
2012 seniors
Ryan Turnley
2013 upperclassmen
Fernando Diaz - redshirt senior
Juantez Hollins - redshirt senior
Cory King - redshirt senior
Jack Lippert - redshirt senior
Ryan Schlieper - redshirt senior
Arthur Doakes - redshirt junior
Shane Johnson - redshirt junior
Matt Rotheram - redshirt junior
Brandon Sacco - redshirt junior
The offensive line will be young in 2012, but if all of the players listed above make it to 2013, the Pitt coaches will probably feel pretty good about having five redshirt seniors and four redshirt juniors. It remains to be seen how many of them will pan out, but in that group, Pitt will have at least two tackles (King and Hollins); two guards (Diaz and Schlieper); two centers (Lippert and Sacco); and three players who have the potential to line up at guard or tackle (Doakes, Johnson, Rotheram).
The odds would indicate that, from those nine players, Pitt should be able to find five players to line up.
Target number: 2 The class of 2012 will need to be a big one to replace Diaz-Hollins-King-Lippert-Schlieper, but the 2011 group doesn’t need to be quite as large. Two will suffice, and if the coaches want to get a head start on reloading for the following year - and to take a bit of the burden off the class of 2012 - then they could add a third offensive line recruit in this class.
Top targets: Artie Rowell
If I was a betting man, I’d bet on Pitt landing Rowell and Hooks from that group. That would put them at the target number of two, but it wouldn’t be a surprise if the coaching staff also pulled in one of the other prospects on that list. Kouandjio is highly unlikely, Lumpkin seems to have his sights set elsewhere, and Smith’s recruitment continues to rise. But Mangiro and Clemons could be candidates, and there’s always the possibility that a new prospect could emerge at the June prospect camps.
Defensive line
2012 seniors
Shayne Hale
2013 upperclassmen
Bernardo Nunez - redshirt senior
Tyrone Ezell - redshirt senior
T.J. Clemmings - redshirt junior
Aaron Donald - redshirt junior
Khaynin Mosley-Smith - redshirt junior
Bryan Murphy - redshirt junior
That’s a pretty strong group of upperclassmen in 2013. Assuming - as we’ve done all day here - that the incoming freshmen reach their potential, you’ve got two starting ends in Clemmings and Murphy and two starting tackles in Ezell and Donald, plus two backups to rotate in Mosley-Smith and Nunez.
And three of those four starters - Clemmings, Donald, and Murphy - will probably be back in 2014, leaving only a hole at tackle. If Mosley-Smith develops, he should be able to step into that role.
Still, for a defense that’s as line-oriented as Pitt’s - not to mention one that rotates defensive linemen as much as Pitt tries to - the class of 2011 defensive line recruits are key. They’ll provide crucial depth in 2013 and be the next in line in 2014 and 2015.
Target number: 2 For all of Wannstedt’s success in recruiting defensive linemen, there have been some gaps. In the last year’s classhttp://rivals.yahoo.com/pittsburgh/football/recruiting/commitments/2010, Pitt brought in Clemmings, Donald, Mosley-Smith, and Murphy.
The biggest question in all of that is at defensive tackle: the last four classes (2007-10) have only produced four tackles (Caragein, Ezell, Donald, and Mosley-Smith). This would be a good time to load up on tackles for down the road, but between the size of Pitt’s class and the overall lack of standouts at the position, it doesn’t seem that the class of 2011 will be the one that restocks Pitt’s tackle depth. And in the more immediate future, Pitt will have all but one of its current defensive tackles back for next season, while the Panthers graduate both starting ends after this year.
So it’s most likely that the coaches will take two defensive linemen in this class, and both will be ends.
Top targets: Kevin McReynolds (DT)
Pitt would happily take any one of those defensive ends, and while Green seems like the most likely option, Williams is the top of the heap. Despite the listed target number, if Williams, Miller (who says Pitt has told him they like him on the offensive line), Green, and Wujciak all wanted to commit, I’m not sure who Pitt would turn down. And if Oakman - a basketball player at 6’7” - picked Pitt, I think they’d have to take him because he’s the kind of player whose potential they love. Pitt will get one of that group and probably be satisfied because it’s a strong collection of players.
At defensive tackle…not so much. Wright, Croce and McReynolds are the only offered tackles at this point, and while recruits like DeMatha’s Delvon Simmons are intriguing, the staff hasn’t moved on them yet.
From what we’ve been told, the staff was hoping to wait on Simmons until the June prospect camps, but with Michigan and West Virginia offering him, they might not have that luxury. Still, their hesitation to offer thus far says something about their interest in both Simmons and Cooper.
Between the limited number of quality tackles and a seeming preponderance of high-level ends, it’s not a stretch to imagine Pitt taking two ends and no tackles in this class. Of course, it also wouldn’t be a surprise if they push the target number and take two ends and one tackle, given Wannstedt’s love of defensive linemen (and their ability to move to the offensive line).
Linebackers
2012 seniors
Joe Trebitz
Manny Williams
Dan Mason
2013 upperclassmen
Carl Fleming - redshirt senior
Shane Gordon - redshirt senior
Eric Williams - redshirt junior
It’s not too much of a stretch to look at the 2013 upperclassmen and see three potential starters. By that season, Gordon will probably have logged considerable playing time, possibly as an outside linebacker in 2012 before moving back to the middle for his redshirt senior year. Fleming has room for improvement but he’s also got plenty of time to develop. And Eric Williams is another safety-turned-linebacker who might stay at safety; but if he sticks at linebacker, then he has the athleticism and body-type to be a contributor (of course, that’s projecting a long ways out).
Still, 2013 only figures to have three junior or senior linebackers, meaning the chances are good that the 2011 recruits - as redshirt sophomores - could be called on to play.
Target number: 2 If the 2011 scholarship allotment was bigger, the Pitt coaching staff would probably prefer to take three linebackers, since they graduate three after 2012 and two after 2013. But due to the likely size of the class, they will probably have to stick at two.
Top targets: Vinnie Sunseri
That list represents a pretty strong group of linebackers. All five of those players project as middle linebackers, but that’s not necessarily a problem, since Pitt will need a new man at the MIKE after Mason graduates following 2012 and Gordon leaves following 2013. Plus, at 5’11” 193, Sunseri could project as an outside linebacker.
At this point, Pitt seems to have a pretty strong shot with most of those players. Sunseri has family connections to Pitt and, despite holding a number of offers, we’re hearing that the Panthers appear to be the leader. Price is local, and while it’s not a guarantee that a player from Woodland
Hills will go to Pitt, you have to like their chances. And both Alston and Kline have spoken highly of Pitt. Alston told us he favors Pitt and Duke, while Kline is probably an Eastern Pa. recruit who will keep an eye on Penn State; if PSU doesn’t offer, then Pitt’s got a good shot.
Defensive back
2012 seniors
Jarred Holley
Andrew Taglianetti
2013 upperclassmen
Kolby Gray - redshirt senior
Jason Hendricks - redshirt senior
Derrick Burns - redshirt junior
Brandon Ifill - redshirt junior
Jeff Knox - redshirt junior
K’Waun Williams - redshirt junior
A quick glance at the 2010 Scholarship Boardhttp://pittsburgh.rivals.com/content.asp?SID=996&CID=1058017 shows that cornerback is not a very deep position on the current team. When K’Waun Williams Brandon Ifill join the roster this summer, the total number of scholarship corners will be at seven. But even more striking than that number is the set of huge gaps: this year’s roster will have no redshirt sophomores, true sophomores, or redshirt freshmen at cornerback.
Those empty spaces should be filled by corners from the 2008 and 2009. Not one recruit in the class of 2008http://rivals.yahoo.com/pittsburgh/football/recruiting/commitments/2008, there were three cornerback prospects: Jarred Holley moved to safety, Ronald Hobby left before completing his freshman year, and Antwuan Reed didn’t redshirt - some would say needlessly - so he has junior eligibility this season.
All of that leaves some pretty big holes at cornerback. There will be no senior or redshirt senior corners in 2012 (unless Holley moves back from safety), and of the six 2013 upperclassmen listed above, only Ifill and Williams will be corners.
At safety, the situation is a little more secure. This year’s roster will have seven scholarship players at safety - the same number as cornerback - but they are spread out. Holley and Taglianetti are the elder statesmen of the bunch, and both have two more years of eligibility after this season.
It’s anyone’s guess what will become of Gray, who moved to safety from quarterback this offseason, but there is optimism with Hendricks, and Knox will join Pitt this summer with high expectations.
Target number: 3 Cornerback and safety are grouped together because the overall target number at defensive back is three. Most likely, that will break down to two corners and one safety, because it’s hard to imagine this class being filled with less than two cornerbacks.
Top targets: Terrell Chestnut (CB/S)
Not a short list, to be sure. With a lot of good corner prospects in the class and a need at the position, Pitt has handed out a ton of offers to cornerbacks. All are good players, so the staff decided to cast a wide net and see who gets caught.
Pitt was on Dukes and Jarrett early, and it wouldn’t be a surprise if one of those two picks the Panthers. Pitt was one of the earlier offers for Kirby, too, but he got an Ohio State offer, and recent history would indicate that the Gateway product is likely to head for Columbus. Pitts is another interesting option out of Woodland Hills.
At safety, Caputo would seem like the obvious choice, but some feel that he could ultimately end up in Happy Valley. Royster and Tanner are top-level prospects, and Pitt will be in a dogfight to land either one. Meanwhile, Chestnut projects at corner or safety.
The most likely scenario is that Pitt will land Jarrett and either Dukes or Pitts for the two corner spots, and then Caputo or Chestnut for the safety spot. Again, as with all of the positions, new recruits who emerge in the next two months could change that scenario, but we’ve heard that Pitt has put the brakes on sending out new cornerback offers for the time being due to the volume of offers that are already out there.[/URL]
