June 1, 2012
Welcome to June, where a new month means a new edition of In the Pitt, Panther-Lair.com’s rundown of everything going on in Pitt recruiting. This week - and next - we’re going through the offer sheet one by one, breaking down each recruit, his interest in Pitt, and Pitt’s chances. We start things off with the offense.
Note: We left off the offered recruits who have committed elsewhere.
Quarterback
Tim Boyle
- Boyle is Pitt’s lone pro-style quarterback offer so far. He visited Florida last weekend and went into the visit with the Gators as his looking elsewhere. Boyle should visit Pitt soon.
Tra’von Chapman
- Chapman has had an offer from Pitt for awhile, and he recently told us that the Panthers are in his top four, along with Northwestern, Cincinnati, and Wisconsin. He hasn’t visited Northwestern yet but will in the near future and is considering return visits to the other three. I think chances are he’ll return to Pitt and Cincinnati and pick one of those two, but it’s tough to call. Chapman himself isn’t sure where he’s leaning right now.
Alton Meeks
- Meeks is here because he is listed as a dual-threat quarterback on Rivals.com, but a lot of schools - Pitt included - are recruiting him as a linebacker. Cincinnati likes him as a quarterback and he committed to the Bearcats so he could save a spot on a team that wants him as a quarterback, but he’s not 100% sold on being a QB and is looking at other options.
Overview - It seems like the coaches want to sign one pro-style quarterback and one dual-threat prospect. Obviously Boyle and Chapman are the two targets right now; the chances for Chapman seem to be good, and the chances for Boyle increased when he left Florida without committing. If they miss on one or both, then the coaches will look to the prospect camps for new targets.
Running back
Derrick Green
- The No. 12 recruit in the country and a five-star prospect overall, Green is a big fish with suitors from all over. But Green has a good relationship with Pitt director of player personnel Dann Kabala, and that relationship has him looking at the Panthers. Still, it’s a major uphill battle for the five-star recruit.
David Williams
- Williams was a Pitt lean at this point last year (or thereabouts), but the signing of Rushel Shell and the coaching change in December led him to look elsewhere. He recently mentioned that he might visit Pitt, but it seems like the consensus is that he’s a Penn State lean.
Jojo Kemp
- Kemp previously said that his top four schools are South Florida, Kentucky, Wake Forest, and Arizona State. Like a lot of Florida recruits who have Pitt offers, Kemp’s relationship with the coaching staff is still in the early stages, and it’s tough to get a read on his interest.
Jamari Smith
- Smith is a prolific back from Florida who has collected nearly 20 offers. His coach recently said that South Carolina is the favorite.
Corey Clement
- Pitt was an early scholarship for Clement, becoming just the second school to offer when the Panthers idolizes LeSean McCoy and will visit Pitt on June 16. Clement wants to be reassured about the stability of the coaching staff - a legitimate concern given the last two years of Pitt football - and if he likes what he hears, the Panthers have a very good shot of landing him.
Augustus Edwards
- When Pitt offered Edwards, he said Pitt wasn’t one of them.
Kareem Hunt
- Hunt is something of a sleeper, but he has dominated the competition in high school - 2,519 rushing yards last season - and has five offers to show for it. So far, Pitt is the only BCS school to offer, so if Hunt blows up, the Panthers should be in good shape. Hunt plans to visit in June.
Zaire Williams
- Williams plays things close to the vest, but he did tell us this week that he has three official visits planned. Those are visits are planned for West Virginia, Pitt, and Iowa. Williams wouldn’t say that those three schools are his favorites, but if you have singled them out at this point, I’m going to make the leap of logic. Williams also said he wants to visit Pitt this summer.
Overview - There are a few other running backs on Pitt’s board (listed as Athletes on Rivals.com) but these are the main targets for now. I think they try to sign two running backs in this class, although getting two high-end backs in one class can be tough. Pitt seems to be in very good shape with Clement, and I wouldn’t be surprised if they end up with Clement and Hunt, which would be a solid duo for the class.
Wide receiver
Robert Foster
- Pitt’s No. 1 target at receiver, Foster keeps his recruitment rather quiet, avoiding interviews and even being tough for college coaches to reach at times. In his last interview with Rivals.com - which was more than a month ago - he said that he doesn’t even look at the mail he receives from colleges. So we have to rely on “sources,” and the whispers all seem to indicate that Pitt is still in good shape with the local star. We’ll keep an eye on him this summer; he should be at Pitt at some point in the near future.
Shelton Gibson
- Like Foster, Gibson has stayed out of the spotlight; unlike the Central Valley standout, Gibson seems to be out of reach for Pitt. Earlier this year he said that his top three are Ohio State, Auburn, and Oregon, and the in-state Buckeyes seem to be the favorites.
Tyler Boyd
- Pitt has had success with Clairton recruits in the last six years, but Boyd looks like he could be the best of that school’s run of Division I prospects. Problem is, Boyd has been leaning to West Virginia for quite some time, and it looks like Pitt has quite a bit of work to do to catch up with the Mountaineers.
Paul Harris
- Harris has playmaking ability at 6’4” and with breakaway speed. We haven’t been able to track him down for an interview about his interest in Pitt, but he has said his top four schools are Michigan, Tennessee, USC, and Penn State.
Corey Cooper
- Cooper seemed to appreciate the offer from Pitt when we spoke to him last month, and he said he would look into visiting this summer. But he also said that South Carolina was his leader at that point. Summer visits could change his mind on that, but it looks like the Gamecocks are the team to beat.
Travis Johnson
- Like a lot of Florida offers, Pitt’s chances are pretty low. Johnson narrowed his list to 15 schools, and Pitt wasn’t one of them.
Dominic Walker
- Pitt is one of the 15 schools that have offered Walker, but everyone is trailing Vanderbilt at this point.
Brian Lemelle
- Lemelle is the latest Division I prospect at Bishop McDevitt, and Pitt is on his list. Pitt should get a visit this summer; beyond that, Lemelle doesn’t seem to be leaning any particular way in his recruitment.
Taivon Jacobs
- Jacobs is a smaller speed receiver, and his abilities have drawn offers from more than a dozen schools, including “big-name” programs like Florida State, Ohio State, Notre Dame, and more.
Daryl Worley
- Pitt offered Worley in April, and when we spoke to him earlier this month, he spoke highly of his relationship with Pitt defensive backs coach Matt House, who is recruiting him. Worley has a good offer sheet, but he wants to visit Pitt this summer.
Andre Patton
- Patton has good size and speed, and he seems like the kind of receiver who would fit Pitt’s offense pretty well. We haven’t been able to track him down to learn more about his interest in Pitt, but it sounds like West Virginia is sticking out to him at this point in the process.
Overview - It doesn’t seem like Pitt is the leader for many, if any of those receiver prospects. Even though they need to upgrade the talent at receiver on the roster, I think they’ll probably sign two at the position. Foster is the top target; if they sign him and one other - whether it’s a name on this list or a camp offer - I think the coaches will be pleased. Foster is the kind of talent that can make the class.
Tight end
Josh McNeil
- McNeil is a national recruit who plans to release his top six today; Alabama, Florida, Georgia, and Miami have already made the cut, and it seems doubtful that Pitt makes it.
Scott Orndoff
- Orndoff is committed to Pitt.
Devon Edwards
- Edwards picked up an offer from Pitt in mid-May and seems to have genuine interest in the Panthers, telling us that Pitt is one of the schools sticking out along with Boston College, Michigan State, and Wisconsin. Of that list, only Pitt and Boston College have offered.
Jaymar Parrish
- Parrish is committed to Pitt. Although he is listed on Rivals.com as a tight end, he will line up at fullback for Pitt.
Mike Tyler
- Tyler is listed as a defensive end on Rivals.com, but Pitt likes him as a tight end and he likes Pitt quite a bit. Tyler told us that his main decision would be whether he wants to attend an Ivy League school; if not, then Pitt has a great shot.
Overview - Pitt wants to sign two tight ends - at least - in this class. Orndoff is a strong start, and if they land Tyler or Edwards, I think the coaches will call it a day. However, Tyler is getting recruited by some schools as a defensive end, so it’s possible that Pitt could sign three with the plan that a recruit like Tyler could switch sides if need be.
Offensive line
Dorian Johnson
- Foster is the No. 1 target at receiver, but Johnson might be the No. 1 target overall. A big-time offensive lineman (position of need) in western Pennsylvania (the backyard) at the high school of Pitt’s offensive coordinator (connections)? Yes, he should be a Panther. The question is whether or not this staff can pull it off. Johnson took another visit to Pitt earlier this month, and that experience helped the Panthers’ chances with him. Ultimately, this will be a Pitt vs. Penn State battle (with Ohio State and West Virginia on the outside trying to get in); at this point, it’s anyone’s guess which in-state school will win when Johnson makes his commitment in June.
Na’Ty Rodgers
- Rodgers checked out Pitt’s facilities and campus in April when he was in western Pennsylvania for a seven-on-seven camp - he ostensibly lined up at tight end - and liked what he saw, but with 17 offers and a “top of the head” list that doesn’t include Pitt, it seems like he’s probably not going to be a Panther.
Kyle Meadows
- Meadows was high on Florida State, but his interests have shifted to a top-three of West Virginia, Indiana, and Illinois. He has had some contact with Pitt since the Panthers offered and he could take a summer visit to Pittsburgh, but it doesn’t seem likely.
Sam Coverdale
- Coverdale has held a Pitt offer for some time, but he doesn’t seem to have much interest in the Panthers. He recently said his top three schools are Northwestern, Stanford, and Vanderbilt.
Alex Gall
- Gall is interesting. His list is mostly made up of mid-level BCS programs - Pitt, Cincinnati, Duke, Indiana, Kentucky, Louisville, Minnesota - and two “name” programs in Florida State and Miami (Fla.). Gall told us toward those “name” programs.
Jaryd Jones-Smith
- Jones-Smith is a big - 6’7” 300 - in-state tackle prospect, and he told us this week that he stays in regular contact with the Pitt coaching staff. He hopes to visit Pitt, and the Panthers should have a decent shot at landing him.
Aaron Reese
- Reese is committed to Pitt.
Eric Tetlow
- Tetlow visited Pitt during spring camp, and while he has picked up more offers since, then, Tetlow told Josh that Pitt is standing out to him right now. We’ll have an article later today on Tetlow, but it sounds like Pitt is in good shape.
Marquis Wallace
- Pitt could use some ready-to-play help on the offensive line, and Wallace is a JUCO tackle at Lackawanna Community College. He spoke highly of Pitt when he got his offer. He hasn’t done any interviews recently, so we’ll try to check in with him again soon to see what his contact has been like with Pitt.
Dorian Miller
- Miller is a top guard target for Pitt and has been since before he visited during spring camp. Miller plans to narrow his list to ten in the next few weeks, and Pitt should make the cut. From there, it’s a matter of making the next cut, which will be for his official visit list.
Alexander Officer
- Officer is a 6’4” 300-pound guard prospect from upstate New York, and the coaches have maintained regular contact with him. He should be on campus at some point this summer, possibly during the prospect camps.
Overview - The offensive line might be the most important position in this recruiting class, and the coaches will look to sign at least four, if not five, linemen. They already have Reese, and Johnson is Priority No. 1. If they could land him, that would give them two tackles. From there, I expect the staff to try to get one guard and then the best prospect they can sign with the fourth spot. I would expect at least one of the linemen Pitt signs in this class to be a recruit who gets an offer after OL coach Jim Hueber has a chance to work them out directly during the prospect camps.
Welcome to June, where a new month means a new edition of In the Pitt, Panther-Lair.com’s rundown of everything going on in Pitt recruiting. This week - and next - we’re going through the offer sheet one by one, breaking down each recruit, his interest in Pitt, and Pitt’s chances. We start things off with the offense.
Note: We left off the offered recruits who have committed elsewhere.
Quarterback
Tim Boyle
- Boyle is Pitt’s lone pro-style quarterback offer so far. He visited Florida last weekend and went into the visit with the Gators as his looking elsewhere. Boyle should visit Pitt soon.
Tra’von Chapman
- Chapman has had an offer from Pitt for awhile, and he recently told us that the Panthers are in his top four, along with Northwestern, Cincinnati, and Wisconsin. He hasn’t visited Northwestern yet but will in the near future and is considering return visits to the other three. I think chances are he’ll return to Pitt and Cincinnati and pick one of those two, but it’s tough to call. Chapman himself isn’t sure where he’s leaning right now.
Alton Meeks
- Meeks is here because he is listed as a dual-threat quarterback on Rivals.com, but a lot of schools - Pitt included - are recruiting him as a linebacker. Cincinnati likes him as a quarterback and he committed to the Bearcats so he could save a spot on a team that wants him as a quarterback, but he’s not 100% sold on being a QB and is looking at other options.
Overview - It seems like the coaches want to sign one pro-style quarterback and one dual-threat prospect. Obviously Boyle and Chapman are the two targets right now; the chances for Chapman seem to be good, and the chances for Boyle increased when he left Florida without committing. If they miss on one or both, then the coaches will look to the prospect camps for new targets.
Running back
Derrick Green
- The No. 12 recruit in the country and a five-star prospect overall, Green is a big fish with suitors from all over. But Green has a good relationship with Pitt director of player personnel Dann Kabala, and that relationship has him looking at the Panthers. Still, it’s a major uphill battle for the five-star recruit.
David Williams
- Williams was a Pitt lean at this point last year (or thereabouts), but the signing of Rushel Shell and the coaching change in December led him to look elsewhere. He recently mentioned that he might visit Pitt, but it seems like the consensus is that he’s a Penn State lean.
Jojo Kemp
- Kemp previously said that his top four schools are South Florida, Kentucky, Wake Forest, and Arizona State. Like a lot of Florida recruits who have Pitt offers, Kemp’s relationship with the coaching staff is still in the early stages, and it’s tough to get a read on his interest.
Jamari Smith
- Smith is a prolific back from Florida who has collected nearly 20 offers. His coach recently said that South Carolina is the favorite.
Corey Clement
- Pitt was an early scholarship for Clement, becoming just the second school to offer when the Panthers idolizes LeSean McCoy and will visit Pitt on June 16. Clement wants to be reassured about the stability of the coaching staff - a legitimate concern given the last two years of Pitt football - and if he likes what he hears, the Panthers have a very good shot of landing him.
Augustus Edwards
- When Pitt offered Edwards, he said Pitt wasn’t one of them.
Kareem Hunt
- Hunt is something of a sleeper, but he has dominated the competition in high school - 2,519 rushing yards last season - and has five offers to show for it. So far, Pitt is the only BCS school to offer, so if Hunt blows up, the Panthers should be in good shape. Hunt plans to visit in June.
Zaire Williams
- Williams plays things close to the vest, but he did tell us this week that he has three official visits planned. Those are visits are planned for West Virginia, Pitt, and Iowa. Williams wouldn’t say that those three schools are his favorites, but if you have singled them out at this point, I’m going to make the leap of logic. Williams also said he wants to visit Pitt this summer.
Overview - There are a few other running backs on Pitt’s board (listed as Athletes on Rivals.com) but these are the main targets for now. I think they try to sign two running backs in this class, although getting two high-end backs in one class can be tough. Pitt seems to be in very good shape with Clement, and I wouldn’t be surprised if they end up with Clement and Hunt, which would be a solid duo for the class.
Wide receiver
Robert Foster
- Pitt’s No. 1 target at receiver, Foster keeps his recruitment rather quiet, avoiding interviews and even being tough for college coaches to reach at times. In his last interview with Rivals.com - which was more than a month ago - he said that he doesn’t even look at the mail he receives from colleges. So we have to rely on “sources,” and the whispers all seem to indicate that Pitt is still in good shape with the local star. We’ll keep an eye on him this summer; he should be at Pitt at some point in the near future.
Shelton Gibson
- Like Foster, Gibson has stayed out of the spotlight; unlike the Central Valley standout, Gibson seems to be out of reach for Pitt. Earlier this year he said that his top three are Ohio State, Auburn, and Oregon, and the in-state Buckeyes seem to be the favorites.
Tyler Boyd
- Pitt has had success with Clairton recruits in the last six years, but Boyd looks like he could be the best of that school’s run of Division I prospects. Problem is, Boyd has been leaning to West Virginia for quite some time, and it looks like Pitt has quite a bit of work to do to catch up with the Mountaineers.
Paul Harris
- Harris has playmaking ability at 6’4” and with breakaway speed. We haven’t been able to track him down for an interview about his interest in Pitt, but he has said his top four schools are Michigan, Tennessee, USC, and Penn State.
Corey Cooper
- Cooper seemed to appreciate the offer from Pitt when we spoke to him last month, and he said he would look into visiting this summer. But he also said that South Carolina was his leader at that point. Summer visits could change his mind on that, but it looks like the Gamecocks are the team to beat.
Travis Johnson
- Like a lot of Florida offers, Pitt’s chances are pretty low. Johnson narrowed his list to 15 schools, and Pitt wasn’t one of them.
Dominic Walker
- Pitt is one of the 15 schools that have offered Walker, but everyone is trailing Vanderbilt at this point.
Brian Lemelle
- Lemelle is the latest Division I prospect at Bishop McDevitt, and Pitt is on his list. Pitt should get a visit this summer; beyond that, Lemelle doesn’t seem to be leaning any particular way in his recruitment.
Taivon Jacobs
- Jacobs is a smaller speed receiver, and his abilities have drawn offers from more than a dozen schools, including “big-name” programs like Florida State, Ohio State, Notre Dame, and more.
Daryl Worley
- Pitt offered Worley in April, and when we spoke to him earlier this month, he spoke highly of his relationship with Pitt defensive backs coach Matt House, who is recruiting him. Worley has a good offer sheet, but he wants to visit Pitt this summer.
Andre Patton
- Patton has good size and speed, and he seems like the kind of receiver who would fit Pitt’s offense pretty well. We haven’t been able to track him down to learn more about his interest in Pitt, but it sounds like West Virginia is sticking out to him at this point in the process.
Overview - It doesn’t seem like Pitt is the leader for many, if any of those receiver prospects. Even though they need to upgrade the talent at receiver on the roster, I think they’ll probably sign two at the position. Foster is the top target; if they sign him and one other - whether it’s a name on this list or a camp offer - I think the coaches will be pleased. Foster is the kind of talent that can make the class.
Tight end
Josh McNeil
- McNeil is a national recruit who plans to release his top six today; Alabama, Florida, Georgia, and Miami have already made the cut, and it seems doubtful that Pitt makes it.
Scott Orndoff
- Orndoff is committed to Pitt.
Devon Edwards
- Edwards picked up an offer from Pitt in mid-May and seems to have genuine interest in the Panthers, telling us that Pitt is one of the schools sticking out along with Boston College, Michigan State, and Wisconsin. Of that list, only Pitt and Boston College have offered.
Jaymar Parrish
- Parrish is committed to Pitt. Although he is listed on Rivals.com as a tight end, he will line up at fullback for Pitt.
Mike Tyler
- Tyler is listed as a defensive end on Rivals.com, but Pitt likes him as a tight end and he likes Pitt quite a bit. Tyler told us that his main decision would be whether he wants to attend an Ivy League school; if not, then Pitt has a great shot.
Overview - Pitt wants to sign two tight ends - at least - in this class. Orndoff is a strong start, and if they land Tyler or Edwards, I think the coaches will call it a day. However, Tyler is getting recruited by some schools as a defensive end, so it’s possible that Pitt could sign three with the plan that a recruit like Tyler could switch sides if need be.
Offensive line
Dorian Johnson
- Foster is the No. 1 target at receiver, but Johnson might be the No. 1 target overall. A big-time offensive lineman (position of need) in western Pennsylvania (the backyard) at the high school of Pitt’s offensive coordinator (connections)? Yes, he should be a Panther. The question is whether or not this staff can pull it off. Johnson took another visit to Pitt earlier this month, and that experience helped the Panthers’ chances with him. Ultimately, this will be a Pitt vs. Penn State battle (with Ohio State and West Virginia on the outside trying to get in); at this point, it’s anyone’s guess which in-state school will win when Johnson makes his commitment in June.
Na’Ty Rodgers
- Rodgers checked out Pitt’s facilities and campus in April when he was in western Pennsylvania for a seven-on-seven camp - he ostensibly lined up at tight end - and liked what he saw, but with 17 offers and a “top of the head” list that doesn’t include Pitt, it seems like he’s probably not going to be a Panther.
Kyle Meadows
- Meadows was high on Florida State, but his interests have shifted to a top-three of West Virginia, Indiana, and Illinois. He has had some contact with Pitt since the Panthers offered and he could take a summer visit to Pittsburgh, but it doesn’t seem likely.
Sam Coverdale
- Coverdale has held a Pitt offer for some time, but he doesn’t seem to have much interest in the Panthers. He recently said his top three schools are Northwestern, Stanford, and Vanderbilt.
Alex Gall
- Gall is interesting. His list is mostly made up of mid-level BCS programs - Pitt, Cincinnati, Duke, Indiana, Kentucky, Louisville, Minnesota - and two “name” programs in Florida State and Miami (Fla.). Gall told us toward those “name” programs.
Jaryd Jones-Smith
- Jones-Smith is a big - 6’7” 300 - in-state tackle prospect, and he told us this week that he stays in regular contact with the Pitt coaching staff. He hopes to visit Pitt, and the Panthers should have a decent shot at landing him.
Aaron Reese
- Reese is committed to Pitt.
Eric Tetlow
- Tetlow visited Pitt during spring camp, and while he has picked up more offers since, then, Tetlow told Josh that Pitt is standing out to him right now. We’ll have an article later today on Tetlow, but it sounds like Pitt is in good shape.
Marquis Wallace
- Pitt could use some ready-to-play help on the offensive line, and Wallace is a JUCO tackle at Lackawanna Community College. He spoke highly of Pitt when he got his offer. He hasn’t done any interviews recently, so we’ll try to check in with him again soon to see what his contact has been like with Pitt.
Dorian Miller
- Miller is a top guard target for Pitt and has been since before he visited during spring camp. Miller plans to narrow his list to ten in the next few weeks, and Pitt should make the cut. From there, it’s a matter of making the next cut, which will be for his official visit list.
Alexander Officer
- Officer is a 6’4” 300-pound guard prospect from upstate New York, and the coaches have maintained regular contact with him. He should be on campus at some point this summer, possibly during the prospect camps.
Overview - The offensive line might be the most important position in this recruiting class, and the coaches will look to sign at least four, if not five, linemen. They already have Reese, and Johnson is Priority No. 1. If they could land him, that would give them two tackles. From there, I expect the staff to try to get one guard and then the best prospect they can sign with the fourth spot. I would expect at least one of the linemen Pitt signs in this class to be a recruit who gets an offer after OL coach Jim Hueber has a chance to work them out directly during the prospect camps.
