Pitt Class Climbing
- Thread starter CJsE
- Start date
Fit
Fitz should be a 4 star. He's going to play early and often. He's gonna be our best DT since A.D.
Not surprised by James Scott getting a bump based on his offers. I’m a little surprised by Che Nwabuko’s elevation. I definitely agree that Fitz is the one who deserves a bump…
So now Pitt have 5 players that are 4 Stars by the major services. Ryland Gandy is rated a 4 Star by ESPN
We now have more four stars per 247 when you include the portal, than in 2021 when our class caught some attention.
pittdan77
Athletic Director
It's actually a really good class for Pitt (given recent history). Just small. Punter dragging the average down, too.
That is not too shabby. Especially when factoring in Fitz who was PA player of the year.
Per Rick Neuhesial (sp). There are only three schools that recruit so much significantly different UGA, Alabama, and tOSU. I like how Narduzzi has recruited and is now winning.
I posted this in an older thread. Nwabuko is enrolling later because of track. Even with that along with a deep WR- he plays as true freshman. Hopefully he takes over for Addison the following year.
For comparison, he's in Kalon Barnes (2nd fastest 40 ever at the combine) range.
I run a 24.32...................................125
Looked like Che was in the fast lane while the rest of them were in the lane waiting to turn into the Chic-Fil-A.
I can see Zion Fowler getting a bump in the upcoming class too. With Wayne and (likely) Addison gone after this season it’s good to see that talent incoming.
Hate to deflate the bubble of this thread, but AD was a 3 star recruit and now regarded as the best defensive lineman of all time. Evaluating 18 yo talent +/- a year is a crapshoot. I’d rather the coaching staff recruit players that will succeed in the system. It looks better for the success of the program as a whole to demonstrate they can develop players. And we can win 3 straight ACC championships and still not out recruit Clemson and Alabama. I’m personally fine with the current formula of 3 stars and occasional 4 stars provided we have coaches who can coach. I don’t care to be ranked on rivals or 247 but rather on the CFP poll at end of season. That’s all that matters.
our strategy of recruiting mostly 3 stars with the occasional 4 star is not a strategy, it's reality. we do this because that's the best we can sign. it's not like there are a ton of 4 star recruits begging to come to pitt but we are turning them down to maintain status quo..
pittdan77
Athletic Director
You can't be average and go unnoticed for thirty years and expect much more. That said, look at the kids who are visiting right now. There are more "stars" cycling through the building than most years. Takes a while to fix the mess Pitt had. I'm not mad about the progress.
PN has done a good job increasing the quality and quality depth of his roster. If you look at the recruiting overall, the vast majority of recruits are in the top 1000. Which means they are legit P5 kids with multiple P5 offers. It's at the point where they have an opportunity for sustainable success.
Something I said 2 years ago was- the only missing element was that breakthrough season. Half of the problem was Pitt's absurd OOC scheduling.
So that now they have the foundation and the breakthrough year- I think everyone should expect a bit of a bump in the overall quality of recruits. The tough part now imo is adding better quality while maintaining the culture which got them here.
2 years from now, I think it's reasonable to expect Pitt's overall talent composite to move from the current lower 30s range into the top 25ish range.
I think this current class will determine that.
Last year’s class was small and still had a fairly mediocre average recruit ranking. Ideally you’d like to see small classes have a bump in average recruiting ranking, because you’re not taking a lot of fluff or filler.
Like Miami has the highest average recruit ranking in the ACC this past cycle. One reason for that is because their class is small. So it’s only their high end recruits making up the roster. So there is a bump.
The past class didn’t have a bump, even though it‘s a small class, because the quality of the recruits didn’t really move from past classes.
Small class plus a punter is going to kill the overall rankings.
Some of the kids are pretty underrated as well like Che and Addison. Overall, it's the same quality which won them the ACC this year.
pittdan77
Athletic Director
Rankings really aren't what he meant. The overall class average was down but you are correct to say that the punter held the average back. Would have been slightly higher than the previous year. Miami and UNC both were over a 91 class average. Pitt needs to get up in that neighborhood. Doesn't have to be equal but you'd like to see at least an 88 average like a middling SEC school.
Piitt has done a nice job recruiting. They have gotten three star kids with high ceiling and they have been developing those kids in the same system. The coaching stability has helped and improvement in coaching hires. Coach Underwood seems to have a personality for it. It has taken awhile but Duzz has built depth on both sides of the ball. They have been getting close the last couple years and now have had a break out season. Hope they land a few four stars and keep it going. H2P!
I’m talking about the average recruit ranking.
The overall ranking in the standings isn’t going to increase unless the overall average recruit ranking increases.
There’s two team in 247’s Top 30 Team Talent Calculator with an average recruit ranking below 87. Everybody else is 87+.
What I’m saying is that, if the average recruit ranking was going to be on the upswing, you’d probably see it in a smaller class. Because a small class is just the choice picks. There’s no filler.
And it’s fine to argue this class is in actuality an ACC Championship worthy class. That’s not the point I was responding to. I’m not a scout. If you believe all of these guys are really 4* level recruits, I can’t pull up their film and counter that.
I was responding to the idea that a bump in the class ranking should be expected. And what I’m saying is there‘s really no reason to expect that. At least not based on any of the recent classes.
Last edited:
Argh. This again. Look, of course some 3 star players will go on to be NFL hall of famers. But it's MUCH MUCH MUCH more likely that those 4 and 5 star recruits become great players.
Maybe I seeing this through Blue and Gold glasses but for the first time since the late 1970’s early 1980’s I feel the Pitt program has a solid foundation. Coach Narduzzi has created a solid foundation were I think Pitt is in the conversation for conference titles year in and year out.
This is without a doubt the best shape our program has been since Sherrill left.
I’d have to imagine he has his choice of schools to compete in track at the next level. I’m surprised he’s going the football route.
You’d have to imagine the pitt track coach us at least trying to ask him to join, right?
You’d have to imagine the pitt track coach us at least trying to ask him to join, right?
Similar threads
