#PantherNation News and Notes
Report by Matt Schmidlin | November 17, 2022
Recruiting Roundup: Senior Day Showcase Lands Quintet of Commits
If recruiting was a trip to the grocery store, then
Pat Narduzzi and the Pitt Panthers just landed a Costco-sized haul following their victory over North Carolina last weekend.
Five recruits gave commitments to the Panthers in the immediate aftermath of the contest, giving Pitt a total of 15 commitments thus far in the 2023 recruiting cycle.
Of the group,
Jamie Whitfield III (6'4", 225 lbs, #37 OLB) is likely the most intriguing prospect with the tools to play early and be an impact contributor. The North Plainfield, NJ native is graded as a 3-star prospect, but has played his way into 247 composite grades that exceed most of the 4-stars that the Panthers have signed in this class. He has good speed for a linebacker and excellent length, and his tackling and ability to get into the backfield make him almost a like for like replacement for senior linebacker
A'Darrion Mitchell.
Mark Childress (6'1", 286 lbs, #24 G) committed to Pitt, interestingly, just a week prior to the Panthers facing the team that was most closely linked to his recruitment, the Syracuse Orange. Pitt will be extremely happy to secure the 3-star's signing, as the Camden, DE-native is a powerhouse in the run game and should add some great depth to what could be a very young Pitt offensive line group next year.
The Panthers dipped into the (outside) Philly-area for a pair of high school teammates who committed together, snagging both OLB
Chad Campbell (6'4", 231 lbs, #47 OLB) and DE
Mike Hargrove (6'3", 227 lbs, #41 DE) from Norristown High School. The duo has helped turn Norristown into one of the fiercest defenses in the state, as both have shown significant growth in their senior seasons (each with +4 growth from initial pre-scout OVR).
Hargrove is actually *smaller* than his teammate, though his skill set is expected to keep him at defensive end as he lacks the quickness to get into coverage. However, he is a shifty pass rusher who should excel once he puts on 20-30 pounds of muscle at Pitt.
Campbell is particularly impressive physically, with better speed even than fellow commit Whitfield III, though his skill set is a bit raw. Campbell likely fits more into the mold on the other side of Pitt's 3 LB sets, playing a coverage role similar to where the Panthers deploy junior linebacker
Talik Bridges currently. The Campbell-Whitfield III partnership should be one to watch in the coming years.
Pitt's final commit of the week was
James Oliver (6'2", 307 lbs, #38 DT), an imposing interior defensive lineman from Scranton, PA. Oliver is another player who, like this entire group of commits, has excelled as a senior and played to an increased recruiting grade despite being a 3-star prospect. Oliver should fit the mold of Pitt stalwarts
Darren Toth and now
Ryan Jacobs as interior lineman who can clog up the middle while still getting into the backfield.
The Panthers did have one target sign elsewhere, as 3-star HB
Ronnie Richard (#66 HB) committed to Boston College, but the New Jersey native never seemed to truly be garnering a ton of interest from the Panthers. His lack of top end speed deterred the Panthers from seriously pursuing him, though they will see him in the future as he heads to an ACC foe.
Smith Keeps Options Open After Visit, Narrows List to Three
After what was deemed to be a excellent visit, the Panthers are said to be neck and neck with in-state rivals Penn State for Burrell HS product
Maurice Smith (6'1", 297 lbs, #6 DT). Pitt's signing of James Oliver is not said to be a factor in Smith's recruitment, as the two fit different roles in Pitt's scheme and Smith would be more of a
Malachi Bordeaux pass rusher type player. The 4-star held off on committing on this past weekend's visit, and will be visiting Happy Valley this weekend for the Nittany Lions' home contest. With very limited remaining scholarships available, Smith is likely the Panthers' top priority to fill out their 2023 class.
Take a look at the below table for a full overview of the Panthers current offer list for the Class of 2023:
