Pitt FB Recruiting
Examining Pitt Football’s 2018 Recruiting Board
A big weekend is ahead for the Pitt football team as they’ll have their first official visits for the month of January.
In the last couple of days, the Panthers have extended offers to a couple of seniors that has left me wondering what the next few weeks will hold for them in terms of commitments.
At this point, Pitt has three open scholarships but are actively recruiting a lot more than just players. I think it’s accurate to say they’re seriously involved in more 4-star recruits than they were before December’s National Signing Day.
With all these questions and possibilities, thought it would be a good time to reset Pitt’s recruiting board and who are the most realistic targets.
Mychale Salahuddin, RB, Washington DC:Â We believe that Andre Powell met with Salahuddin yesterday and Pitt is very much in the running for this 4-star prospect. He’s scheduled to make his official visit to Pitt next weekend. At this point, I believe Pitt has a good a chance of anyone to land him.
Courtesy of Mychale Salahuddin
Dominick Watt, WR, Hollywood (FL): It’s been very difficult trying to get information about this situation. This 4-star wide out was scheduled to make an official visit to Pitt this weekend but Watt texted me this afternoon and told me that Pitt wants to him visit next weekend instead. He also told me that he has an in home visit tonight scheduled with Nebraska. I hope to have more information from Watt later tonight. This is a player that’s being heavily pursued so the information on him could and likely will change a lot. At this point, Pitt is still pursuing him and Watt still has interest.
Marcus Applefield/Calvin Anderson:Â Pitt wants to bring in a veteran offensive tackle. The question is, can they land either Applefield (Rutgers grad transfer) or Anderson (Rice grad transfer). Applefield has Pitt in his final 3 teams and will be visiting next weekend. Anderson, whom they met with on Tuesday in Houston, is in the process of picking his 5 official visits. Anderson is being pursued by the heavyweights of college football and if Pitt lands him, it would be a major victory. The team that might make it very difficult for Pitt is Notre Dame. They haven’t officially gotten involved yet but if they do, they could become the clubhouse leaders. If they fail to land either of these players, I’m told that John Peterson has been talking with Florida 2018 offensive tackle Doug Johnson.
Courtesy of Calvin Anderson
Leonard Taylor, TE, Springfield, Ohio: Shawn Watson was in Ohio on Monday to meet with Taylor. Pitt would very much like Taylor to make an official visit but they’re running out of time. PSN is being told that Taylor is scheduled to be in Texas A&M this weekend.
Kaymar Mimes, DE, Long Branch (NJ): Mimes will be making his official visit to Pitt this weekend and it wouldn’t surprise me if he decides to commit to Pitt. If he commits, that likely eliminates any other defensive end that Pitt is currently recruiting.
Courtesy Kaymar Mimes
Kolin Demens, OLB, Beverly Hills, Michigan: This former UCLA commit will also be visiting this weekend. Demens is someone that we haven’t been able to have much communication with so I don’t have a strong take on his feelings about Pitt. He is someone that Rob Harley has been pursuing for a while now.
Jairus Brents, CB, Louisville, Kentucky: This 4-star cornerback is scheduled to visit Pitt this weekend. Obviously, he’d be a big addition to this year’s recruiting class. The Pitt staff was in Louisville last Wednesday visiting him. Like with Watt, Brents is a highly sought after player and Pitt’s going to have to really impress to be able to land him.
Tyler Badie, RB, Memphis, Tennessee:Â Badie landed an offer from Pitt yesterday which is somewhat of a surprise because of their interest in Salahuddin and also because Badie is already committed to Memphis. Why extend him an offer? Is he insurance for not landing Salahuddin or have they received indication already that he plans to commit to another school?
Noah Boykins, CB, Washington DC: Boykins is a 4-star cornerback that’s already committed to Maryland but told PSN last week that he’s considering making an official to Pitt. No word yet if he plans on coming this weekend or next. Pitt would obviously not take both Boykins and Brents, both 4-star recruits.
Kiy Hester, S, Rutgers Grad Transfer: As we told you earlier this week, Pitt is very much interested in landing this talented former 4-star recruit. Although it isn’t official, there’s a chance he could make an official visit next weekend with his Rutgers teammate Marcus Applefield.
Courtesty of Kiy Hester
Habakkuk Baldonado, DE, Florida: This rising senior received an offer from Pitt yesterday and sounds as if he could make a visit sometime next week (either a mid-week visit or next weekend). The question is whether Baldonado is strictly a defensive end or could he play linebacker? I bring that up because of Pitt’s recruitment of Mimes and Demens.
Courtesy of Habakkuk Baldonado
As you can see, Pitt has a lot more than just three realistic targets so over the next three weeks it’ll be interesting to see how all this sorts itself out.
My guess: I could see Pitt adding 4/5 more players, likely an offensive tackle, 1 or 2 defensive backs, defensive end or linebacker and a skilled position offensive player.
