Pitt FB Recruiting
Pitt Staff Pursuing Talented Florida Linebacker Ruben Hyppolite II
By making Florida their top recruiting state, Pitt knows that in order to get some of the players they’re targeting, that they’ll have to win some recruiting battles against top programs.
Making things more difficult is the fact that all five major programs in the state are on the rise or have new coaches that will no doubt inject new life into their teams.
Pat Narduzzi and his staff are prepared for that and aren’t backing off of their quest to bring top Florida talent into the Pitt Panther program.
The latest example of that is with talented linebacker Ruben Hyppolite II.
Hyppolite II (6-foot, 210 pounds) is a three-star linebacker from McArthur High School in Hollywood, Florida that holds offers from Pitt, Baylor, Boston College, Kentucky, Louisville, Maryland, North Carolina and Syracuse.
This morning, Hyppolite II got the big news that his latest offer came from one of the power in-state teams, Florida State.
“It’s real big,” said Hyppolite. “Just being from Florida, you know that you have the Florida fan-base behind you. It’s really a blessing and an honor because every kid doesn’t get that opportunity. This offer was special to me.”
Florida State’s roster is filled with four- and five-star players so the offer speaks to the talent level of Hyppolite II.
“I have great speed for a linebacker and can run sideline to sideline. I think I read plays well and am able to dissect what the opposing offenses are doing. I have the versatility to play both inside and outside as well as being able to come off the edge to blitz. I believe I give the coaches the chance to put me at multiple places on the field and I’ll be able to make plays for my team.
“The thing that excites me is that I don’t believe I’ve played my best football and have so much room to get better,” said Hyppolite. “It’s nice that I’m getting recognized and receiving these nice offers but I know that I can and I will get better. I’ll keep working in order to do that. I feel like I’m a good player now but I want to be great and I’m not there yet.”
While you may think Florida State will be a lock to land him, Hyppolite II tells PSN that’s not the case and his recruitment is wide open. In fact, Pat Narduzzi and Pitt have made a huge impression on him.
“I already have a great relationship with Pitt and their entire coaching staff. Coach Bates, Coach Collins, Coach Harley, Coach Partridge, Coach Narduzzi, they all text me a lot and they love me as a player. I believe all around they’re great people, a great coaching staff and they’re like family. I keep in contact with them and they’ve been very nice to my family and the people I’m around. It’s a really good connection that we have right now. They keep me up to date on everything that’s going on and send me texts almost everyday.
“When it comes time for me to make a decision, relationships that I have with coaching staffs is going to be very important to me. I know that in the end, my decision isn’t going to be a four year decision, it’s going to be a forty year decision.”
The fact that the entire staff has put this sort of effort into Hyppolite and have made him such a huge priority hasn’t gone unnoticed by him.
“It makes me feel great. Knowing that all their coaches are getting involved with me and making me feel like they’re in my corner is special and could be a factor for me. I believe the Pitt coaches care about me as both a player and a person and believe that I can make an early impact for them.”
https://twitter.com/ruben24knows/status/1069084322865524738?s=21
Although an exact date hasn’t been settled on, Hyppolite says he will visit Pitt soon and is doing so for specific reasons.
“What I’m really anxious to see is the city,” said Hyppolite. “A big part for me and my eventual decision is the area of the college. I want a nice area and that’s going to be a big factor. The Pitt coaches text and tell me about the city and how nice it is but I’m anxious to see it for myself. I also want to see the setup of the campus and really see what Pitt is all about.”
