Pitt Offers 2021 New Jersey 4-Star Guard Jaylen Blakes

Pitt’s pursuit of depth at the guard position continued late Monday night as it offered 2021 prospect Jaylen Blakes. 

Blakes is a 6-foot-2, four-star guard who is ranked as the No. 101 prospect in the nation by the 247 Sports Composite. Blakes is widely considered as the best remaining point guard prospect available in the class of 2021, although his game translates to more of a combo guard style. 

At 195 pounds, he is a hard-nosed, tough, guard who bullies smaller guards inside. Blakes has a solid stroke from outside but he is at his best when he is playing as a slasher that can adjust in the air and finish with either hand through contact. 

Among all of the guards that Pitt is currently recruiting whether it be in the transfer portal or in the class of 2021, Blakes is not the one to look for as a one-year solution. If he were to come to Pitt, he would likely start out with a smaller role and have to earn his minutes his freshman year. However, he is known as a player who works tirelessly to get where he wants to be, a player that any coach would love to have on their roster.

In an interview with national recruiting expert Adam Zagoria, Blakes’ coach at Blair Academy said of him that, “he is a young man with an uncommon motor and toughness who also works tirelessly on his game.”

Blakes’ recruitment has been a long process, as he is one of the last remaining four-stars in 2021 still on the board. In addition to the offer from Pitt, he also holds offers from UConn, DePaul, East Carolina, Georgetown, Georgia, Texas, Harvard, Illinois, Iona, Penn State, Rutgers, St. Johns, Stanford, VCU, Virginia Tech, and Yale.