Pitt FB Recruiting
2023 3-Star LB Collin Dunn’s Physicality and Speed Highlight Potential Fit at Pitt
The Pitt Panthers have gone to different recruiting territories during the Pat Narduzzi era in order to recruit linebackers.
For example, in the last few recruiting classes, Marquan Pope is from Texas, Preston Lavant came from Cordele, Georgia, AJ Roberts from Staten Island, NY, Brandon George from Reading, Pennsylvania and Cam Bright came from Montgomery, Alabama.
Pitt’s latest offer to a linebacker fits this mold as they went to a place where they don’t get a ton of players.
Panthers linebackers coach Ryan Manalac extended an offer to 2023 three-star linebacker Collin Dunn from Hillcrest High School in Tuscaloosa, Alabama. Dunn (6-foot-1, 190 pounds) now holds offers from Pitt, West Virginia, Maryland, Kansas State, Coastal Carolina, Toledo and Troy.
“My conversation with coach went very smooth,” said Dunn. “We talked about what position I’d play at Pitt, where I’d fit into their scheme. They run a 4-3 and I’d play the Star Linebacker position, which is kind of like the nickel. They believe that I’d fit in very well into their scheme and then extended me the offer. As far as how I feel about it, I’m very excited because when you get an offer from the ACC champions, that’s something different.”
Love from Pitt💙💛@Coach_Manalac pic.twitter.com/VMdH3u1HsA
— CDunn04 (@Dunn04C) February 28, 2022
“Prior to this call, I had been talking to one of their recruiting assistants last week. We talked about my play and the position I’m playing now. Before getting this offer, my film went through him, then it went to Coach Manalac, then the defensive coordinator looked at it and finally to coach Narduzzi, the head coach, who signed off on the offer.”
Like many juniors, Dunn’s recruitment was slowed a bit because of COVID, as he lost the visibility to be seen in-person for games and at various individual recruiting camps. With everything opened backed up, Dunn is seeing hearing from more and more teams, receiving offers and he couldn’t be more excited.
“Getting an offer just makes me very happy because I’ve been working hard going back to when I started playing football when I was four years old,” said Dunn. “Now, to have put myself in a position where I’m able to tell my family that they don’t have to pay for college is just a blessing. Especially with the quarantine year, my 9th grade year, I didn’t know if I was going to start or anything. I made just that I continued to grind despite the uncertainty and it’s paying off now.”
https://t.co/zCFjCZc1B7 @freddierch8 @CoachDerekMason @RyanTrichel @CoachVillagrana @CamLemons_UGA @mickeel_stewart @ChuckLillie @crob45 @CoachAFierbaugh @ericponio @Blake_Shrader13 @G_miller11 @ErnieSims34 @Coach_Northcott @ColemanMinnis @CJheinz34 @CoachPatke @vkehres
— CDunn04 (@Dunn04C) December 3, 2021
Dunn tells PSN that the strength of his game is his physicality on the field, how fast he pursues the ball and his ability to create turnovers.
“Coaches tell me I’m a ballhawk and that I’m a player with a good football IQ,” Dunn said. “I take the field believing that I’m going to be the best player on the field. I grind hard and believe that I’ll outcompete anyone that I go up against.”
Aside from the offers listed above, Dunn tells me that he’s hearing from Tennessee, Indiana, Wake Forest, Southern Mississippi, Georgia State and Georgia Southern. The three-star linebacker tells PSN that during his spring break, he’ll be making visits to Pitt, Tennesse, Kansas State and West Virginia.
