Pine-Richland 2024 offensive lineman Ryan Cory’s early recruitment has been very encouraging and it would hard to ask for more.
Heading into Sunday, the 6’4”, 290-pound 3-star offensive guard had earned early offers from Cincinnati , UConn, Kansas State, Kentucky, Louisville, Maryland, Miami (OH), Oregon, Toledo and West Virginia.
Being from Western Pennsylvania, the obvious team missing from that growing list is the Pitt Panthers but that’s no longer the case.
A week after working out in front of the coaching staff at a Panther Prospect Camp, Cory fittingly received the hometown offer while participating in a 7-on-7 Team Camp on the South Side.
”Last week, I got in touch with Coach Borbs and he told me that he offered me but what happens with Pitt is that all offers have to go through Coach Narduzzi,” said Cory. “But with all the official visits this week, it was going to take a minute for him to get to it. He ended up getting to it on today (Sunday) and he approved it. When I got there (7-on-7 Camp), Coach Borbs talked to me and told me that I officially had a scholarship there.”
“Getting the offer was awesome. I wouldn’t say that I was shocked because when he offered me first, that was a little bit of a shock. But when I found out Coach Narduzzi put it through, it was just an awesome felling. Being there with an offer made it feel different and I was able to enjoy it that much more.”
Cory joins Belle Vernon 4-star linebacker Quinton Martin, Central Catholic 4-star linebacker Anthony Speca and Aliquippa 3-star linebacker Cam Lindsey as local players with offers from Pitt. I asked Cory the meaning of that to him.
”I’m definitely going to treat them the same as everyone else that’s offered me but them being the hometown team it definitely means something more to me. It’s crazy to think that the team that I grew up watching has offered me.”
Cory has been an under the radar recruit in terms of both local and national recognition but after these last two offers from Pitt and West Virginia, he won’t be under the radar much longer. Already picking up eight Power 5 offers already isn’t something that Cory necessarily saw coming but isn’t complaining.
”Going to college for free and playing D-I football has always been a goal of mine and something that I strived and have been working for,” said Cory. “I never thought that it would get to this level and especially this early. It’s a surreal feeling and honestly, it’s something to this day that I can’t put into perspective.”
Good for him HTP 💙💛