Pitt FB Recruiting
2023 Kicker Samuel Carpenter Commits to Pitt as Preferred Walk-On
While Ben Sauls has locked himself in as Pitt’s starting kicker for the foreseeable future, it’s important to have options. And Pitt has added another option.
Samuel Carpenter, a 5-foot-10, 155-pound kicker from Foxborough High School in Foxboro, Massachusetts, has committed to Pitt’s class of 2023 as a preferred walk-on.
I am so excited to be a Panther!!! @CoachAPowell @Coach_King01 @Coach_JDiBiaso @CoachDuzzPittFB @hakuna_mourtada @coachstein48 @brendancahill_ @PittGuru @Pitt_FB @PghSportsNow @PantherLair @Sean_Conley_ #H2P #FO2G3DSTEEL pic.twitter.com/b3LDaDAkeD
— Samuel Carpenter (@CarpenterSam15) November 30, 2022
Carpenter made a visit to Pittsburgh over the summer, picking up his PWO offer after a successful camp showing, and he continued to raise eyebrows across the camp circuit over the summer — hitting a 56-yarder to win a camp at Rutgers.
“They’ve always told me that I was their No. 1 dude,” Carpenter told PSN in June. “I visited earlier this spring for a practice, and I got to go over to Heinz Field. We’ve been in touch since and I send them film all the time. Coming out of the camp earlier this month, I felt like I had a pretty solid day and they told me that they would continue to evaluate me and get back to me after their specialist camp.
“They told me that something might be available. I wasn’t too surprised when I got the offer today but I when I got it, the first thing I said was ‘Wow.’ I then thanked Coach King, Coach Powell and Coach DiBiaso.”
Although Carpenter initially committed to Indiana as a PWO amid interest from Rutgers, Boston College, West Virginia and other programs, he flipped his decision to commit to Pitt Tuesday night.
Kohl’s Professional Camps, a national kicking recruiting website, rates Carpenter as the 46th-ranked kicker in the class of 2023.
“Carpenter had a strong showing at the 2022 Underclassman Challenge,” Kohl’s wrote. “He has powerful hips and crushes his kickoffs. He charted 12 points in the field goal session and was impressive with his command and “pop” throughout the camp. His big ball on kickoffs was competitive with the top players in the country. He has the leg speed and technical refinement to become one of the best kickers in the 2023 class.”
Carpenter handled placekicking and kickoff duty for Foxborough, hitting on field goals of 24, 29, 38, 39, 44 yards this season, and he’s showcased a level of leg strength that fits the ability to fill both placekicking and kickoff specialist duties — as Sauls has done this season.
44 and 29 yard field plus a 72+ 4.0 kickoff in 35-38 degree weather! Good enough for 20-0 win to make the playoffs! @brendancahill_ @coachstein48 @Coach_Radke @hakuna_mourtada @KohlsKicking @HockomockSports @CoachTee34 pic.twitter.com/KWgWwn0Ezj
— Samuel Carpenter (@CarpenterSam15) October 31, 2022
Sauls is Pitt’s lone scholarship kicker, and with Sam Scarton walking on Senior Day signifying a potentially uncertain future, Carpenter joins a room that includes Caleb Junko — who has also handled punts this season.
Smart kid!
#pattsignal
Can he punt???