Pitt FB Recruiting
4-Star Pitt OL Target Sets Top 5, Announcement Date
Pitt is batting .500 when it comes to landing offensive line recruits who visited during the last weekend in June, but there’s a chance that goes up.
Ryan Howerton — a 6-foot-5, 305-pound four-star offensive tackle from St. Vincent Pallotti in Laurel, Maryland — has narrowed down his list of offers to just five: Howard, Maryland, Pitt, Virginia Tech and West Virginia.
He will be announcing his decision on July 15.
I will be announcing my commitment July 15‼️‼️ Where is Home??👀👀 @CharlesPower @MohrRecruiting @RivalsFriedman pic.twitter.com/GBoIqqL1on
— “Mountain” Howerton 4⭐️ (@RyanHowerton78) July 2, 2023
Howerton has been able to build a strong connection with Pitt over the last few months, making multiple trips out to Pittsburgh to connect with the coaching staff.
“Just the connection with the coaches,” Howerton told PSN in March. “I don’t have as much of a connection (with other coaches) as I do with coach Powell and coach Borbely. We’re texting every other day at this point, and it just feels like I can ask them anything. I feel like a priority there.”
He was able to spend some one-on-one time with the coaching staff during his spring practice visit in March, and he had his most extensive visit yet with his official visit from June 22-24 — alongside new Pitt commit Moritz Schmoranzer.
“It’s always been good energy,” Howerton said. “Every time I’ve went, there’s been good energy. It just feels like a good place to be. I’ve never seen any player come back and say they feel bad after, I’ve never seen anybody do anything else, so it’s just good energy all the time. It seems like a good place to grow as more than just an athlete.”
But speaking of athletes, Howerton certainly lives up to his nickname. He may not be as big as ‘The Mountain’ from Game of Thrones, but he’s a load at 6-foot-5, 305 pounds. He’s the resident starting right tackle at St. Vincent Pallotti, and he uses his blend of strength and speed to overwhelm opposing defensive linemen.
247Sports rates Howerton as the 595th-ranked recruit in the class (43rd-ranked offensive tackle and 17th-ranked recruit from Maryland) while On3 rates him as the 646th-ranked recruit in the class (43rd-ranked offensive tackle and 19th-ranked recruit from Maryland).
Rivals is even higher on Howerton, rating him as the 38th-ranked offensive tackle and 15th-ranked recruit from Maryland — holding a 5.8 Rivals Rating.
Pitt currently holds commitments from offensive linemen in four-star Caleb Holmes, and three-stars in Schmoranzer, Adham Abouraya, Jiavani Cooley and Mason Lindsey.
Howerton would be a strong addition to the class as a whole.
