Pitt FB Recruiting
Pitt Lands Former San Diego State Wide Receiver Raphael Williams
Pitt has secured the commitment of another speedy wide receiver who is very familiar with new offensive coordinator Kade Bell’s offense.
Raphael Williams — a 5-foot-10, 165-pound wide receiver — officially committed to Pitt Friday following an official visit to Pittsburgh earlier this week. He’s the third former Western Carolina player to join the Panthers this winter.
Williams is another commitment from a busy week of hosting transfer portal targets, and it’s very likely that he won’t be the last.
They tried to hold me back, but it was God planned ‼️🙏🏾 #Committed pic.twitter.com/pHkVytOp3l
— Raphael Williams Jr. (@Poppi1k) January 5, 2024
Williams entered the transfer portal for the second time last week, and it immediately led to both C.J. Lee and Desmond Reid petitioning for him on Twitter. Williams has connections with both Lee and Reid and new Pitt offensive coordinator Kade Bell from their time together at Western Carolina.
He originally began his career at Tusculum (D2), and he followed Bell to Western Carolina in 2021. He caught 117 passes for 1,572 yards (13.4 yards per reception) and 14 touchdowns in two seasons at WCU.
Williams played almost exclusively in the slot during his time at Western Carolina, 929 of 972 passing down snaps, and he racked up 3.8 YAC/reception, averaged 1.74 yards per routes run and hauled in 7-of-18 contested catch targets during his time as a Catamount.
He operated most effectively in the intermediate passing range, hauling in 19-of-29 targets for 273 yards (14.4 yards per reception) and three touchdowns on passes 10 to 19 yards downfield — and he served as a deep ball threat, too, averaging 49.6 yards per reception on catches at least 20 yards downfield.
As a second-time transfer, he was forced to sit out his only season at San Diego State, but with the NCAA relenting its stance against multi-time transfers last month, Williams would be immediately eligible to play next season.
It’s certainly a jump from the FCS to the FBS, let alone Power Five football, but Williams’ familiarity with Bell’s offense and his speed out of the slot would be a welcomed addition. And he has two seasons of eligibility remaining.
Still sounds better than what Pitt had at the Slot last year. If you throw quick passes you don’t need large Receivers. Plus the smaller guys have the shake & bake moves.
Let’s hope these players from lower tier schools can produce at a bigger level of competition
Dude was a D2 player I believe. The talent brought in is all over the place and I am not sure what to think.