Pitt FB Recruiting
Rising 2027 WPIAL Prospect Labels Pitt ‘A Top School’ After Visit
Long before Penn Hills product Carter Bonner received an offer from his hometown team in the Pitt Panthers, he knew about the program and what it meant to his family.
His mother graduated from the university in 2007 and his father and uncle kept close eyes on the football program throughout the years.
Pitt offered Bonner during his freshman season, and he returned to the South Side on Wednesday for an unofficial visit – one that impressed him and has pushed the Panthers toward the front of his recruitment.
“That’s a top school,” Bonner told Pittsburgh Sports Now. “My mother graduated from there, my dad likes them. After this visit, I really like them, so they are definitely a top school.”
It was not the first time that the 2027 prospect made it down to the South Side, but it was the first for his mom to check out the football program and get a chance to talk to head coach Pat Narduzzi.
“It was good. He talked to my mother,” Bonner said. “She loves the program. She likes it a little bit more now that she went on a visit with me.”
Growing up as an aspiring defensive back, Bonner’s family wanted him to watch two other WPIAL prospects who were flourishing in Pitt colors.
“When I was watching Pitt as a young kid, Paris Ford and Damar Hamlin were some of the players my uncle and dad wanted me to model my game after. They liked how Pitt was moving at the time, and it was fun to watch it,” he said.
Those experiences led to his intrigue about the program and has allowed him to return and receive a full outlook on Pitt as it opened fall camp.
“I got to experience a whole Pitt football day,” Bonner said. “They showed me from the start of the position meetings. They showed me what they eat, a tour of the facilities and how they maintain themselves in the weight room. It was a nice tour around the facilities. Then [we watched] the practice.”
The 6-foot-3, 190-pounder was originally offered as a defensive back by Pitt assistant head coach and secondary coach Cory Sanders. However, on his visit, he learned that he is now being targeted as a wide receiver.
“They told me I was a top receiver on their board,” Bonner said.
Wide receivers coach JJ Laster invited Bonner to sit in on the wide receivers meeting. That time allowed Bonner to get to know more about Pitt’s scheme and Laster as a coach.
“Coach JJ is a really nice coach,” Bonner said. “He teaches things really well. He also give reassurance in the meetings. The one thing I liked about him is he never lets the receiver do one route, he always has an option route in his plays, which I love about that. When you have an option route, it opens up to beat multiple defenses.”
With Bonner learning more about Pitt’s offense, he feels it can be a good fit for him and his play style, describing himself as a dominating receiver.
“On offense, one-on-one coverage, it’s not 50/50, it’s 100 percent to me as I’m going to make a play with my catch radius. I’m a really clutch player as well as any third-down situation, I’m making that play,” he said.
This season, Bonner is making the switch from Class 3A and Shady Side Academy to Class 5A and Penn Hills. He feels he can thrive more under Penn Hills head coach Charles Morris.
“The transition from Shady Side to Penn Hills, I feel like I’ve got way stronger, and I feel like I’m being pushed a little more and that’s what I like. Coach Chuck Morris is pushing us to be better men,” Bonner said.
Despite only entering his sophomore season, Bonner has several other key offers from Penn State, Michigan State, West Virginia, Maryland, UNLV, Akron and more.
As Pitt looks to keep the local product home, Bonner will be making another visit, this one as a gameday trip to see Pitt battle in the Backyard Brawl against West Virginia on Sept. 14.
“I’m coming up with my coach and going to watch their scheme and how I’m going to fit into it. I also just want to experience a Pitt-WVU game,” he said.
The Backyard Brawl allows Bonner to see the Pitt fanbase in full throat as the Panthers take on one of their hated rivals.
“The fans go all out about Pitt and that’s what I like.”
