Pitt FB Recruiting
Backyard Brawl Win Helped Strengthen 2027 OL Jimmy Kalis’ Perception of Pitt
Pitt football hosted a laundry list of recruits on Saturday for the Backyard Brawl, including a number of the players from the much-talked-about WPIAL class of 2027.
Despite being only sophomores, this group of players already hold a number of Power Four offers, including Pitt. This group of players includes Central Valley running back Jance Henry, West Mifflin athlete Armand Hill, McKeesport running back Kemon Spell, Imani Christian defensive back Gabriel Jenkins, Aliquippa cornerback Larry Moon III, Penn Hills athlete Carter Bonner, Central Catholic defensive back Zachary Gleason Jr., Seton LaSalle athlete Khalil Taylor and Central Catholic offensive tackle Jimmy Kalis.
One player that really stands out in terms of a priority player for the Panthers, particularly because of his position, is Kalis.
The 6-foot-6, 285-pound offensive tackle from Central Catholic has been a frequent visitor to the Pitt program largely because of his proximity. But Kalis and his family have gotten out ahead of the recruiting process by making a number of unofficial visits. In the last year, Kalis has traveled to West Virginia, Toledo, Syracuse, Duke, Wisconsin, Notre Dame, Virginia Tech, Ohio State, Maryland, Miami, Michigan, Rutgers and Penn State. This coming Saturday, Kalis will make a gameday visit to Ole Miss.
At this stage of his recruitment, Kalis holds offers from West Virginia, Syracuse, North Carolina State, Miami Ohio, Maryland, Duke, Central Michigan, Akron and Pitt, which he received on June 1.
That list of offers will no doubt increase over the upcoming months and years, especially since he’s only a sophomore.
Kalis is likely to develop into a national recruit, so it’s very important for Pitt to make a big impression early with him and his family and the Backyard Brawl did just that.
“I think the biggest impression that I left from Pitt was that they are a very elite football team,” Kalis told Pittsburgh Sports Now. “They are very well coached at all positions, and I think they will make it far into the season with a winning record.
“After the game ended, my dad and I talked about Pitt’s offensive line. We both thought that they looked very well coached at all techniques, like run block and pass pro against West Virginia’s elite defensive line. I really like their pre-game drills and the whole O-line looked very locked-in and I was really impressed with them.”
When Kalis talks specifics about the offensive line, consider how deep that position runs in his family and how well versed they are. Jimmy’s father, Todd, was selected in the 1988 NFL Draft by the Minnesota Vikings and played a decade in the league. Jimmy’s brother, Kyle, was a second-team All-American lineman with the Michigan Wolverines. He signed with the Washington Redskins after going undrafted in 2017.
Despite how hectic it is on a game the magnitude of the Backyard Brawl, Kalis told PSN that he did speak with Pitt offensive line coach Jeremy Darveau before and after the game. And he spoke with Pat Narduzzi, too.
Kalis’ perception of the program was certainly helped by the Backyard Brawl, both in terms of the performance on the field and his continued relationship with the coaching staff.
“I believe Pitt is on the rise, and I think they are a very elite team,” Kalis said. “I hope to keep strengthening my relationship with the whole staff at Pitt.”
