Pitt FB Recruiting
Analysis: Pitt Lands Two Intriguing Portal Wide Receivers
There’s not much to get excited about with new Pitt wide receivers Deuce Spann (Florida State) and Andy Jean (Florida) if you just scan the stat sheets.
Spann, a sixth-year senior who started his collegiate career as a quarterback at Illinois, has battled injuries and inconsistency seeing the field. Jean, a third-year sophomore, has six career catches. But if you look beyond the production, there’s a lot more to like.
It is important to note the money that’s being flashed across the college football landscape, and just how expensive it is to land any recruits, let alone high-profile, high-production Power Four contributors. So, not bad work.
Spann and Jean don’t fit the mold of what Pitt offensive coordinator Kade Bell has recruited at the position. Spann is a giant, standing at 6-foot-4, 210 pounds, but he’s fast. He was regarded by many as one of the fastest players at Florida State this season. He just didn’t get much of a chance to show it.
He hasn’t had much of a chance to showcase his skill set in any of his five seasons. And yes, five years is a long time, but he’s had a unique career. He arrived at Illinois as a quarterback, switched to wide receiver, transferred to Florida State and continued to learn the position for two seasons.
Just check out his high school highlights. He’s electric. It’s obviously not fair to compare that version of Spann to the player he is now, but the speed and explosion are still there — just look at his stride on a 99-yard kick return touchdown at FSU.
Spann has just one season of eligibility remaining, so it’s now or never. He offers a new, intriguing option in the Pitt wide receiving corps, standing three inches taller than the next closest tallest wideout, and that size and speed combo will — at the very least — force defenses to account for him downfield.
It’s easy to write off Spann, but his skill set and difference in style is is exciting. It will be interesting to follow how he adjusts to the offense and works into the scheme.
Jean doesn’t have a lot of production either, but in his case, it’s largely because of youth. But injuries did limit him during his time in Gainesville. He has just over a handful of catches in his college career. Still, he feels like a receiver could really thrive in Pittsburgh.
He played in just four games during his freshman season, turning six catches in 97 yards, and a preseason upper-body forced him to miss most of this season. The injuries shouldn’t be a concern though — a fresh start is what he needed.
While Spann is harder to project in the offense, Jean looks a lot like a Konata Mumpfield replacement. They have very similar builds and excel in the same areas. Jean is projected to play on the outside, with more straight-line speed and power at the point of attack than lateral movement. He’s a crisp route runner, too.
They’re not exactly plug-and-play starters like Mumpfield was, but it’s not unreasonable to expect both Spann and Jean to emerge as legitimate contributors this season.
Kenny Johnson is the lead Pitt wide receiver slated to return (even if he hasn’t officially announced he’s returning yet), and there are a lot of question marks outside of him. Poppi Williams and Censere Lee Jr. would start if the season started today (and Lee was healed from his season-ending injury), and it’s uncertain behind him.
Tyreek Robinson has a lot of potential in the slot, and Zion Fowler-El is in the mix at either of the outside receiver spots. The true freshmen have an opportunity, too, but if the receiving corps is to bounce back from a disastrous second half, it will likely be because Spann and Jean stepped up.
