Look for Pitt DL Commit Antonio Camon to Continue Trend of Stud Interior Pass Rushers

If Pittsburgh has Charlie Partridge on staff, Andrew Ivins feels like Pitt will always have a chance to win big in recruiting the state of Florida.

Partridge, Pitt’s resident defensive line guru and Florida recruiting whiz, does it perhaps better than anyone when it comes to building those bonds from outside the Sunshine State. And of course, his defensive line evaluations are as good as gold in some cases.

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“I’m never gonna knock a Partridge defensive line evaluation,” Ivins, 247Sport’s Florida recruiting analyst told Pittsburgh Sports Now. “I think he does an excellent job of getting on those guys early, and then developing them when they get to college.”

One of those guys, one of Pitt’s top defensive line targets, is 2023 three-star defensive lineman Antonio Camon from Tampa Bay Tech in Tampa, Florida. Camon committed to Pitt following his June 2-4 official visit, and he added a big, strong, versatile lineman that fits Pitt’s defense going forward. A large part of that commitment came down to the official visit, feeling like he was home, but the stability on the coaching staff was a major factor.

“I think (Camon is) a guy that fits the scheme for what Pittsburgh wants to do upfront, and I wouldn’t be surprised if he turns into an interior pass rusher than can get after the quarterback, just with that get off,” Ivins said. “A few years in the strength program will be huge for him.”

As a junior on a powerhouse Tampa Bay Tech squad that fell just short of the Florida Class-7A state title, losing to nationally ranked St. Thomas Aquinas, Camon was a game-wrecker pure and simple. With 28 tackles for loss and nine sacks, two blocked field goals and a blocked punt, opposing sides were unable to keep him out of the backfield in any situation.

With the ability to get after the quarterback from inside and outside, moving very well for a 6-foot-3, 260-pound lineman, Camon is a perfect fit to learn and grow at Pitt under Partridge.

247Sports rates Camon as the 724th-ranked recruit in the class (61st-ranked edge and the 107th-ranked recruit from Florida) while On3 rates him as the 728th-ranked recruit in the class (85th-ranked defensive lineman and the 113th-ranked recruit from Florida). Rivals rates Camon as the 43rd-ranked strongside defensive end and the 84th-ranked recruit from Florida.

“That’s certainly a big win and a guy that I know was a massive, massive priority for them,” Ivins said.