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Pitt finalized its 2017 recruiting class with cheers, pats on the backs and high-fives among coaches when four-star running back A.J. Davis picked the Panthers over ACC rivals Louisville and North Carolina.
Davis, who ran for 5,400 yards in four years at Lakeland (Fla.) High School, made the announcement on ESPNU, with Pitt’s coaches gathered in a meeting room to watch on a big-screen TV. He is the highest-rated running back to sign with Pitt since Rushel Shell in 2012.
Davis also is the third four-star prospect on Pitt’s 24-man list, joining Steel Valley safety Paris Ford and Steubenville, Ohio, tight end Charles Reeves. Pitt made recruiting Florida a priority this year, and coach Pat Narduzzi ended up signing seven players from that state.
Davis is listed at 5-foot-10, 198 pounds, but Lakeland wide receivers coach Will Bahler believes he has room to grow.
“Once he gets on campus he will put on 10-15 pounds without blinking,” Bahler said.
Bahler said coaches at Lakeland had heard about Davis since he was in the seventh grade.
“One of those little league legends,” Bahler said.
“He’s just a great kid, one of those kids who never has a bad day.”
A.J Davis, 4 star RB, picks Pitt. pic.twitter.com/HUpHrQ9ryj
— Jerry DiPaola (@JDiPaola_Trib) February 1, 2017
A.J Davis, 4 star RB, picks Pitt. pic.twitter.com/HUpHrQ9ryj
Pitt added two running backs to its roster in this class, including Akron Hoban’s Todd Sibley, who originally committed to Ohio State. Sibley and Davis will be in addition to returning backs Darrin Hall, Qadree Ollison and Chawntez Moss.
There are openings, though. James Conner has opted for the NFL Draft, and Narduzzi said Rachid Ibrahim has decided to transfer.
National signing day started at 7 a.m. and continued into early Wednesday afternoon at Pitt.
At the football office on the South Side, Pitt coaches walked quietly and calmly from room to room, most holding cell phones to their ears.
Everyone seemed relaxed — Narduzzi confirmed later that he wasn’t nervous — and when phones and fax machines briefly went quiet, some coaches regaled media members with stories of past recruiting trips. Some stories you could even repeat.
Linebackers coach Rob Harley walked swiftly through the lobby, apparently talking to a prospect. “We need you. We needed you yesterday,” Harley said.
Someone mentioned to defensive coordinator Josh Conklin that the hay’s already in the barn after months of recruiting trips and meetings with players and parents. But veteran coach and director of player development Bob Junko added, “We’re trying to get the cow in the barn.”
But most of the work had been done in the days leading into Wednesday when 20 high school seniors sent in their letters of intent to Narduzzi.
Upper St. Clair offensive lineman Gabe Houy was the first. He was followed almost immediately by offensive linemen Carson Van Lynn of Worthington, Ohio, and Owen Drexel of Montclair, N.J., and Findlay, Ohio, linebacker Kyle Nunn.
Two hours into the process, Ford sent in his Wsbets letter of intent. Ford, projected as a player who could contribute as a freshman, had been committed to Pitt since October, 2015.
The others: wide receivers Michael Smith of Vero Beach, Fla., Dontavius Butler of Plantation, Fla., and Bethlehem’s Darian Street; cornerback Jason Pinnock of Windsor, Conn., and Damarri Mathis of Lakeland, Fla.; tight ends Tyler Sear of Neshannock and Grant Kerrigan of Pine-Richland; linebackers Albert Tucker of Ft. Lauderdale, Fla., and Cam Bright of Montgomery, Ala.; offensive lineman Carter Warren of Wayne, N.J.; and defensive tackle Kam Carter of Silver Springs Md., a transfer from Penn State through East Mississippi Community College.
That completed the list of 18 players who had verbally committed to Pitt before signing Wednesday. The actual list is 24, including defensive end Deslin Alexandre, offensive lineman Jerry Drake, punter Kirk Christodoulou and quarterback Kenny Pickett. Those four enrolled last month.
Plus, defensive tackle Jaylen Twyman of H.D. Woodson High School in Washington D.C. signed with Pitt on Wednesday morning after he had been officially uncommitted through the recruiting process.
Twyman didn’t announce his choice until Wednesday, but he said he has known since last year that he wanted to attend Pitt.
“Coach Narduzzi is the most loyal, down-to-earth coach I’ve ever met,” said Twyman, whose brother Tayvon Cummings was shot to death in May in Washington D.C.
“When I lost my brother in a tragic shooting, they flew in and checked on me almost every day of the week.”
The only negative development of the day occurred when defensive end Guy Thomas of Booker T. Washington High School in Miami stuck with his commitment to Nebraska. Pitt had been trying to flip Thomas.
Reach him at jdipaola@tribweb.com or via Twitter @JDiPaola_Trib.
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