It has been not only a busy first year on the job for Pitt head coach Pat Narduzzi, but also a positive one not only on the field, but more importantly off the field where Narduzzi put the finishing touches on a very good recruiting class on Wednesday.
In Narduzzi’s first full year recruiting, he won some big recruiting battles in 2016.
Some of those included keeping quarterback Thomas MacVittie in the fold by holding off a late charge from LSU, beating out Michigan State for running back/defensive back George Hill, and keeping cornerback Damar Hamlin home over Ohio State and Penn State.
Other big moments included getting Aaron Matthews to flip from Penn State Monday night and keeping four-star linebacker Chase Pine after a late charge from Virginia Tech, Miami and others.
Pine and Hamlin in particular have all the tools to be future stars.
This recruiting class is focused heavily on the defensive line and the secondary, which is good news for Pitt fans.
As of this writing, Pitt’s class is ranked No. 26 by Scout, No. 28 by Rivals and No. 30 by 247, which are all very impressive numbers.
Here’s a look at the entire Pitt 2016 class.
Early Enrollees
Chris Clark TE, 6-6, 245, Ridgewood, N.J./Avon Old Farms (Conn.)
A five-star prospect who transferred from UCLA, Clark may not be eligible this season, but is a huge get for the Panthers. If he counted towards Pitt’s recruiting rankings they would be even higher.
Chawntez Moss RB, 5-11, 195, Bedford, Ohio/Bedford
A three-star prospect, Moss was an early high school graduate who enrolled at Pitt in January. He rushed for more than 3,000 yards over his final two seasons at Bedford.
Patrick Jones, DL, 6-5, 250, Chesapeake, Va./Grassfield
Jones is a two-star recruit, but a very intriguing under the radar player, who could help the Pitt pass rush down the line. He is an early high school graduate who enrolled at Pitt in January and was rated the No. 1 defensive end in Virginia by Scout.
Signed Today
Thomas MacVittie, QB, 6-5, 225, Cincinnati, Ohio/Moeller
A three-star recruit, MacVittie is rated the nation’s No. 8 pro-style quarterback by 247Sports.
Justin Morgan, OL, 6-6, 365, Bronx, N.Y./Poly Prep Country Day School
Morgan is a three-star prospect who flipped from Rutgers. He is rated the consensus No. 1 offensive line prospect in the state of New York by the major recruiting services.
Maurice Ffrench, WR, 5-11, 185, New Brunswick, N.J./New Brunswick
A three-star prospect, the dynamic New Jersey athlete figures to play receiver at Pitt after he put up huge numbers in his senior season. The Panthers survived late charges by Rutgers and Penn State to land Ffrench.
Zack Gilbert, DL, 6-1, 240, Charlotte, N.C./South Mecklenburg
The son of former Pitt great Sean Gilbert was a four-year starter at defensive end for South Mecklenburg, where he compiled a school-record 40.5 career sacks. Last season as a senior he compiled 89 tackles, 33 tackles for loss, 11 sacks, three forced fumbles, three fumble recoveries and three pass deflections. Gilbert is a three-star prospect who could be very good in a Pitt uniform, just like his father.
Phil Campbell, DB/RB, 6-1, 195, Kendall Park, N.J./South Brunswick
Campbell is a three-star prospect who will play safety at Pitt. He ranked No. 1 overall in the state of New Jersey at his position.
Bryce Hargrove, DL, 6-4, 260, Akron, Ohio/Coventry
A three- star prospect, Hargrove established himself as one of the better defensive linemen in all of Ohio, despite not playing high school football until his junior season.
Brandon Ford, OL, 6-5, 295, Upper St. Clair, Pa./Upper St. Clair
Ford is a three-star guy who was one of Pitt’s first verbal commits to this class. He is rated the No. 19 overall prospect in Pennsylvania by Rivals.
Aaron Mathews, WR, 6-4, 190, Clairton, Pa./Clairton
A huge get for the Panthers at the last minute, Matthews has fantastic size with a 6-foot-5 frame and will get the chance to play receiver at Pitt. He is rated Pennsylvania’s No. 13 overall prospect by 247Sports.
Therran Coleman, DB, 6-0, 190, Pittsburgh, Pa./Brashear
Coleman is a three-star recruit and is a defensive back with length, which seems to fit the mold of what Narduzzi wants on the back end of his defense. He is rated the No. 11 overall prospect in Pennsylvania by Rivals.
Elias Reynolds, LB, 6-2, 225, Brooklyn, N.Y./Poly Prep Country Day School
Reynolds is a three-star guy and was rated the No. 1 prospect in the state of New York by Scout. He could be a fixture in the middle of the Pitt defense for the next few years.
Bricen Garner, DB, 6-1, 175, Pittsburgh, Pa./Pittsburgh Central Catholic
Garner is a three-star prospect who is another big defensive back with room to add on his frame, which is what Narduzzi wants. He was rated the No. 15 overall prospect in Pennsylvania by 247Sports and is considered one of the better defensive back prospects in the state.
Henry Miller, DB, 6-3, 205, Kissimmee, Fla./Gateway
It was big for Pitt that Miller didn’t flip after Miami and Ohio State came charging at the last minute. He’s a three-star recruit, but has loads of potential. It’s always good for Pitt to beat out the Florida schools for a highly-skilled player in their own back yard.
Kaezon Pugh, LB, 6-1, 210, Aliquippa, Pa./Aliquippa
Although the Aliquippa star is listed as linebacker, he led the WPIAL in rushing with 2,451 yards on 273 carries and also was the league’s leading scorer with 35 touchdowns and 42 PAT’s. He was a two-way standout for the Quips and could end up being a stud on the Pitt defense.
Ruben Flowers, WR, 6-3, 190, Lima, Ohio/Lima Senior
A three-star recruit, Flowers could be a weapon for the Panthers after he finished his career at Lima Senior High School with 207 catches for 3,334 yards and 45 touchdowns. He has size and speed and has No. 1 receiver potential.
Amir Watts, DL, 6-3, 270, Chicago, Ill./Wendell Phillips Academy
Watts is a great get for Narduzzi. The four-star prospect is one of the best defensive linemen prospects in the country after compiling 135 tackles, 34 for loss, and 10 sacks in his senior year at Phillips High School. He could be a stud along the Pitt defensive line.
Zack Williams, OL, 6-5, 275, Silver Springs, Fla./North Marion
Williams is a three-star prospect out of Florida with a ton of potential at his position. Williams switched from defense to offense before this past season, and looks the part of a future bookend offensive tackle.
Keyshon Camp, DL, 6-4, 275, Lakeland, Fla./Lake Gibson
Another huge grab for Narduzzi as Camp is one of the top defensive linemen prospects in the country. A few months ago, Camp was committed to USC and Pitt really wasn’t even in the picture. Give Narduzzi and his staff a ton of credit for coming away with this four-star prospect.
Rashad Wheeler, DL, 6-3, 280, Pittsburgh, Pa./Pittsburgh Central Catholic
Wheeler is a three-star prospect who should be very good along the Pitt defensive line. He was rated Pennsylvania’s No. 15 overall prospect by Scout and is one of the top defensive line prospects in the state of Pennsylvania.
Chase Pine, LB, 6-2, 220, Williamsburg, Va./Lafayette
A question mark coming into Wednesday, but Pine sticks with Pitt and it is another huge addition. He is Virginia’s No. 1 outside linebacker prospect according to Scout and has the skill set to be a future star.
Damar Hamlin, DB, 6-1, 185, McKees Rocks, Pa./Pittsburgh Central Catholic
Hamlin was a great last minute addition to this class as the top rated defensive player in Pennsylvania can make a huge impact right off the bat. The prize of Pitt’s 2016 recruiting class is officially a Panther. Hamlin’s a four-star prospect and a steal for Narduzzi.
George Hill, ATH, 5-11, 200, Youngstown, Ohio/Hubbard
Hill is Pitt’s final commit as no one flipped for a change. He’s a four-star athlete and Narduzzi will find ways for him to contribute.
Pitt in also in the mix for Florida DT Rashad Weaver, who announces his college choice at 3 pm. EST.
We will have updates if he chooses Pitt.
Photo Credit: USA Today Sports
