National Signing Day 2013: Pitt puts together solid Class of 2013
By Matt Shetler
One thing Pitt head coach Paul Chryst has been able to show that he can do is recruit well.
For a college football coach, nothing is bigger than National Signing Day as coaches across the country compete for the top high school football players in the nation.
In this cut-throat competition for talent, Pitt seems to have come out just fine.
The Class of 2013 is highlighted by Belle Vernon offensive lineman Dorian Johnson (29th in ESPN 300), who was rated the No. 2 offensive lineman in the country and Clairton wide receiver Tyler Boyd (No. 165 in ESPN 300), who finally made his commitment official after some wavering last week.
But while Johnson and Boyd are the headliners, it is a strong class of 27 incoming freshmen.
Rivals ranks the Panthers as the 33rd best class in the country, right ahead of major programs such as Oklahoma State and TCU.
The numbers break down looks like this: one five-star recruit (Johnson), a pair of four-star recruits (Boyd and Kent, OH quarterback Tra’Von Chapman) and 15 three-star recruits.
The goal for Pitt was to get bigger and they certainly accomplished that.
“One of the things we wanted to do this year is we wanted to get bigger, and the only way to get bigger is recruit bigger,” Chryst said during his press conference.
The second-year coach also commented on his two top recruits.
On Johnson Chryst said: “When you watch his film, as good as a high school film as you’ll see from an offensive lineman.”
And on Boyd he added: “He is an unbelievable football player and tremendous guy. He is a competitor that can impact our offense a number of ways.”
One thing Chryst did was recruit very well in Pennsylvania, evident by Johnson, Boyd and plenty of others. That is something his predecessors haven’t done well as of late and is a very good sign for the Panthers going forward as they prepare for their first season in the ACC.
The complete list of Pitt signees is as follows:
OL | Fairborn, OH, Fairborn | 6’5″ | 315 | 2 stars | 5.4 | 6/28/12 | |||
K | Alexandria, VA, West Potomac | 5’10” | 175 | 2 stars | 5.4 | 7/3/12 | |||
WR | Clairton, PA, Clairton | 6’1″ | 168 | 4 stars | 5.9 | 1/5/13 | |||
WR | McDonald, PA South Fayette | 6’2″ | 184 | 4.4 | 3 stars | 5.5 | 6/15/12 | ||
QB | Kent, OH Theodore Kent Roosevelt | 6’2″ | 200 | 4.5 | 4 stars | 5.8 | 6/28/12 | ||
DE | Erie, PA McDowell | 6’2″ | 232 | 3 stars | 5.7 | 8/13/12 | |||
TE | Columbus, OH Eastmoor | 6’5″ | 240 | 2 stars | 5.4 | 10/21/12 | |||
LB | Havertown, PA Haverford | 6’2″ | 223 | 3 stars | 5.6 | 8/16/12 | |||
ATH | Cranford, NJ Cranford | 6’3″ | 205 | 4.6 | 2 stars | 5.4 | 10/2/12 | ||
TE | Toledo, OH St. John’s | 6’4″ | 195 | 4.6 | 3 stars | 5.5 | 6/11/12 | ||
DB | Clairton, PA Clairton | 6’2″ | 165 | 2 stars | 5.4 | 6/24/12 | |||
RB | Gaithersburg, MD The Avalon School | 6’2″ | 170 | 3 stars | 5.5 | 10/18/12 | |||
DT | New Berlin, NY Milford Academy | 6’4″ | 310 | 3 stars | 5.5 | 6/27/12 | |||
OL | Belle Vernon, PA Belle Vernon Area | 6’6″ | 280 | 4.9 | 5 stars | 6.1 | 11/18/12 | ||
OL | Philadelphia, PA West Catholic | 6’7″ | 300 | 3 stars | 5.5 | 1/15/13 | |||
DE | Grand Blanc, MI Grand Blanc | 6’3″ | 233 | 4.7 | 3 stars | 5.7 | 8/12/12 | ||
DE | Philadelphia, PA George Washington | 6’3″ | 264 | 3 stars | 5.6 | 1/8/13 | |||
OL | Rochester, NY Eastridge Senior | 6’4″ | 300 | 3 stars | 5.5 | 12/16/12 | |||
TE | Pittsburgh, PA Seton La Salle | 6’6″ | 245 | 3 stars | 5.7 | 3/18/12 | |||
TE | Monroeville, PA Gateway | 6’1″ | 234 | 3 stars | 5.5 | 5/7/12 | |||
TE | Oconomowoc, WI Oconomowoc | 6’4″ | 220 | 4.6 | 2 stars | 5.4 | 1/23/13 | ||
OL | Chambersburg, PA Chambersburg Area | 6’5″ | 290 | 3 stars | 5.5 | 4/14/12 | |||
DE | Wilkes Barre, PA G.A.R. Memorial | 6’4″ | 248 | 3 stars | 5.5 | 4/21/12 | |||
DT | Kailua, HI Kailua | 6’2″ | 315 | 2 stars | 5.4 | 1/16/13 | |||
WR | Madison, WI Madison Memorial | 6’3″ | 197 | 3 stars | 5.5 | 1/25/13 | |||
WR | Clairton, PA Clairton | 5’11” | 170 | 2 stars | 5.3 | 1/13/13 | |||
K | Wyndmoor, PA La Salle | 6’5″ | 215 |