Pitt Panthers Football Recruiting Intensifies As Signing Day Approaches

Dec 26, 2013; Detroit, MI, USA; Pittsburgh Panthers head coach Paul Chryst celebrates after the Little Caesars Pizza Bowl against the Bowling Green Falcons at Ford Field. Pittsburgh won 30-27. Mandatory Credit: Rick Osentoski-USA TODAY Sports

The Feb. 5 National Signing Day is about two and half weeks away. Paul Chryst and the Pitt football staff will hope to add a few more pieces to the incoming freshman class before then.

In addition to City of Champions, I suggest checking out recruiting sites Pittsburgh.scout.com, Pittsburgh.rivals.com, and ESPN NCAAF Recruiting for continued updated coverage on signings and updated player rankings.

The Panthers currently have 24 verbal commitments; Scout has Pitt ranked No. 37 in recruiting, while Rivals has Pitt at No. 36.

Updating from my previous recruiting report, the Pitt Panthers have received verbal commitments from three athletes. 6-foot-2, four-star wide receiver Adonis Jennings (Sicklerville, N.J.) committed to the Panthers on Jan. 5, a day after Pitt four-star WR prospect Jamil Kamara decided to stay at home and play for the Virginia Cavaliers.

On Jan. 18, Pitt received verbal commitments from three-star outside linebacker Jamal Davis of Canton, Ohio, and two-star defensive end Hezekiah Trahan from Philadelphia.

Also worth noting is that Pitt received its first commitment for the Class of 2015 from local standout 6-foot-5 offensive tackle Alex Paulina of Canon-McMillan High School. Judging by the offensive line prospects that Chryst has landed, Pitt may soon have one of the biggest lines in the country.

Pitt still has several targets, such as cornerbacks Jerrell Foster (Cincinnati), Anthony Davis (Monroeville, Pa.) and Cornelius Floyd (Miami), wide receiver Steve Ishmael (North Miami Beach, Fla.) and safety Marquese Dudley-Gordon (Weston, Fla.). Look for Chryst to add a few more recruits to this list by National Signing Day.

Pitt Football Recruiting Commitments:

• OT (Scout 13, 4*) (Rivals 25, 4*) (ESPN 13, 4*) Alex Bookser (Mt. Lebanon SHS) Pittsburgh, PA 6-6/295
• RB (Scout 22, 4*) (Rivals 23, 4*) (ESPN 48, 3*) Chris James (Notre Dame College Prep) Niles, IL 5-10/207
• WR (Scout 136, 3*) (Rivals NR, 3*) (ESPN 136, 3*) JaQuan Davidson (Elizabeth Forward SHS) Elizabeth, PA 6-3/180
• RB (Scout 43, 3*) (Rivals NR, 3*) (ESPN 97, 3*) Qadree Ollison (Canisius HS) Buffalo, NY 6-1/225
• CB (Scout 103, 3*) (Rivals NR, 3*) (ESPN 168, 3*) Phillipie Motley (Hilliard Davidson HS) Hilliard, OH 6-0/175
• WR (Scout 102, 3*) (Rivals 92, 3*) (ESPN 70, 3*) Elijah Zeise (North Allegheny SHS) Wexford, PA 6-2/186
• QB (Scout 86, 2*) (Rivals 30, 3*) (ESPN 16, 4*) Wade Freebeck (St. Thomas Aquinas HS) Fort Lauderdale, FL 6-3/180
• TE (Scout NR, 2*) (Rivals NR, 2*) (ESPN 33, 3*) Brian O’Neil (Salesianum School) Wilmington, DE 6-5/220
• DE (Scout 76, 3*) (Rivals NR, 3*) (ESPN 95, 3*) Shane Roy (Reading Community HS) Reading, OH 6-4/235
• OT (Scout NR, 2*) (Rivals NR, 3*) (ESPN 136, 3*) Mike Herndon (Riverheads HS) Staunton, VA 6-5/320
• OG (Scout 89, 3*) (Rivals NR, 3*) (ESPN 68, 3*) Connor Dintino (Choate Rosemary Hall) Wallingford, CT 6-3.5/300
• OLB (Scout 111, 3*) (Rivals NR, 3*) (ESPN 37, 3*) Quintin Wirginis (Fox Chapel Area SHS) Pittsburgh, PA 6-2/225
• OT (Scout 67, 3*) (Rivals 28, 4*) (ESPN 50, 3*) Michael Grimm (Bethel Park SHS) Bethel Park, PA 6-6/311
• CB (Scout 37, 3*) (Rivals NR, 3*) (ESPN 105, 3*) Avonte Maddox (King HS) Detroit, MI 5-9/160/4.39
• WR (Scout 174, 3*) (Rivals NR, 2*) (ESPN 121, 3*) Patrick Amara (West Philadelphia HS) Philadelphia, PA 6-2/182
• RB (Scout 111, 3*) (Rivals NR, 2*) (ESPN 132, 3*) Dennis Briggs (Shady Side Academy Senior School) Pittsburgh, PA 5-10/185
• QB (Scout 50, 3*) (Rivals NR, 2*) (ESPN 24, 3*) Adam Bertke (Marion HS) Maria Stein, OH 6-5/200
• S (Scout 113, 3*) (Rivals NR, 3*) (ESPN 113, 3*) Jalen Williams (Newburgh Free Academy) Newburgh, NY 6-1/180
• OG (Scout 67, 3*) (Rivals 29, 3*) (ESPN 83, 3*) Connor Hayes (Traverse City West Senior H.) Traverse City, MI 6-4/280
• OLB (Scout NR, 2*) (Rivals NR, 2*) (ESPN 117, 3*) Rori Blair (Upper Saint Clair HS) Upper Saint Clair, PA 6-4/205
• OLB (Scout NR, 2*) (Rivals NR, 2*) (ESPN NR, NR) James Folston Jr. (Cocoa HS) Cocoa, FL 6-2/200
• DE (Scout NR, 2*) (Rivals NR, 2*) (ESPN NR, NR ) Hezekiah Trahan (Roman Catholic HS) Philadelphia, PA 6-4/250
• OLB (Scout 100, 3*) (Rivals NR, 3*) (ESPN 122, 3*) Jamal Davis (McKinley HS) Canton, OH 6-3/215
• WR (Scout 92, 3*) (Rivals 38, 4*) (ESPN 19, 4*) Adonis Jennings (Timber Creek HS) Sicklerville, NJ 6-2/183

Brett is a Pitt staff writer at City of Champions. Follow him on Twitter @BJoseph21.