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Pitt survived the latest round of cuts for 2014 running back recruit Shai McKenzie. He had a top 15 back in March, and only minutes ago, McKenzie, tweeted out his top five list:
1. Florida State 2. Pitt 3. Georgia Tech 4.Virginia Tech 5. Arkansas! It can change from now till Feb.5 #Respect #Order #Top5
— Shai Mckenzie (@ShaiMcKenzie_) June 14, 2013
That's not a huge surprise and, really, if you're taking this all that seriously for now - don't.
McKenzie is one of the most sought after running backs for 2014. Recruits, especially those heavily pursued, can change their mind at the drop of a hat. Maybe Pitt's No. 1 tomorrow. Maybe he's No. 4 next week. Like McKenzie even points out in that tweet, a lot can change in between now and February.
Slightly interesting to me is that McKenzie points out the February 5 date, which is National Signing Day. Not sure if that's an indication that he plans to take that much time, but even if it's not, it's at least a reminder that if McKenzie does pick a team sooner, that changing his mind is a possibility.
One other recruiting note is that Pitt lost out on Robert Martin, a three-star running back out of Harrisburg. Just one more reason getting McKenzie is important. Chris Peak of Rivals had a great point in that McKenzie made the announcement very shortly after Martin declared he was going to Rutgers. Did he intentionally wait for the Martin announcement to announce his top five? Maybe. One thing is for sure, though - kids look at where others are going and it plays a part in their ultimate decision.
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