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PITT IS IT! #H2P
— Pat Narduzzi (@CoachDuzzPittFB) March 21, 2015
Player commits - Narduzzi tweets - we get excited. Rinse and Repeat.
The Pat signal went up, and we now know it was Tony Butler of Lakewood, Ohio. Butler is a pretty solid start for the 2016 recruiting effort as he is rated as a three-star cornerback from the Cleveland, Ohio area. Butler plays for St. Edward High School, one of the more storied high school programs in Ohio that is coming off a state championship in 2014.
Tony Butler is rated as a three-star by Rivals and 24/7, while ESPN does not list any stars next to his name just yet. He does possess a pretty impressive offer sheet that features Arizona State, Boston College, Iowa, Kentucky, Rutgers, and Syracuse. Rivals ranks him as the 22nd best prospect in Ohio, and the 24/7 composite rankings call him the 25th best player in the state.
With Narduzzi being named the coach, an added emphasis on defense was expected and it is showing already dating back to the end of the 2015 recruiting class. Butler is a big and physical corner that Michigan State has succeeded with under Narduzzi and figures right into the equation at Pitt. It is a long way until February, so early commitments do not always mean much, but this is a great way to get things started for the new coaching staff.