Pitt football 2016 recruiting class update

With the season just about to begin, it feels like a good time to examine where Pitt's current recruiting class stands today. Pat Narduzzi's first full recruiting class is not off to a great start, as it stands right now, it is rated 63rd overall by Rivals.com. With many of Pitt's top recruits still un-committed, and only ten commitments in the fold, there is reason to believe Pitt's recruiting ranking will improve gradually throughout the year up through signing day. Here is a look at the current commitments, and how I rank them to date.

1. Chase Pine 6'4" 220 Outside Linebacker Williamsburg, Virginia

I consider Chase Pine as the top coup of the recruiting class so far. He picked Pitt over some big offers like Georgia, California, and Virginia Tech.  Pine has the opportunity to be a star here at Pitt, I really do believe that. Looks like a good linebacker for now, but has the frame to become a game changing defensive end.

2. Therran Coleman 6'1" 180 Cornerback  Pittsburgh, PA

Coleman committed on Sunday and is one of Pitt's most important ones to date. Narduzzi and company pegged him as a priority at corner, and managed to deliver.  He held offers from ex-Pitt coaches Todd Graham at Arizona State and Paul Chryst at Wisconsin, along with Virginia Tech and West Virginia, thus making it a very nice recruiting win for the Panthers.

3. Rashad Wheeler 6'3" 286 Defensive Tackle  Pittsburgh, PA

One of Pitt's most recent commitments is a good one.  He is a solid player from a big time local program in Pittsburgh Central Catholic. He held impressive offers from the likes of Penn State, Tennessee, Maryland, and WVU.  Wheeler is one of the best recruits to date for this class, and his commitment could have started the domino effect for all the local recruits.

4. Ruben Flowers 6'4" 190 Wide Receiver Lima, Ohio

Ruben Flowers is the lone four-star recruit currently committed. He even checks in as the 10th rated player in Ohio by Rivals.com.  Flowers picked Pitt over quality offers from Illinois, Iowa, and Kentucky. Flowers is a big body wide receiver, and could play a big role early in his career.

5. Chawntez Moss 5'11" 202 Running Back Bedford, Ohio

Chawntez Moss committed back in June as a bit of a surprise.  He is a solid three-star across all the recruiting sites, and has good size and ability for a running back. Moss picked Pitt over the likes of Iowa, Indiana, and Cincinnati.  Moss is a good player, and if he is the only back Pitt brings in this year, the Panthers will be fine in the running back department.

6. Brandon Ford 6'5" 304 Offensive Lineman Pittsburgh, PA

Ford is the 21st ranked player from Pennsylvania and comes from well-regarded local high school, Upper St. Clair.  Brandon Ford committed back in March and kind of got the ball rolling for this class. He will be one of the few offensive linemen the Panthers bring in with this recruiting class.

7. Bryce Hargrove 6'6" 255 Defensive Tackle Akron, Ohio

Bryce Hargrove is an intriguing defensive tackle prospect from Akron.  Most of his offers came from MAC schools, but he picked Pitt directly over Rutgers and Cincinnati.  Hargrove was in-between playing defensive end or tackle, but it appears now Hargrove will come in as Pitt's second defensive tackle for this class.

8. Bricen Garner 6'1" 160 Safety  Pittsburgh, PA

Bricen Garner is the second of two commitments from local power, Pittsburgh Central Catholic.  Garner is a talented safety, but has flown under the radar for the most part. Garner has plenty of offers from the likes of MAC and American schools, but Pitt and Indiana have been his only power five offers.  Garner comes from an important high school locally for Pitt, and could help land Damar Hamlin.

9. Thomas MacVittie 6'4"  215 Quarterback  Cincinnati, Ohio

Thomas MacVittie checks in as a thee-star QB across the board, but I still think he has a lot to prove. MacVittie attends powerhouse high school, Archbishop Moeller, but did not start last year. So he is a three-star prospect without a lot of game experience, all the measurables are there for sure, but his only power five offer has come from Pitt. He recently was injured in his high school game, taking away even more game experience for MacVittie.

10. Maurice Ffrench 5'11" 180 cornerback New Brunswick, New Jersey

Maurice Ffrench is rated as just a two-star prospect on Rivals. Ffrench is classified as an athlete, and the door is open for him to play offense or defense. With his only other FBS offers coming from Army, Buffalo, and Temple, he is definitely one of the lighter recruited guys in the class at the moment.  There is a lot to like about him on film, and he could be a steal for Narduzzi.

So that's where the recruiting class stands right now, but obviously there will be some more additions as the season progresses.  I'm not sure of the exact number Pitt can bring in for this class, but I would have to expect to see 7-8 more guys, if not more.