Pat Signal: Pitt adds Shocky Jacques-Louis to 2018 recruiting class

If you watch Shocky Jacques-Louis’ HUDL video, the first word that has to come to mind is ‘playmaker.’ That’s what Pitt’s latest find is.

Jacques-Louis committed to Pitt after de-committing first from Kentucky, then from Tennessee. Don’t let all of the changes scare you off, though. He only left Tennessee after the Volunteers fired coach Butch Jones. Jacques-Louis, like most players did today, signed with their new schools ahead of the traditional National Signing Day next year.

Pitt’s entire class to date consists of all three-star players, according to Rivals. Jacques-Louis himself is technically one but it’s difficult not to see him as a player possibly deserving of a bump up. The 6’0” (or 6’1”, depending on what you read) receiver from Florida brings plenty of speed, that much is clear.

His highlight video seemingly goes on and on and he not only scores, but can do so in a variety of ways. He’s a game-breaking return man, big-play wide receiver, and even runs some wildcat as a quarterback. Offensive coordinator Shawn Watson has to be absolutely salivating at the possibility of adding him to the offense. Jacques-Louis would be a big boost for any offense but for a program like Pitt that has turned to a few more trick plays on that side of the ball, he should be an even bigger asset.

And with the Panthers losing 2016 All-American return man Quadree Henderson to the NFL a year early, adding him to the return team could help that dropoff be less glaring.

Wide receiver was a position that Narduzzi said he targeted, although I imagine this is the type of kid you take even if you’re well off at that position.

“It was certainly a need that we wanted to address,” Narduzzi said of his receiving corps, now without Jester Weah and NFL-bound Quadree Henderson. “We’ve got some players — Tre Tipton is coming back [from injury], so don't forget about some of those other guys, but we'll be fine. But anytime you lose two, you want to at least bring in two, maybe three.”

My big thing with recruits is always to consider their other offers and if you look at Jacques-Louis’ offer sheet, it’s again difficult to see why he’s ‘only’ a three-star. According to Rivals, he held offers from the likes of Michigan, Ohio State, Georgia, Michigan State, Oregon, and plenty of others.

This is a really great late ‘get’ for the program.

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