Pitt lands in top eight of Woodland Hills tight end Joshua Rawlings

Pat Narduzzi and the Pitt staff offered Woodland Hills tight end Joshua Rawlings on Feb. 12 and have hosted him for visits on three occasions since then. Now, it appears their pursuit of the WPIAL star is paying dividends, as Rawlings released a list of his top eight schools on Sunday and Pitt made the cut.

”Today, I want to acknowledge what my lord and savior has done in my life,” Rawlings wrote in a message on Twitter. “Continuously, I’ve been blessed in ways I could never imagine, specifically through football. The position that I’m in is one that few get to experience, so I thank him. This isn’t about me because I wouldn’t have been able to do this without him. With that being said, here is my top eight.”

In its entirety, the list consists of East Carolina, Indiana, Iowa State, Minnesota, Pitt, Syracuse, Vanderbilt and Virginia.

Rawlings noted that the list he posted is not final and clarified that his recruitment is still open, but Pitt is clearly in good standing with the 2020 recruit. The 6’6”, 230-pound tight end spoke to Mike Vukovcan of Pittsburgh Sports Now about the school and broke down how it stacks up against the competition.

“They’re a no-brainer,” he said. “Hometown team, get to play in front of my friends and family. New offensive coordinator that incorporates the tight end position in new ways. And those new unis are sweet.”

Rivals and 247Sports consider Rawlings a three-star prospect, and Pitt is the only school on his list that he has visited. However, Narduzzi and his staff face significant competition for the local star’s services, as he initially drew 25 offers and is still giving consideration to six other Power Five schools, East Carolina and any potential new offers.

Pitt’s 2020 class currently consists of defensive end Samuel Williams and offensive lineman Michael Statham. Rawlings has yet to reveal when he will announce his decision.