Recruiting Tracker: Meet Pitt’s 2021 recruiting class

The early signing period officially began on Wednesday, and the day unfolded without any unexpected drama, as Pitt signed 20 of its 22 recruits and got a commitment and signature from another prospect that day. The two holdouts were offensive linemen Brandon Honorable and Marco Fugar, and while Honorable noted that he would not be signing Wednesday, the situation with Fugar is less clear. With that said, all of Pitt’s blue chips and local stars signed, and Tamarion Crumpley came through with an unexpected late pledge.

The first letter of intent was received at 7:02 a.m., and it came from WPIAL standout Dorien Ford. The final signee of the day was Crumpley, who committed to Pitt verbally at 7:11 a.m. and made it official with his signature at 1:51 p.m. As for Honorable and Fugar, it seems no developments are in the offing in the near future. But Pitt could renew its pursuit of former target M.J. Devonshire, who entered the transfer portal on Thursday.

With a few situations unresolved, more developments are possible in the coming days, but for a full breakdown of Pitt’s verbal commits and signees, read on:

Myles Alston (Wide Receiver)
Ocean Lakes High School (Virginia Beach, VA)
247Sports: *** / Rivals: *** / ESPN: ***
Status: Signed

Myles Alston, a 6’1”, 185-pound wide receiver and defensive back, accrued 594 yards and six touchdowns in 2018, helping the Dolphins earn a 13-1 record and a spot in the Virginia state semifinals. In 2019, he had 17 receptions for 212 yards and one touchdown on offense as well as one pick-six on defense. He did not play in 2020, as high school football in Virginia was canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic, and he plans to enroll early.

Trey Andersen (Tight End)
Lehi High School (Lehi, UT)
247Sports: *** / Rivals: ** / ESPN: **
Status: Signed

Pitt flipped Trey Andersen, a 6’6”, 250-pound tight end, from BYU in June. The Utah native completed his senior season at Lehi High School in 2018 and racked up 487 yards and two touchdowns on 28 receptions that year. That was his only season as a full-time starter at tight end, and in 2019, he began a two-year mission for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, which will conclude in 2021.

Khalil Anderson (Cornerback)
Riverwood High School (Atlanta, GA)
247Sports: **** / Rivals: *** / ESPN: ***
Status: Signed

Khalil Anderson, a 5’11”, 175-pound defensive back, enjoyed a breakout season at Riverwood High School in 2019, as he came up with seven interceptions, five pass breakups and 37 tackles for a Raiders team that went 11-1 overall and 7-0 in conference. In 2020, he recorded three pass breakups and 35 tackles as well as one interception, which he returned 99 yards for a defensive touchdown.

Gavin Bartholomew (Tight End)
Blue Mountain High School (Schuylkill Haven, PA)
247Sports: ** / Rivals: *** / ESPN: ***
Status: Signed

Pitt flipped in-state tight end Gavin Bartholomew from Buffalo in November. The 6'5", 248-pound tight end played several games at quarterback in 2020, throwing for 521 yards and four touchdowns. He added 145 yards and three additional touchdowns on foot, and at tight end, he had 131 yards and two more touchdowns on six receptions, bringing his yards-from-scrimmage total to 797 and his touchdown total to nine.

Noah Biglow (Cornerback)
Armwood High School (Seffner, FL)
247Sports: *** / Rivals: *** / ESPN: ***
Status: Signed

Noah Biglow flipped from Iowa State to Pitt in May. In 2020, he came up with one pass breakup and forced one fumble, while also pitching in on special teams and returning a kickoff for a touchdown. 2019 was a breakout year for the 6’0”, 175-pound cornerback, as he came up with six interceptions and eight pass breakups. The year before that, in his first varsity season, Biglow had three additional picks and 11 pass breakups. And over the last three years, he has also tallied a total of 48 tackles, including four for losses.

Jaden Bradley (Wide Receiver)
DeMatha Catholic High School (Hyattsville, MD)
247Sports: *** / Rivals: *** / ESPN: ***
Status: Signed

At 6’4”, 190 pounds, Jaden Bradley was coveted by college recruiters for his length and athleticism, and he chose to commit to Pitt in April. He and fellow underclassman Jake McConnachie, who stands at 6’5”, are set to provide the Pitt receiving corps with an infusion of size when they take the field. And if they are as sure-handed as they are easy to spot downfield, then Pitt’s passing game could take a big step forward.

Naquan Brown (Linebacker)
Ocean Lakes High School (Virginia Beach, VA)
247Sports: *** / Rivals: **** / ESPN: ****
Status: Signed

Virginia canceled its 2020 high school football season in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, but in 2019, Naquan Brown had about 70 tackles, including 11 tackles for losses and 12 sacks, at Ocean Lakes High School in Virginia Beach. He also played alongside fellow Pitt commit Myles Alston there, and the two helped the Dolphins to a 21-5 record over the last two seasons. Brown was previously committed to LSU but flipped to Pitt in December.

Tamarion Crumpley (Cornerback)
Winton Woods High School (Cincinnati, OH)
247Sports: *** / Rivals: *** / ESPN: ***
Status: Signed

Tamarion Crumpley was committed to Minnesota but backed off that pledge in June. He committed to Pitt on signing day, becoming the program’s most recent recruit to commit. He had a breakout year at Winton Woods in 2019, as he had four interceptions, 23 tackles, and two fumble recoveries, one of which he returned for a defensive touchdown. And this season, he earned all-district honors on a team that improved from 6-3 to 9-1.

Elliot Donald (Defensive Tackle)
Central Catholic High School (Pittsburgh, PA)
247Sports: **** / Rivals: **** / ESPN: ****
Status: Signed

Elliot Donald opted out of the 2020 season to avoid contracting COVID-19, but in his sophomore and junior seasons at Central Catholic High School, he amassed 25 tackles for losses, 15.5 sacks and four forced fumbles on a Vikings team that went 19-6 and had a 12-2 record in 2019. Donald is the nephew of NFL star and Pitt alum Aaron Donald, and as a consensus four-star recruit, he is expected to make a major impact upon his arrival at Pitt.

Terrence Enos (Offensive Tackle)
Cass Technical High School (Detroit, MI)
247Sports: *** / Rivals: *** / ESPN: ***
Status: Signed

Terrence Enos was a coveted recruit who drew scholarship offers from 26 programs, including 14 Power Five programs. But amid interest from heavyweights like LSU and Ole Miss, he chose to commit to Pitt in May. The 6’5”, 317-pound offensive lineman was a key member of a Cass Technical High School team that improved from 7-6 to 9-1 in 2020.

Dorien Ford (Defensive Tackle)
Baldwin High School (Baldwin, PA)
247Sports: *** / Rivals: *** / ESPN: ***
Status: Signed

During his junior season at Baldwin High School, Dorien Ford came up with 52 tackles and earned all-conference honors as well as a spot on the Tribune-Review’s Trib 25 all-star team. As a senior, Ford had 15 tackles, two sacks, one fumble recovery and a pass breakup. Along with Elliot Donald, Nahki Johnson and Stephon Hall, Ford was considered one of several key local recruits Pitt wanted to keep in town, so landing him amid competition from the likes of Penn State and Michigan was a major recruiting victory.

Marco Fugar (Guard)
St. Thomas Aquinas High School (Fort Lauderdale, FL)
247Sports: *** / Rivals: ** / ESPN: ***
Status: Verbally Committed

Marco Fugar, a 6’3”, 275-pound guard, was Pitt’s first recruit of the 2021 class out of Florida, and there are currently just three. During the Narduzzi era, the program has brought in many prospects from the Sunshine State, thanks in large part to Florida native and ace recruiter Charlie Partridge. The 2021 class is the first class since 2015 to have fewer than five Floridians, and with Fugar’s status uncertain, the total number of Florida recruits in the class could drop to two.

Kyle Fugedi (Offensive Tackle)
Franklin High School (Livonia, MI)
247Sports: *** / Rivals: *** / ESPN: ***
Status: Signed

Kyle Fugedi is a 6’6”, 300-pound offensive lineman Pitt flipped from Miami (Ohio) about two weeks ahead of signing day. He was the fifth 2021 recruit Pitt would flip, as the staff also pried Trey Andersen, Noah Biglow, Gavin Bartholomew and Jake Renda away from BYU, Iowa State, Buffalo and Michigan State, respectively. And Pitt would get two more prospects from other programs after him, as it lured Naquan Brown away from LSU and Tamarion Crumpley away from Minnesota.

Stephon Hall (Cornerback)
Central Valley High School (Monaca, PA)
247Sports: *** / Rivals: *** / ESPN: ***
Status: Signed

Last season at Central Valley High School, the 6’2”, 185-pound cornerback came up with 14 pass breakups, 64 tackles and one forced fumble. He also contributed as a running back, with 263 yards and 11 touchdowns on 29 carries, and as a kick returner, scoring twice and accruing 247 yards on five returns. In 2019, he had three interceptions, 21 pass breakups, and 108 total tackles, including five tackles for losses. He also made an impact by causing a fumble, recovering a fumble and hurrying opposing quarterbacks twice on a strong Warriors team that went 14-2 and made the PIAA 3A state championship.

Rodney Hammond (Running Back)
Booker T. Washington High School (Norfolk, VA)
247Sports: *** / Rivals: *** / ESPN: ****
Status: Signed

During his junior season at Booker T. Washington High School, Rodney Hammond amassed 1,391 rushing yards and 18 touchdowns in a span of nine games. As a sophomore, he rushed for 1,426 yards and eight touchdowns. And in 2017, he ran for 1,209 and 12 scores. He did not play in 2020, as Virginia’s high school football season was canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Brandon Honorable (Offensive Tackle)
Martin Luther King High School (Detroit, MI)
247Sports: *** / Rivals: *** / ESPN: ***
Status: Verbally Committed

Brandon Honorable, a 6’7”, 312-pound lineman out of Detroit, committed to Pitt in May but decided against signing on Wednesday in order to weigh his options — and as a consensus top-75 recruit at his position, he has plenty. Other programs interested in Honorable include Cincinnati, Indiana, Tennessee and Michigan State. Losing Honorable would be costly for Pitt, as he is believed to be a surefire starter at the Power Five level. In addition, Pitt is set to play both Cincinnati and Tennessee in the next few years, so losing him to either team would be especially unfortunate.

Nahki Johnson (Linebacker)
West Mifflin Area High School (West Mifflin, PA)
247Sports: **** / Rivals: **** / ESPN: ***
Status: Signed

Nahki Johnson was the cornerstone of Pitt’s 2021 class, as he was the first player to commit, and he never wavered. The West Mifflin standout also publicly fended off interest from other programs and helped convince other WPIAL stars, like Elliot Donald and Dorien Ford, to come to Pitt. The 6’3”, 220-pound linebacker won a WPIAL title at Steel Valley High School in 2018 before moving onto West Mifflin Area High School in 2019.

Preston Lavant (Linebacker)
Crisp County High School (Cordele, GA)
247Sports: *** / Rivals: *** / ESPN: ***
Status: Signed

Preston Lavant racked up 80 tackles in 2020, including seven tackles for losses and 1.5 sacks. The 6’2”, 200-pound linebacker also blocked a punt, forced a fumble, and came up with an interception and four quarterback hurries on a Crisp County High School team that has gone 22-5 over the last two seasons. In 2019, he finished with 127 tackles, two sacks, two picks and one forced fumble.

Javon McIntyre (Safety)
Imhotep Institute (Philadelphia, PA)
247Sports: *** / Rivals: *** / ESPN: ***
Status: Signed

Javon McIntyre, a 6’1”, 187-pound safety, is Pitt’s first recruit out of Philadelphia since 2014. He recorded 53 tackles over 13 games in 2019, including six tackles for losses. In addition, McIntyre recovered a fumble and returned it for a defensive touchdown. However, Imhotep did not play in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Malik Newton (Running Back)
Lake Taylor High School (Norfolk, VA)
247Sports: *** / Rivals: *** / ESPN: ***
Status: Signed

Malik Newton finished the 2019 season with 2,060 yards and 32 touchdowns on 213 carries, and Lake Taylor High School went on to win a state title and finish 14-2. In May, he committed to Pitt despite interest from a number of other Power Five programs, including Clemson and Penn State. The 5’11”, 223-pound running back did not play in 2020, as the high school football season in Virginia was canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Terrence Rankl (Offensive Tackle)
Washington High School (Massillon, OH)
247Sports: *** / Rivals: *** / ESPN: ***
Status: Signed

In 2019, Terrence Rankl, a 6’6”, 280-pound offensive tackle, was a key member of a Massillon Tigers offensive line that paved the way for an average of 179.5 rushing yards and 373.5 total yards per game. And in the 2018 season, his team averaged 217.0 rushing yards and 416.3 total yards per game. Back in April, Rankl chose Pitt over offers from Cincinnati, Iowa State and 15 other programs.

Jake Renda (Tight End)
IMG Academy (Bradenton, FL)
247Sports: *** / Rivals: *** / ESPN: ***
Status: Signed

Pitt flipped Jake Renda from Michigan State in August, just before the 6’5”, 230-pound tight end began his senior season at IMG Academy. During his time at the national powerhouse, Renda played a limited role, scoring just one touchdown and accruing under 100 yards in the 2020 season. However, Renda showed promise at Notre Dame High School just outside of his hometown of Trenton, New Jersey, in 2019, when he played quarterback and accounted for 16 total touchdowns.

Nate Yarnell (Quarterback)
Lake Travis High School (Austin, TX)
247Sports: *** / Rivals: *** / ESPN: ***
Status: Signed

Nate Yarnell committed to Pitt in April but hasn’t seen the field much since then, as he suffered a broken finger before the start of the 2020 season. However, during the 2019 season, the 6’6”, 200-pound quarterback played in 11 games and made six starts for Lake Travis High School, a team that went 13-2 and was ranked No. 52 in the nation at the high school level. As a junior, Yarnell threw for 1,489 yards and 14 touchdowns with five picks. He also completed 107 of his 158 pass attempts for a 67.7 completion percentage and accrued a quarterback rating of 114.1.