Pat Signal: Rashad Battle commits to Pitt

Pat Narduzzi and the Pitt coaching staff secured a national signing day pledge from a coveted recruit, as Rashad Battle, a cornerback out of Creekside High School in Fairburn, Georgia, announced his commitment to the program on Wednesday. Battle was previously committed to Maryland but reopened his recruitment in November.

The 6’3”, 185-pound cornerback holds three-star ratings from 247Sports and ESPN, but Rivals considers him a four-star recruit. Over the course of his recruitment, Battle drew 31 offers, 21 of which came from Power Five programs. Some of the most notable programs to offer Battle included Baylor, Georgia Tech, Iowa, Louisville, Minnesota, Ole Miss, Wake Forest and West Virginia. However, his decision came down to an all-ACC trio of NC State, Pitt and Virginia Tech.

During his senior season at Creekside High School, Battle came up with 46 tackles, including two for losses, as well as two interceptions. As a junior, he was even more disruptive, as he had 51 tackles, five tackles for losses, five picks, one forced fumble and one fumble recovery. He played a more limited role as a sophomore but still managed 24 tackles and one interception.

At Pitt, Battle will compete for playing time at cornerback, and his arrival comes at an opportune time, as the team recently lost Dane Jackson, a three-year starter at the position, to graduation. By 2021, the team is also likely to be without Damarri Mathis and Jason Pinnock, its likely starters for 2020, as both are rising seniors. That means the path to playing time should be fairly clear for Battle at Pitt in the coming years, so he could see the field relatively early in his collegiate career.