Pitt makes top 15 of Peters Twp. star Donovan McMillon

Pat Narduzzi and the Pitt coaching staff have been in pursuit of Peters Township safety Donovan McMillon since November 2019, and on Friday evening, their efforts were rewarded, as Pitt made the top 15 of the coveted recruit.

McMillon’s other 14 finalists included Arizona State, Cincinnati, Duke, Iowa, Louisville, Michigan, Michigan State, Northwestern, Notre Dame, Oklahoma, Penn State, Purdue, Texas A&M and Virginia Tech.

The 6’2”, 185-pound safety pared down his list from an offer sheet with more than 40 programs represented. Among his offers were 22 from Power Five programs, and the most notable cut was West Virginia, which was the only major program in the area not included. ACC programs Boston College, Georgia Tech, Syracuse and Virginia were also cut.

Rivals and 247Sports consider McMillon a three-star recruit, and the latter ranks the 2021 prospect as the No. 48 safety in the nation, the No. 16 recruit in Pennsylvania and the No. 4 in-state safety. Rivals places McMillon at No. 18 in the state but has him ranked as the state's No. 1 safety in the 2021 cycle.

The 2021 class could be a special one for Pitt, as it appears that Narduzzi and his staff have made major progress recruiting Pennsylvania. Pitt made a few splashes years ago when it landed Paris Ford and Damar Hamlin but then went a bit quiet in the Keystone State. That changed when Pitt landed Westinghouse defensive lineman Dayon Hayes, and now, the program has built up some momentum.

Pitt has commitments from West Mifflin linebacker Nahki Johnson and Imhotep safety Javon McIntyre, and it is favored to land Central Catholic blue chip Elliot Donald and Baldwin defensive lineman Dorien Ford. If Pitt keeps Johnson and McIntyre in the fold and lands Donald, Ford and McMillon, it would have five of the top 20 recruits in Pennsylvania in 2021. In 2020, Pitt landed just one in Hayes.