Pitt lands in top nine of Philly cornerback Tyreek Chappell

Pat Narduzzi and the Pitt staff have had plenty of success recruiting the Pittsburgh area over the last year, and they’re looking to expand their reach across the state. Their efforts netted them a pledge from Philadelphia safety Javon McIntyre in January, and on Wednesday, they were rewarded with a spot in the top nine of Philadelphia cornerback Tyreek Chappell.

Chappell has drawn 29 total offers during his recruitment, including 20 from Power Five programs, and the other eight schools in his top nine include Baylor, Michigan, Michigan State, Ole Miss, Penn State, Tennessee, Texas A&M and West Virginia.

Pitt is the only ACC program in the cornerback’s top nine, as Boston College, Georgia Tech, Miami, Syracuse and Wake Forest did not make the cut. Temple, in Chappell’s hometown of Philadelphia, was also excluded from the list, as was Rutgers, the second-closest school to his home.

The 6’0”, 174-pound defensive back out of Philadelphia’s Northeast High School is considered a three-star recruit, according to 247Sports, ESPN and Rivals. Both 247Sports (No. 20) and Rivals (No. 23) count Chappell among the top-25 prospects in Pennsylvania in the 2021 recruiting cycle, as does Penn Live, which places him at No. 19 in the state.

In addition to his defensive duties, Chappell has played on offense and enjoyed a breakout year at Archbishop Ryan High School in 2018 prior to his transfer to Northeast. Chappell led Archbishop Ryan in receiving that season, with 680 yards and 10 scores on 33 receptions. He also ranked second on the team in rushing, with 511 yards and six scores on 62 carries, and scored a 17th time on a kickoff return.

In February, Eric Epler of Penn Live noted that “Chappell is thought to have West Virginia on top of his list,” so Pitt may be facing an uphill battle in his recruitment. With that said, Pitt could prove to be a more accommodating destination for Chappell than West Virginia, as it fielded one of the best defenses in the nation in 2019 and will have fewer returning defensive backs in 2021 than West Virginia. Pitt will have 10, and West Virginia will have 14.