Not a big surprise that a big recruiting weekend with 12-13 kids visiting would at least yield one or two verbals. Or in this case, three in the fold. Corey Davis on Saturday with Issac Bennett and Darius Patton on Sunday. Two running backs and a wide receiver.
Corey Davis a running back from Texas appears to have been ready to follow coach Graham to the ends of the earth.
The 5-foot-11, 180-pound senior was headed to Tulsa until Graham left to coach the Panthers.
“I was going to Tulsa just because of coach Graham and his coaching crew,” Davis said. “So wherever they were going to go, I was going to go.”
A dozen recruits were at Pitt this weekend for official visits, including several Tulsa recruits. Among them were Isaac Bennett, a running back from Tulsa, Okla., and Keyarris Garrett, a receiver from Daingerfield, Texas.
Bennett said Sunday evening that he planned to call Pitt coaches last night and verbally commit.
“I liked the city,” said Bennett, a 5-11, 190-pound senior who said he chose the Panthers over Tulsa, Arkansas and Louisiana-Monroe. “I was looking for a change of scenery. It’s time to get out of Tulsa, Oklahoma.”
Garrett, a 6-foot-4 receiver, said Sunday he’s still undecided whether to choose Pitt or Tulsa.
As for the rankings on the commits.
Davis is a 3- or 2-star recruit. ESPN.com/Scouts, Inc.’s numbers put him right in between, but a hair closer to 2-star (Insider subs).
Davis is a sturdy, productive back who may be falling under the radar a tad. Does not have a wow factor to him but he is tough and determined. This guy lacks great size, top-end speed and elusiveness but he is a decisive runner who gets downhill quickly and moves the chains on a consistent level. Doesn’t waste a lot of time squaring up and getting north-south. Runs with his eyes, good pad level and balance. Flashes above average burst through the hole and second level but does not have great top-end speed. Most production stems from his ability to break first contact. Runs hard, keeps his legs moving through the hole and has good upper-body strength.
The other running back, Isaac Bennett has no stars from Rivals or ESPN.com — and no real evaluation to boot. Physically the base measurements between Bennett and Davis are small. About the same height, but Bennett has maybe 10 pounds on Davis. Scout.com goes with 2-stars for Bennett and notes that the Tulsa, Oklahoma product “won the 5A state long jump title and finished third in the 100 meters,” last year. So he it would seem he has speed and leg strength.
Finally, there is Darius Patton. The only consensus 3-star recruit from all three recruiting sites.
He is a smurf that is not a big target and needs to be utilized on short, underneath routes, bubble screens, tunnel screens and has proven to be an effective wildcat QB. He has very soft, quick hands and transitions upfield in a hurry to make a move and turn a short catch into a huge gain. He has a penchant for big plays, the ability to cut and make defenders miss and has proven to be a homerun threat. He has enough speed to threaten the field vertically, but size limits his effectiveness on the deep ball. As quick and explosive as Patton is we feel he is much quicker than he is fast. Has deceptive speed because of his size and quick feet, but is not as fast as you might think. We feel he plays faster than his listed times, but may not be a burner. However, what he does do well is accelerate rapidly in a short area which is why with his smooth hips he could be a corner. Patton is a very good, undersized prospect that could see his first taste of the next level come as a return man where he could be a scary player.
Under Wannstedt, Pitt favored the more traditional, pro-style 6-foot-plus WRs (with the exception of Cam Saddler off the top of my head). Given the offensive style favored by OC Calvin Magee and what Graham has run at Tulsa, there is a reason Saddler has enthusiastically endorsed the Graham hiring.
You can’t really judge these rankings until the kid gets into the system and either performs or doesn’t.
Graham really got a late start, hopefully he can get about 15 kids to sign. 2012’s class will be a good indication on how Graham and his staff are doing.
Hail to Pitt!
Does anyone really believe we are gonna have some super stellar recruiting class with the debacle that hit here over the past 8 weeks?
The fact that coach graham is getting guys to actually reconsider let alone consider Pitt is a testament to this guys driven work ethic.
And let me state now that I would rather have 3-Star recruited overachievers then some Web site 4/5 star underacheiver.
If coach graham lands only 1 additional 4 star commit and the rest are 2 or 3 stars I will consider it a booming success after the Wanny-Haywood Pederson debacle.
DaveD
With everything that’s gone on, I’m surprised if there are many recruits left to pick from now. Does anyone really expect that, with only a couple weeks till LOI, Graham was going to grab a bunch of 5s?
Its great to see Graham getting anyone now. Especially some from TX and OK. Hes done better than I expected. Wait till next year before you start judging ratings. Even then, he’ll be lucky to get 4s. Remember that Pitt wasn’t getting 5s with Wanny.
This kinda reminds me of posts I saw on another forum. Guy was complaining Graham never got any 4s and 5s at Tulsa. Several tried to explain that Tulsa just is not going to get 4s and 5s, but this guy couldn’t get it through his head why.