The NCAA’s decision to split national signing day into two windows nearly two months apart has had a profound effect on coaches, prospects and fans.
Most players in the Class of 2019 signed in December, largely to avoid protracted periods of uncertainty for everyone involved. But if the volume (as in numbers) has been reduced for Wednesday’s second signing period, the volume (as in impactful noise) some unsigned players might make is just as loud as in past years.
Pitt, Penn State and West Virginia signed a total of 57 players in December, but each coach — Pat Narduzzi, James Franklin and Neal Brown — will be eagerly awaiting definitive word from at least one highly regarded recruit. Here is a look at what’s happening at the three schools:
Pitt
Pitt’s class could turn out to be surprisingly productive, even though Rivals.com gives it a national ranking of 47, which would be its lowest since the 2015 class Narduzzi shared with former coach Paul Chryst finished 65th.
That could improve, however, if Aliquippa cornerback M.J. Devonshire picks Pitt when he makes his announcement Wednesday morning.
Devonshire (5-foot-11, 170 pounds) would be the second four-star recruit in Pitt’s class, joining quarterback Davis Beville, who signed in December and enrolled in January. Ranked sixth in the state by Rivals.com, Devonshire also would be Narduzzi’s first from the state top 10 since Paris Ford in 2017.
Devonshire is the only undecided player among the state’s top 30 prospects, sharpening the anxiety level of fans trying to read his mind.
He has visited Ohio State and Pitt, and when he was at Kentucky two weekends ago, Wildcats basketball coach John Calipari walked up and shook his hand.
With or without Devonshire, NJ.com recruiting analyst Todderick Hunt likes the work Narduzzi has done.
“It has a lot of good three-star talent,” Hunt said of Pitt’s class.
Fifteen of the 19 are rated three-stars by Rivals.
One of them is 6-6, 255-pound defensive Bryce Nelms of West Orange, N.J. From all appearances, Pitt and tight ends coach Tim Salem stole Nelms from Rutgers, where he has strong family ties.
Nelms told TheKnightreport.net his grandfather was raised by an aunt, Bessie Nelms-Hill, who was a civil rights activist in New Jersey and the first African-American seated on the Rutgers board of trustees. A dormitory on campus is named after her.
“I would love for the chance to be able to attend and represent the school that she fought to allow equality for minority students,” Nelms said during the 2017 football season. “It would mean the absolute world to me, and it would just help complete her legacy at Rutgers.”
Still, he signed with Pitt in December.
The other intriguing three-star is tight end Jason Collier (6-7, 250) of Westville, N.J.
“His best football is ahead of him,” Hunt said. “You get him in a college strength and conditioning program, and he’ll put on the good weight in all the right places.”
Hunt also likes 6-3, 181-pound Aliquippa wide receiver Will Gipson.
“They waited until the last second (to recruit him),” Hunt said. “It seemed like he was headed to Rutgers. I don’t understand why they waited so long with the gaudy numbers he put up. He has a great, natural feel for the game.”
Perhaps the most important addition will turn out to be Michigan graduate transfer Nolan Ulizio, who could start on the offensive line. He is not an official member of the 2019 class, so his enrollment will not figure into Pitt’s final ranking.
Penn State
The Nittany Lions’ class is ranked 10th in the nation, second in the Big Ten. Of Penn State’s 22 prospects, 11 already are enrolled and 13 are rated four-stars by Rivals.
And Franklin got a commitment Tuesday night from Penn Hills defensive back/receiver Daequan Hardy. Hardy announced his decision on Twitter.
Still, Franklin has been pursuing more big fish, including Spring Valley (W.Va.) High School four-star offensive lineman Doug Nester (6-6, 312). Nester verbally committed to Ohio State a month before the 2017 season and 16 months before Urban Meyer resigned. Penn State and Virginia Tech are hoping he changes his mind.
Hunt said the class is strong on the defensive line.
“They just continue to load up on big, long explosive defensive ends,” he said, pointing out 6-4, 220-pound Adisa Isaac of Brooklyn, N.Y. “He is very athletically gifted with an elite tool box. He projects to be an NFL player.”
There are two quarterbacks in Penn State’s class: three-star Michael Johnson Jr. (6-2, 197) of Eugene, Ore., and four-star Ta’Quan Roberson (5-11, 193) of Wayne, N.J.
“He is one of the great leaders from our state,” Hunt said of Roberson. “He feels like he’s been starting forever, showed his chops early on. Kid just makes plays.”
Penn State is looking for the signatures of two unsigned three-star pledges: defensive tackle Joseph Darkwa (6-5, 272) of Dusseldorf, Germany, and defensive end Smith Vilbert (6-6, 245) of Montvale, N.J.
Darkwa possesses the requisite athleticism, but the U.S. college football stage will be the ultimate test.
“Great frame, explosive,” Hunt said. “Obviously in the United States, it’s a different animal. It will be interesting to see how he acclimates to the game and the rigors of Power 5 football, no easy feat playing at a school like Penn State.”
West Virginia
Brown kept all 17 of the recruits signed by former coach Dana Holgorsen before he bolted for Houston.
“Not one kid decided he wanted out … which is pretty unheard of,” 247Sports recruiting analyst Chris Anderson said.
The big catch is quarterback transfer Austin Kendall, who comes from Oklahoma with two years of eligibility.
The prep class is ranked only 52nd but could enjoy a dramatic leap if Huntington (W. Va.) High School five-star offensive lineman Darnell Wright chooses the Mountaineers. Wright is the No. 1 offensive lineman in the country, 16th overall. He is said to be leaning toward Tennessee.
Anderson said high school coaches in West Virginia said the Holgorsen and Brown staffs are as different as “night and day” in their approach to recruiting.
“(Brown) is just putting more effort into it,” he said.
“In the first two weeks Brown had the job, Wright met with and talked with more (WVU) coaches than in the previous two years.
“West Virginia will finish second in that race, but a month ago they weren’t even in top seven.”
Jerry DiPaola is a Tribune-Review staff writer. You can contact Jerry at jdipaola@tribweb.com or via Twitter @JDiPaola_Trib.
