Had to take the weekend away from the computer. Saturday was my son’s 5th birthday. A house with a dozen or so kids his age running about for the afternoon led to a night of necessary drinking and silence. Sunday was more family time. So glad the kids are in school today.
While of the grid, Pitt got another commitment. Another relatively unknown, unheralded and unranked commit (mostly, 24/7 has 3-stars for him), but a verbal nonetheless. Future Pitt DE Shakir Soto from GAR (not to be confused with GWAR) Memorial High, verballed over the weekend.
“It was his third time he’d been out there,” GAR coach Paul Wiedlich Jr. said. “He was pretty fired up about them. He kind of knew he was going to commit to them. He just wanted to do it in person because they’ve treated him so well.
“Now he can focus on playing football and enjoying the rest of his junior year.”
Soto was named to the Pennsylvania Sports Writers Class 2A all-state team, Wyoming Valley Conference Coaches Association Small School all-star team and The Times Leader All-WVC team. He made a team-high 114 tackles and nine sacks. He also returned an interception for a touchdown and blocked a punt.
Soto also started on the offensive line for the Grenadiers, but has been recruited as a defensive end.
“First of all, they are getting a great student,” Wiedlich Jr. said. “He’s in the top 20 of his class. As far as a person, the kid has a tremendous work ethic that just transfers to the field.”
Because Soto plays at a relatively small school, it factored into not being noticed until recently.
Soto began getting noticed in February, when he scored well at a camp (Insider subs).
Soto was one of the top performers at the Philadelphia Nike Combine in February when he posted an electronically-timed 4.92 40-yard dash, 4.47 20-yard shuttle, 31.4-inch vertical and 84.69 SPARQ.
I have no idea what those numbers actually mean, but they look good.
In no small part, because of his relative anonymity, the recruiting sites have him listed at 6-3 or 6-4 and put his weight from 229 to 238.
The offers for Soto seemed to have been increasing. He had offers from rebuilding, sliding and freefalling ACC programs (Virginia, BC and Maryland). Rutgers and Penn State had been showing interest, but had not actually offered.
Here’s some highlights of Soto from this past season.
I’m hoping that PC and his staff are so on top of things, that they are a step ahead of others, and picking fruit before it is completely “ripe”
will give him the time to see how it works out
but if this were dave takeing NRs we would be pissed we would want to know what the hell he was doeing.
but after 2 years of this type of player if they dont shine dont make us better
you know we will be asking for his head
I say give him his time lets us not bitch but i have to say it is hard for me to keep the fath
i was so used to dave bringing in highley rated players but i will bite my lip and give him time.
but it is hard when penn state has six 4 stars
and ohio state eight 4 stars
i hate to see penn state beat us in anything.
even recruting.
2007
PITT 3.38
BAMA 3.08
2008
BAMA 3.66
PITT 3.37
2009
BAMA 3.67
PITT 3.10
2010
BAMA 3.38
PITT 3.21
“Those would make up the majority of the players that played in last year’s NC for BAMA
Does anyone actually think were that close to BAMA in talent? That is why I look at the star system w/ a grain of salt.”
You’ve seen the comparisons between PITT and Wisconsin’s players also. In both cases PITT fell far short even with good recruiting… to say nothing of every other BE team other than us winning the conference yet not recruiting as well.
Not to start any Tino talk but…I just watched the spring game online. Tino was horrible…actually he was himself. I hope Chryst has both Tino and Myers ready to go come fall because Tino is not going to cut it. He better recruit another QB besides Voytik.
Pitt doesn’t go after very many recruits from small schools in NEPA, and the ones they have gotten have flamed out early. I’ll be rooting for this kid to do well, but I honestly don’t expect much out of the kids that play single A.
He has the size for sure and is a two way player…that is what you look for at that level.
He is a good football player.