Pitt lands commitments from 3 more 2025 prospects, including 2 defensive backs, elevating its 21-man class to No. 26 in the nation
Operating under the Pat Narduzzi dictum that Pitt never can have too many defensive backs, the Panthers added two more to their Class of 2025 on Monday — bringing the current total to four — after 3-star prospects Joshua Guerrier of Ocoee, Fla., and Cole Woodson of Haymaker Va., pledged to enroll next year.
110% committed???????????????????? #AGTG #H2P @JeremyO_Johnson @CoachDrico @JohnGarcia_Jr @SWiltfong247 @adamgorney @Andrew_Ivins @samspiegs @On3sports @Rivals @247Sports @RyanWrightRNG @CoachBuckGurley @CoachDuzzPittFB pic.twitter.com/rVwepSyRbJ
— Joshua Guerrier (@xertifiedjosh) July 1, 2024
100% Committed! @CoachDuzzPittFB @HartleyFootball @Coach_Manalac pic.twitter.com/6Y5IlSlBYt
— Denim Cook (@denimcook8) July 1, 2024
BLESSED, PITTSBURGH LETS WORKKK!#H2P #AGTG pic.twitter.com/hiSMclfU4P
— Cole Woodson (@ColeWoodson2) July 1, 2024
Woodson’s commitment at 7 p.m. brought to 21 the number of ’25 prospects who told Narduzzi they will sign letters of intent in December. That includes defensive end/outside linebacker Denim Cook, a rising senior at Bishop Hartley High School in Columbus, Ohio.
Those three commitments in one day elevated Pitt’s class to top-30 status in the nation (No. 26), according to Rivals.com. Pitt finished the 2024 signing period ranked 37th in the nation.
Guerrier (5-foot-11, 173 pounds) likely will play cornerback or safety in college, but he is classified by Rivals as an athlete, 23rd in the nation in that category. Rivals ranks him as the 73rd overall prospect in Florida.
He chose Pitt over scholarship offers from 19 schools, including Iowa, Iowa State, USF, Boston College, Cincinnati, Illinois, Kentucky, Louisville, Tennessee, Wake Forest and Wisconsin.
Woodson (6-0, 190) returned three interceptions for touchdowns at Battlefield High School last season. He has 13 scholarship offers, including West Virginia, Wake Forest, Virginia Tech, Virginia, Syracuse, Minnesota and Duke. He is ranked the No. 37 overall prospect among Virginia high school seniors.
Guerrier and Woodson join Pitt defensive back verbal commits Elijah Dotson of Detroit and four-star Mason Alexander of Fishers, Ind. Pitt has 19 3-star commits in its class. Alexander and unranked offensive lineman Akram Elnagmi are the exceptions.
Cook (6-4, 245) has offers from 10 of the 12 Mid-American Conference schools, plus Louisville, Virginia and Indiana.
During his junior season last year, he recorded 116 tackles, including 22 TFLs, 15 sacks and 17 quarterback hurries.
Jerry DiPaola is a TribLive reporter covering Pitt athletics since 2011. A Pittsburgh native, he joined the Trib in 1993, first as a copy editor and page designer in the sports department and later as the Pittsburgh Steelers reporter from 1994-2004. He can be reached at jdipaola@triblive.com.
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