Pitt's recruiting efforts in the Hampton Roads area of Virginia have produced strong results.
But, this time, the Panthers were no match for the defending national champions.
Naquan Brown, an outside linebacker/defensive end from Ocean Lakes High School in Virginia Beach, Va., committed to LSU on Wednesday, choosing the Tigers over Pitt, Virginia Tech, Penn State, Miami and Tennessee.
Brown (6-foot-3, 200 pounds) is a coveted pass-rushing prospect who could play outside linebacker or defensive end at the next level. Rivals likes him at outside linebacker, giving him a four-star rating and ranking him the No. 5 player in Virginia, No. 6 nationally at his position and No. 133 overall.
As a junior at Ocean Lakes, Brown finished with 70 tackles and 12 sacks. Ocean Lakes is coached by Joe Jones, who played at Virginia Tech, and was a member of several NFL practice squads before spending time with the Colts in 1987. A year later, Jones spent two months with the Pittsburgh Gladiators of the Arena Football League.
Brown's high school teammate, three-star receiver Myles Alston (6-2, 175), committed to Pitt in April.
Though Brown went a different direction, Pitt is getting noticed in the talent-rich Hampton Roads area, where receivers coach Chris Beatty concentrates his efforts. Alston, running backs Malik Newton and Rodney Hammond and linebacker Trevion Stevenson are part of the recruiting class.
Pitt's sizable recruiting class is ranked No. 21 nationally by Rivals despite having just one four-star prospect in West Mifflin defensive end Nahki Johnson. On Tuesday, Utah tight end Trey Andersen committed to Pitt.
PITT'S 2021 COMMITMENTS
(Rankings by rivals.com, list in order of most recent)
TE Trey Andersen, Lehi, Utah, (6-6, 250), 2 stars
LB Derrveron Maxwell-Black, St. Petersburg, Fla., (6-0, 210), 3 stars
DB Khalil Anderson, Atlanta, (5-11, 175), 3 stars
DB Stephon Hall, Central Valley High School, Monaca, (6-2, 165), 2 stars
DB Noah Biglow, Seffner, Fla., (6-0 170), 3 stars
RB Malik Newton, Norfolk, Va., (5-11, 215), 3 stars
LB Preston Lavant, Cordele, Ga., (6-2, 200), 3 stars
OL Brandon Honorable, Detroit, (6-6, 270), 3 stars
OL Terrence Enos, Detroit, (6-5, 314), 3 stars
OL Marco Fugar, Fort Lauderdale, Fla, (6-3, 275), 2 stars
QB Nate Yarnell, Austin, Texas, (6-6, 200), 3 stars
WR Myles Alston, Virginia Beach, Va., (6-2, 175) 3 stars
WR Jaden Bradley, Hyattsville, Md., (6-4, 190), 3 stars
OL Terrence Rankl, Massillon, Ohio, (6-5, 275), 3 stars
LB Trevion Stevenson, Hampton, Va., (6-5, 217), 2 stars
DB Javon McIntyre, Philadelphia, (6-1, 181), 3 stars
RB Rodney Hammond, Norfolk, Va., (5-10, 185), 3 stars
DE Nahki Johnson, West Mifflin, (6-3, 210) 4 stars
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