Biggest gets in 2015: Mid-Atlantic
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An argument could be made that no freshman could see as much playing time as
Whitehead at Pittsburgh. To say Pittsburgh's pass defense last season was not
good is an understatement and the Panthers had a glaring need at cornerback,
making the commitment of Whitehead even bigger.
The Monaca (Pa.) Central Valley star committed to the Panthers before Paul Chryst left for Wisconsin. There was some talk that
West Virginia could have
gotten into the mix, but new Pittsburgh coach Pat Narduzzi was able to keep
Whitehead in the fold.
Narduzzi was known for having stellar defenses while the defensive coordinator
at Michigan State and he is hoping to bring the same type of magic to
Pittsburgh. Whitehead will be a great weapon for him because he can take
the offense's top receiver out of the game or lock down one side of the field.
3
DE
North Potomac (Md.) Quince Orchard
McLean will certainly help Maryland's defensive line improve.
Randy Edsall is
continuing to focus on bringing in big linemen that can be effective in the Big
Ten. The Rivals250 defender tore his ACL toward the end of last season, but
expect him to be a difference-maker for the Terps once he is healthy.
The importance of McLean's commitment to Maryland extends far beyond the field.
The North Potomac (Md.) Quince Orchard star is well connected with nearly
every one of Maryland's top prospects. McLean is working hard to recruit players
like Rivals100 quarterback Dwayne Haskins Jr., Tino Ellis,
Terrance Davis and many others.
4
QB
Jersey City (N.J.) St. Peter's Prep
Notre Dame fans were outraged when the Irish lost Rivals100 quarterback Blake Barnett
to Alabama. That made the commitment from Brandon Wimbush all the more
important. The Jersey City (N.J.) St. Peter's Prep signal-caller was the second
player in the 2015 cycle after Rivals250 linebacker Josh Barajas to flip to
Notre Dame from Penn State. Academic and scheme fit are two of the reasons Wimbush gave for the flip.
There are so many things Wimbush can do that make him a near perfect fit for
Brian Kelly's system. He has a canon for an arm, is very mobile, is very
accurate on nearly every throw and has a high football IQ. Once Everett Golson
leaves Notre Dame, Wimbush will have to compete with Malik Zaire, DeShone Kizer and a
few others for playing time. Barring injury, it is very likely Wimbush will
eventually start for the Fighting Irish in either his second or third year on
campus.
5
OL
Greenbelt (Md.) Eleanor Roosevelt
For many years Larry Johnson recruited the Washington D.C.-Maryland area very
well for Penn State and now he is doing the same at Ohio State as the
Buckeyes' defensive line coach. Prince was the
latest big-name to sign with Ohio State from Maryland thanks in part to
Johnson's efforts. There is a ton of
talent in the Washington D.C.-Maryland area in the next couple classes and
getting a player as well known as Prince could go a long way to helping the
Buckeyes get some of these other prospects.
The addition of Prince fills a need at the tackle position and it looks like the Rivals100 prospect
could be a major contributor down the line. After he adds some much needed lower
body strength, he could be a two-year starter for the Buckeyes.
Adam Friedman
Mid-Atlantic Recruiting Analyst
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