Ranking the Contenders: Derrick Davis
The recruiting process began early for Derrick Davis. The hometown Pittsburgh Panthers offered the linebacker out of Monroeville (Pa.) Gateway when he visited for a game during his freshman season and his recruitment was off and running. Penn State, Michigan, Clemson, Ohio State, Notre Dame, Florida and many others have offered, but Davis’ top contenders have pretty much remained the same for some time.
A Southern swing with stops at Clemson and Georgia before finishing up at Ohio State had to be canceled because of the pandemic and recruiting dead period, and a decision date for Davis could very well get pushed into the fall. As a result, Davis’ recruitment remains at a relative standstill until he can get back out on the road for visits.
Here's how his contenders stand.
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MORE RANKING THE CONTENDERS: Savion Byrd | Aaron Willis | Jaylen Davies | Cody Brown
THREE-POINT STANCE: Pac-12, RBs and commits
CLASS OF 2021 RANKINGS: Rivals250 | Position | Team | State
CLASS OF 2022: Top 100
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1. PENN STATE
The best thing Penn State has going for it in Davis’ recruitment is his relationship with assistant coach Terry Smith. Smith was the head coach at Gateway for 10 years and played there for his high school career before that. Smith maintains strong relationships in the area and the Davis family has built a strong bond with Smith over the years. Penn State has been one of the most frequent visit destinations for Davis, and many people believe he will eventually end up signing with the Big Ten program.
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2. OHIO STATE
The Buckeyes have been pushing to get Davis and they really like how he could fit in their defense. With the frame of an outside linebacker and the skill set of a safety, Davis is paying a lot of attention to how strength and conditioning programs will be able to develop him. Ohio State hosted Davis earlier this year, and he was expected to visit again for their spring game. Look for him to get back to Columbus before taking the next step in his recruitment.
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3. CLEMSON
It’s not often Clemson ventures this far north to recruit a prospect, but the Tigers really like what they see in Davis. The Tigers have a defensive system that is very intriguing to Davis and he’s been in touch with the coaching staff very often. Clemson safeties coach Mickey Conn has done a good job building a relationship with Davis and his family, so expect the Tigers to host Davis again at some point later this year.
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4. PITTSBURGH
Don’t make the mistake of thinking the Panthers are out of the running for Davis. Pat Narduzzi and his staff have made Davis feel like a priority and his relationships with local recruits and current Panthers players help keep Pittsburgh right in the thick of Davis’ recruitment. The opportunity for early playing time at Pitt is also attractive for Davis, but the Panthers will still need to pick up more momentum before taking over as the favorite to land his commitment. A summer visit to the nearby campus is expected once the recruiting dead period is lifted.
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5. MICHIGAN
Michigan makes this fifth spot, but it could easily have been Notre Dame slotted here. Don Brown’s defense is attractive to Davis and he sees how he could fit in, but getting him to schedule another trip to Ann Arbor needs to be a priority for the Wolverines if they hope to sign him. Notre Dame has been in touch with Davis a lot and is trying to get more of his attention, but it seems like most of his focus is elsewhere at this point.