Allen Bryant made a decision to commit to Pitt based on relationships. The 6’1” three-star cornerback out of Florida was offered by the Panthers a month ago, but he quickly forged a bond with the coaches and it was only enhanced over the course of his weekend official visit.
“From the moment I got here, me and Coach Sanders just hit it off,” Bryant told Panther-Lair.com after he committed to Pitt. “The way he explained the game plan and my fit into the system, yesterday we went over film for a good 45 minutes and he put me on the board and seeing what I remembered and seeing if I have good football IQ. The way their scheme is, I just love the way they allow their secondary to make plays.”
Bryant made his decision official when he sat down with Pitt head coach Pat Narduzzi at the end of his visit.
“He was jumping up and down,” Bryant said of Narduzzi’s reaction. “We had a little talk about how I enjoyed my visit and then I just told him I was thinking about it and then we made it official.”
The comfort level with Pitt extended beyond the coaches. He enjoyed his time spent in Oakland with his player host PJ O’Brien, he got to see the Cathedral of Learning, and perhaps the highlight was visiting the Southside practice facility.
“My goal is to get to the NFL and play on Sundays and for them to be right there, like when I first got there we went to a Steelers practice,” he explained.
He sees a path to the NFL not because it is right next door, but also because of the success of Pitt sending defensive backs to the NFL in recent years. The Panthers have had a defensive back drafted four straight years.
“I think it has a lot to do with them allowing their DBs to make plays and you’re not a robot, like if your one assignment isn’t working you’re just playing football,” he said of Pitt’s defensive approach. “They allow you to be a football player and I think that has a lot to do with why they send a lot of guys to the NFL.”
Bryant chose Pitt over other notable offers from Cincinnati, Louisville, Virginia, and West Virginia. He had plans to visit Cincinnati and Louisville later this month, but those are off the table now.
“I’m all-in on Pitt,” said Bryant.