Alston found the right fit at Pitt

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Myles Alston took three visits to Pitt before he committed to the Panthers last Wednesday.

There was an unofficial visit during spring camp last year. There was a trip to Heinz Field for the game against Miami last season. And there was another visit this past January. But the three-star receiver from Virginia Beach (Va.) Ocean Lakes didn’t need that trio of visits.

In fact, one might have been enough.

“I’ve known since last September that I wanted to go to Pitt,” Alston told Panther-Lair.com after announcing his commitment Monday night (he called the Pitt coaches to commit last week but didn’t make his public announcement until Monday.

“I had only been up there once before that but my relationship with Coach (Chris) Beatty was long before that. I first met him when I was a freshman in high school and he was coaching at Maryland, so that was when I was, like, 14 years old. We have a great relationship, I trust him and I knew I wanted to play for him.

“So I’ve known for awhile, but I was 16 years old and that’s a big decision to make, so I wanted to make sure my feelings wouldn’t change. I wanted to make sure it was permanent. I prayed on it and every day I woke up, I still wanted to go to Pitt.”

Beatty joined Pitt’s staff as receivers coach last year and made an immediate impact when he got a big group of top prospects from Virginia to visit the Panthers during spring camp. Last fall, Beatty's efforts started producing commitments when Pitt landed Norfolk (Va.) Booker T. Washington running back Rodney Hammond as the second commitment in the class. Then, last Wednesday’s commitment run started with Hampton (Va.) Phoebus defensive end Trevion Stevenson, making Alston the third Virginia recruit to join Pitt’s 2021 class.

“We’re from the same city, so we each know where we’re coming from,” Alston said of Beatty. “It’s just a different vibe with him. I talk to him about more than football and we really talk a lot. He always kept it real with me and I respected that. I really respect him.”

Alston chose Pitt over offers from Maryland, Ole Miss, North Carolina, South Carolina, Virginia, Virginia Tech and a host of FBS programs outside the Power Five conferences. But his relationship with Beatty and his comfort level when visiting made the Panthers the pick.

“I’ve been up there a few times and my family has as well, and then with my relationship with Coach Beatty and Coach (Pat) Narduzzi and my family’s relationship with them, it just felt right,” he said. “My family was 100% behind me, so I knew it was the right place for me.

“I like the campus a lot. It’s like a city in the city and there’s a lot to do on campus. It’s not in the middle of nowhere. I can see myself there as a student even without football, and that was a big part in my decision.”

So, on Wednesday night, Alston made the call. He was actually the third recruit to commit to Pitt that evening, following Stevenson and Hyattsville (Md.) DeMatha receiver Jaden Bradley. But Alston didn’t realize he was part of a commit parade.

“I didn’t know about the other commitments until I got on the phone with Coach ‘Duzz,” Alston said. “But I was talking to my family and I was like, ‘We won’t be able to visit any other schools so I might as well not waste any more time; might as well commit now.’

“They didn’t believe me that I would do it, so I called Coach Beatty and said, ‘I’m ready.’ He was excited. He said he was going to do cartwheels around the house. Coach ‘Duzz was really excited, too. It was his birthday so he said I gave him a nice birthday present.”

At 6’1” and 185 pounds, Alston is different from Bradley, Pitt’s other receiver commitment in the 2021 class and taller prospect at 6’4”. Alston believes his skill set is unique as well.

“I think I bring a lot of versatility,” he said. “Coach Beatty wants me in the slot initially but he also wants me to know the other two outside spots. I think you get the ball in my hands and I’ll do what I do.

“I can do all of it; just let me make plays.”

With Alston on board, Pitt has seven commitments in the class of 2021. In addition to Alston, Bradley, Hammond and Stevenson, the Panthers also have commitments from Massillon (Oh.) Washington offensive lineman Terrence Rankl, Imhotep safety Javon McIntyre and West Mifflin defensive end Nahki Johnson. As of Monday night, that class was ranked No. 28 nationally by Rivals.com.