Kinsler: 'I picked the right school'

Tony Kinsler committed to Pitt back in May and he did so without ever seeing the campus. The 5-foot-11 and 165-pound running back out of Port Orange (Fla) felt comfortable enough with the coaching staff to make that call, but he still needed to see Pittsburgh for himself.

Kinsler made the journey to his next home over the weekend for an official visit and it helped confirm what he already knew, that Pitt was the right choice for him.

“It was great,” Kinsler told Panther-Lair.com about his official visit. “It was just what I expected. The coaching staff, it felt like family and they welcomed me with open arms. They welcomed my family with open arms and I just felt good about the whole visit.”

Kinsler made his decision largely on the relationships he had built with the coaching staff. On the official visit, however, he got to see more of what Pitt had to offer him.

“The city is great, the people were great, the facilities are super dope,” Kinsler said after seeing the campus. “It’s just a great city.”

The official visit weekend was a successful one for Pitt. As of Saturday afternoon, five players joined the 2025 recruiting class. Most official visitors get to meet with Pitt head coach Pat Narduzzi at the end of weekend and that’s when recruits normally make their decision. Kinsler also got that sit-down with his future head coach, even though he already committed.

“It was great,” Kinsler said of his conversation with Narduzzi. “He’s such a family-oriented type of guy. It was nice talking to him, super cool guy, super chill guy.”

Kinsler’s player host for the weekend was freshman safety Jesse Anderson, another Florida native. The weekend was also about spending time with the other recruits on campus. Kinsler said a close bond is forming with his future teammates.

“Some of us, we’re already in a group chat, just super cool guys,” he said of the connection built with the fellow recruits on the official visit. “We got close with each other, we hung out some, played some pool and what not. It was good.”

Kinsler is excited to get to Pitt and is happy the recruiting process is over for him. He is looking to build upon a strong junior season where he went for over 1,300 all-purpose yards and scored 17 touchdowns for Spruce Creek High School.

“Working, grinding, that’s all really,” Kinsler said of what is next for him. "I’m committed man, and I’m stress relieved and I picked the right school.”