Local 2018 prospect Jake Kradel visits Pitt
2018 Butler (Pa.) two-way lineman Jake Kradel was down at Pitt's campus on Saturday for their game against Penn State and came away with a positive experience.
Pitt has always turned to local prospects in the western Pennsylvania area – and the Keystone State as a whole – to fill out the majority of their roster and that hasn’t changed under head coach Pat Narduzzi. 2018 Butler (Pa.) offensive and defensive lineman Jake Kradel is firmly entrenched on the radar as one of the next round of prospects in line for Pitt offer and he made his way to campus on Saturday.
“I've been to about 20 Pitt games, and that is by far the best one yet. The atmosphere was electric, and the defense stepped up to finish the game,” Kradel said. “That was a huge win for the program. It really solidifies Pitt's in-state dominance and how they’re an up-and-coming team. I could picture myself in those colors.”
Kradel hasn’t been offered by Pitt yet, but he is beginning to build relationships with the Pitt coaching staff as they evaluate the local junior class – particularly Tim Salem.
“I got a chance to talk to Coach Salem for a bit while I was there. My recruiting process has just started and today was just a game visit, although I am looking forward to hearing from the coaching staff moving forward,” Kradel explained.
Syracuse was the first school to offer Kradel, and Northwestern, Penn State, and West Virginia are among the other teams evaluating the Butler standout. He could likely play on either side of the line at the college level, although offensive line seems slightly more likely for the 6-foot-4, 270-pound prospect.
“It would mean a lot [to get an offer from Pitt] considering I'm a hometown prospect and my dad is a season ticket holder. I'm confident good things will come,” Kradel said. “I like to just let my play do all the talking. No positions have been discussed at this point, I am flexible, I just want to get a chance to compete for time on the field”
Stay tuned to Panther-Lair.com for continued updates on Kradel and his recruitment, as well as updates from the entire weekend of Pitt recruiting and their big victory.