Mann picked Pitt because of 'pretty much everything'

There wasn’t just one reason Bradley Mann committed to Pitt.

Rather, the Jacksonville (Fla.) Bolles School lineman committed for all of the reasons.

“It was pretty much everything,” Mann told Panther-Lair.com after he announced his commitment Sunday night. “The coaches are great - Coach ‘Duzz, Coach Salem, Coach Borbs, Coach Partridge - they’re all great people. I also loved the city. It’s a great place, a place where I could see myself.”

Mann committed to Pitt over offers from Indiana, Kansas, Louisville, Maryland, Virginia Tech and Wake Forest, among others, and his final decision came down to Pitt, Louisville and Indiana. He took official visits to Pitt and Louisville and visited Indiana unofficially, but his trip to Pittsburgh three weeks ago sold him on the Panthers.

“They offered me two days before the visit but I had been talking to them for a little while so I was pretty interested in them,” Mann said. “Then I went on my visit and I really, really liked it. I didn’t want to commit on the visit, but I really liked what I saw.

“Hanging out with the coaches and the players, they seem like people I can be around every day. The facilities are very, very nice, and it’s super sweet to be with the Steelers every day. It’s really just great.”

Mann’s visit was a Sunday-Tuesday trip, which is unique, as Pitt typically has recruits take official visits on weekends. But he was still able to get the full official visit experience, including a tour of campus led by tight ends coach Tim Salem, who recruits his area.

“I was with Coach Salem most of the time,” Mann said. "Him and Karlo (Zovko) gave us the tour.

“I didn’t really understand it, but when I was hanging out with the players, they were all calling him Turbo; I figured it out after our tour because he’s always on his grind. He’s a great coach.

“Really, they’re all great people. Coach Partridge wasn’t there as much on my visit because he was at a camp, but I was with Coach Borbs a lot and he’s a great guy. He’s a legend and he’s been doing this for awhile. He’s a great coach.”

Defensive line coach Charlie Partridge and offensive line coach Dave Borbely are relevant to Mann’s recruitment, since he could play offensive tackle or defensive end in college.

“Right now I’m getting recruited as a big athlete for offense or defense,” Mann said. “Originally it was just offensive tackle, but I went to a Florida big man camp as a defensive end and played really well - I won all my one-on-ones - and when I talked to them after that, they said they wanted to recruit me as an athlete.

“I don’t have a preference. As long as I’m playing football, I’m a happy guy.”

At 6’6” and 255 pounds - a significant weight gain from last fall, when he was 220 - Mann has the frame and size to play on either side of the ball. For now, all that matters to him is what team he’ll be playing for.

“Pitt’s definitely the place I belong at.”