Signed: Javon McIntyre

Javon McIntyre was a relatively early commitment for Pitt, picking the Panthers in January after a visit that included a trip to the Petersen Events Center to watch the Pitt men’s basketball team.

That visit impressed McIntyre, but his decision to pick Pitt was just as motivated by his relationship with safeties coach Cory Sanders, who is the area recruiter for southeastern Pa. and McIntyre’s future position coach.

“He sold me on Pitt with the players he has right now, No. 12 and No. 3, Paris Ford and Damar Hamlin,” McIntyre told Panther-Lair.com after he committed. “The two safeties are big-time players and they could have went to the league, but they came back because they trusted him as a coach.”

McIntyre didn’t get a chance to play his senior season this fall after the Philadelphia Public League delayed all sports until Jan. 1, but when he was a junior in 2019, he recorded 53 tackles, six tackles for loss and a fumble recovery that he returned for a touchdown.