More on Pittman commitment

This is Denny Schwarze in for Joe. As I mentioned earlier, Canton (Ohio) McKinley H.S. defensive end Se'Von Pittman gave a verbal commitment for Michigan State earlier today. Pittman, who is ranked the 61st-best prospect in the country for 2012 by Rivals, becomes the sixth member of the 2012 MSU recruiting class. I'm also in Northern Virginia as I write this, and both Pittman and Rory McIlroy made my choice to not attend today's final round of the US Open a good one.

I spoke with McKinley coach Ron Johnson earlier this afteroon and he explained that MSU's stable situation and solid coaching staff (led by Mark Dantonio) was key in Pittman's commitment. It was almost exactly what Lima Catholic Central coach Jerry Cooper said when I talked to him about Tyler O'Connor's commitment to the Spartans. When I asked Johnson about some of Pittman's strengths, he mentioned how athletic and versatile Pittman is and that he could feasibly play three different positions on the defensive side of the ball if needed. He looks very comparable to Lawrence Thomas in terms of size and when looking at the tape on each. I would say Thomas has a little better closing speed, but both players pursue the play well. I'd also say that defensive end is a safe bet for Pittman.

It was widely discussed by many in the recruiting circles that Ohio State would be the team to beat for Pittman's services because of Steve Miller, who teamed with Pittman on the defensive line at McKinley last year and was an Under Armour All-American before signing with Ohio State. But Johnson explained that Pittman wanted to "be different". So often with highly-touted prospects from Ohio, the kids talk about "being different" or "keeping an open mind" before ultimately and not surprisingly ending up with the Buckeyes. It's a little refreshing to see a kid like Pittman actually go through with it. Two factors to consider with that. First, Ohio State football is sitting on a tee waiting for the NCAA's infraction hearings and eventual rulings/discipline. Second, Canton McKinley has produced Spartans in the past. Percy Snow went there, as did former men's basketball players Eric Snow and Raymar Morgan.

I know several people are a little annoyed with constant comparisons to Michigan and seeing how MSU's recruiting class stacks up with Michigan's. I get that argument. Results on the field matter first and foremost and it's impossible to tell how each class stacks up when it's essentially a guessing game to begin with and recruiting class sizes often fill at different rates and come in different sizes. But the good news for MSU fans is that after Michigan took several in-state recruits with MSU offers, the Spartans have scored one in Ohio with Pittman - who had a Michigan offer and had visited Ann Arbor. As I mentioned in the post before, more Ohio kids may be looking to play elsewhere and both MSU and Michigan will be in on a few. Interesting to see how it plays out when both Dantonio and Michigan coach Brady Hoke have connections in that state.

Lastly, Happy Fathers Day to all the dads out there.