Damar Hamlin to Pitt: Panthers Land 4-Star CB Prospect

Pennsylvania cornerback Damar Hamlin has decided to make Pitt his home for the next four years after giving the Panthers his commitment. 

Sam Werner of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette reported Hamlin's pledge to attend the university on Monday. He chose the Panthers over the Ohio State Buckeyes and Penn State Nittany Lions, per Tim May of the Columbus Dispatch.

Hamlin is one of the most intriguing defensive backs in this year's recruiting class. He's highly regarded, rated as a 4-star prospect and the No. 14 overall cornerback by 247Sports' composite rankings, but that's just where the excitement begins. 

Size and length are two key assets for a defensive back in football today because wide receivers are bigger and faster than ever before. Hamlin has great measurables at 6'1" with a 175-pound frame, giving him the potential to disrupt plays even when it appears he's been beaten. 

With all the pressure on his shoulders in 2015 as such a high-profile recruit, Hamlin was terrific enough to earn a spot on the MaxPreps All-American Team, and Bruce Feldman of Fox Sports threw high praise his way:

Past performance can say something about where a player is going, but recruits also need to show potential. Hamlin boasts as much of that as any cornerback in the 2016 recruiting class, as noted by ESPN.com's Recruiting Nation scouting report:

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Hamlin may be a guy that rises into an upper-echelon corner in this class. He has size, hips, savvy and athleticism as well scheme and coverage versatility. Very good prospect with a high ceiling. ... Hamlin has good length for a corner with room to fill out frame and add bulk. For a taller corner is able to transition well enough to turn and run with receiver without having to waste a lot of motion and regain balance when having to make a 180-degree turn.

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Adding muscle is not a concern at this stage of Hamlin's development. He's going to have plenty of time working with head coach Pat Narduzzi and a tremendous staff to get there. 

Home-field advantage seemed to work for Narduzzi, as the Pittsburgh native elected to stay close to home. The Panthers' 2016 class is holding steady with a solid ranking of fifth in the ACC and 34th overall, per 247Sports. 

Pitt has struggled breaking away from the middle of the pack in the ACC, winning an average of seven games during its three seasons in the conference. Recruiting has become more difficult in the conference with Florida State, Clemson and Miami with new coach Mark Richt. 

However, the eight games Narduzzi won in his first season in 2015 were the most for the team since the 2010 season. If he can develop all of this high-end talent being compiled, the Panthers will be a dangerous team soon.