A.J. Davis to Pittsburgh: Panthers Land 3-Star RB Prospect

One of the class of 2017's top running back recruits made his collegiate decision Wednesday, as A.J. Davis committed to play for Pittsburgh.

Jerry DiPaola of Trib Total Media shared the Pitt staff's reaction when Davis announced his decision on ESPN: 

According to Scout.com, Davis rates as a 3-star prospect and is the 28th-ranked running back overall and the No. 3 running back from the state of Florida.

The Lakeland native has bulked up to 6'0" and 205 pounds, but his speed and athleticism set him apart from most of his peers and were paramount in the interest he generated among top-flight college football programs.

Per Scout.com, several elite schools offered Davis a scholarship, including Florida, Florida State, Clemson, Auburn, Ohio State, LSU, Oklahoma and Texas.

When asked about the recruiting process in July 2015 following a visit to Florida for the Friday Night Lights event, Davis seemed to indicate the Gators made a great impression in the early going, according to Andrew Spivey of Gator Country:

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It was good, I wanted to get better as a player during the event. I also wanted to get a chance to meet the coaches more and get to know them better. I like it up here, they're a good team and program. I see myself up here but right now I’m just waiting until September 1st when they can call me and communicate with me more.

"

It's easy to see why Florida and so many other great programs pursued Davis in such a big way. As evidenced by this Vine courtesy of Rivals' Rob Cassidy, the multitalented back has great vision to go along with his dynamic playmaking ability:

Running backs seem capable of transitioning to the college game more quickly than almost any other position, as freshman backs often play big roles on winning teams. Davis has a chance to do that in 2017, although he won't feel a great deal of pressure to be the bell-cow back from the outset.

Even if Davis is eased in initially, he is a home run threat every time he touches the ball, which should make him one of the top skill-position freshmen to watch in his debut season.

While Pitt went just 8-5 in 2016, it was a special season thanks to victories over both Clemson and Penn State. The offense fired on all cylinders, but a rebuild is on the horizon.

Offensive coordinator Matt Canada, quarterback Nathan Peterman and running back James Conner are all gone, but Davis represents a step in the right direction in terms of replacing that lost talent. He should have some opportunities to contribute early in his career.

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