The process that brought 21 letters of intent onto Pat Narduzzi’s computer via DocuSign on Wednesday morning — “I think the fax machine is officially dead,” he said — gained intensity in the spring while Pitt’s coaches were quarantined by covid-19.

“We were obsessed with recruiting,” Narduzzi said, noting his coaches worked 12-hour days with nothing else to do. “We didn’t have our players.”

And, thanks to covid, the process hasn’t ended.

None of the 21 prospects took official visits to the Pitt campus. Five of them visited unofficially at their parents’ expense when NCAA rules did not permit them to meet with anyone.

“No official visits. That’s a wild thing to contemplate and consider,” defensive line coach Charlie Partridge said. “Their official visits were via Zoom, whatever that means.

“It’s hard to get someone to commit to somewhere without ever having seen it. Pittsburgh is a special place. It’s hard to create that via Zoom. I’ve had enough of Zoom.”

Narduzzi said he personally will be his new players’ tour guide when they arrive.

“To me, this recruiting process is going to go on and on until they get here,” Pitt’s coach said.

The immediate result is a recruiting class that is ranked 21st in the nation by Rivals.com — Pitt’s highest ranking since 2006. Penn State, a Pitt rival only in recruiting these days, signed a 15-man class that is ranked 28th by Rivals.

Narduzzi was most proud of securing five of the top 25 players in Pennsylvania, according to the Rivals rankings. Penn State signed three.

Overall, Pitt signed six Pennsylvania players after getting only one last year. The group is led by two four-stars: Central Catholic defensive tackle Elliot Donald and West Mifflin defensive end Nahki Johnson. The other four-star on Pitt’s list is defensive end Naquan Brown of Virginia Beach, Va., who originally was committed to LSU.

The class had a distinct lean toward defense, especially among top-rated players. Joining Donald and Johnson is Baldwin defensive tackle Dorien Ford (6-foot-4, 300 pounds).

Partridge said the inability to travel during the recruiting cycle might have worked in Pitt’s favor because 2020 was one of the best years for local talent.

“It is going to create some more regional recruiting, and, thankfully, we had some great prospects within the region,” he said. “It played into our favor that way.”

Narduzzi won’t know for sure about this class for another year or two, but he made an interesting discovery while talking to his recruits Wednesday morning.

“If I talked to 21 guys, probably 17 of them had no shirt on,” he said. “Good-lookin’ dudes. I can tell you that.”

Nine members of the class were academically inclined enough to graduate early from high school. They will enroll in January, a record number for Pitt.

They are Johnson, quarterback Nate Yarnell, running back Malik Newton, wide receiver Myles Alston, tight ends Gavin Bartholomew and Jake Renda and offensive linemen Terrence Enos, Terrence Rankl and Trey Andersen.

Narduzzi said the two tight ends are the best he has signed for that position in his six years at Pitt.

Newton, a big back at 5-11, 215, is one of four Virginia players joining the team, all of them among the top 19 players in the state, according to Rivals.

“It’s going to be a different style,” Narduzzi said.

He compared Newton’s style to four other backs he has been around in his career: Darrin Hall, Qadree Ollison, James Conner and Le’Veon Bell.

“This is a big guy who ran for over 5,000 yards,” he said.

Narduzzi said he’s not concerned with rankings, even if it sheds Pitt’s class in a favorable light.

“This class I don’t feel any different about than my last class or my first class,” he said. “Guys who want to graduate and want to play football.”

The rest is up to Narduzzi and his staff and the players.

But Partridge allowed himself a moment to feel good about all those defensive ends he will be coaching.

“I do feel like I won the Powerball,” he said. “The only difference is if I won the Powerball, I may or may not be standing here at this podium.”

Pitt’s recruits

Recruits who signed Wednesday:

Name, Previous school, Pos., Ht./Wt., Stars (Rivals)

• Myles Alston, Ocean Lakes (Va.), WR, 6-1/185, 3 stars

• Trey Andersen, Lehi (Utah), OL, 6-6/255, 0 stars

• Khalil Anderson, Rivervwood (Ga.), DB, 5-11/170, 3 stars

• Gavin Bartholomew, Blue Mountain, TE, 6-4/255, 3 stars

• Noah Biglow, Armwood (Fla.), DB, 5-11/170, 3 stars

• Jaden Bradley, DeMatha Catholic (Md.), WR, 6-3/190, 3 stars

• Naquan Brown, Ocean Lakes (Va.), DL, 6-3/205, 4 stars

• Tamarion Crumpley, Winton Woods (Ohio), DB, 6-1/185, 3 stars

• Elliot Donald, Central Catholic, DL, 6-2/255, 4 stars

• Terrence Enos, Cass Technical (Mich.), OL, 6-4/320, 3 stars

• Dorien Ford, Baldwin, DL, 6-4/285, 3 stars

• Kyle Fugedi, Franklin (Mich.), OL, 6-6/270, 3 stars

• Stephon Hall, Central Valley, DB, 6-1/170, 3 stars

• Rodney Hammond, Booker T. Washington (Va.), RB, 5-9/175, 3 stars

• Nahki Johnson, West Mifflin, DL, 6-2/215, 4 stars

• Preston Lavant, Crisp County (Ga.), LB, 6-2/200, 3 stars

• Javon McIntyre, Imhotep Charter, DB, 6-0/190, 3 stars

• Malik Newton, Lake Taylor (Va.), RB, 5-11/225, 3 stars

• Terrence Rankl, Massillon Washington (Ohio), OL, 6-4/275, 3 stars

• Jake Renda, IMG Academy (Fla.), TE, 6-4/225, 3 stars

• Nate Yarnell, Lake Travis (Texas), QB, 6-6/190, 3 stars

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