By Bill Seals
Throughout the course of his recruitment, several P5 and G5 schools have lined up with offers for a big wide receiver in the Georgia high school ranks. But with the weeks winding down before the final signing day of the 2019 class, Iowa State and a pair of other programs are at the forefront.
Marietta Wheeler senior Jeremiah Pruitte says the Cyclones are at the top of his list for a number of factors, including the job his lead recruiter has done selling the program to him.
“There’s a lot of very positive things,” said Pruitte. “Iowa State leads everything right now and I’m kind of close to pulling the trigger with them. I talk to Coach (Bryan) Gasser about every other day and we have normal conversations.
“For a while now, Iowa State has been at the top of my head as far as decision making. I feel like that’s a place I could excel in early and contribute to the team. I like everything about the school. I’m planning to take an official visit this January.”
The 6-foot-6, 205-pound Pruitte has earned Power-5 offers throughout his recruitment from Indiana, ISU, Kansas, Louisville, Pittsburgh and Syracuse. Several other solid G5 programs have also extended offers.
Considered the 74th-ranked athlete nationally and 98th overall in the state of Georgia for the 2019 class, Pruitte had committed to Louisville in July before opening things back up following the departure of head coach Bobby Petrino.
For the talented three-star recruit with a 5.6 Rivals rating, there’s only one order of business left before his recruitment takes the next step and he can schedule a visit for what figures to be the weekend of January 18-20.
“This past semester, the grades have to finalize on the transcript and we go back to school on Monday,” Pruitte said. “When the grades finalize, I think they’ll be setting up my official visit. Coach Gasser has been down a couple times a couple times the last month checking on me and my grades.
“I checked with Coach Gasser (on Wednesday) to make sure things are up to date and my offer is still commit-able. The one thing he said to me was they need me to come play for them, so I would take that as a yes.”
In addition to the relationship he’s built with Gasser, Pruitte said a number of aspects of the Cyclones appeal to him.
“They’re top-25 in the country right now, which means the program is on the rise with a new head coach,” he said. “Their wide receivers have a lot similar skills as I do with my size and frame. Hakeem (Butler), Allen Lazard and a lot of the other wide receivers on the roster are 6-foot-4 and higher.
“Right now, I’m 6-foot-6 and 205 (pounds). Some receivers there are graduating and Hakeem has a chance to go to the league, which leaves opportunities for me to play as a freshman and compete. They also have a great schedule next year.”
Pruitte believes he’s a good fit to the mix of receivers in Ames and could factor into the offense’s plans in 2019.
“He explained to me, that with me coming in and competing and working really hard, I have a chance to play early,” the pass catcher said. “They like my size, speed and blocking ability on the perimeter, which is what their guys are asked to do.
“It excites me that they’re not one dimensional. They might have one formation that can run six plays out of. Whatever the case may be, they could run it left, run it right, hand it off inside or throw out of it. They switch it up. I can relate to that at my school. We run a lot of 50/50 balls, vertical routes and give the wide receivers a chance to make a play. Iowa State does that with its wide receivers.”
Depending on how things shake out with I-State, Pruitte said Colorado State and Syracuse could also become factors in the coming weeks. He’s in the process of scheduling an official visit to Colorado State, a stop that would come in the final weekend of the month.
Throughout the course of his recruitment, several P5 and G5 schools have lined up with offers for a big wide receiver in the Georgia high school ranks. But with the weeks winding down before the final signing day of the 2019 class, Iowa State and a pair of other programs are at the forefront.
Marietta Wheeler senior Jeremiah Pruitte says the Cyclones are at the top of his list for a number of factors, including the job his lead recruiter has done selling the program to him.
“There’s a lot of very positive things,” said Pruitte. “Iowa State leads everything right now and I’m kind of close to pulling the trigger with them. I talk to Coach (Bryan) Gasser about every other day and we have normal conversations.
“For a while now, Iowa State has been at the top of my head as far as decision making. I feel like that’s a place I could excel in early and contribute to the team. I like everything about the school. I’m planning to take an official visit this January.”
The 6-foot-6, 205-pound Pruitte has earned Power-5 offers throughout his recruitment from Indiana, ISU, Kansas, Louisville, Pittsburgh and Syracuse. Several other solid G5 programs have also extended offers.
Considered the 74th-ranked athlete nationally and 98th overall in the state of Georgia for the 2019 class, Pruitte had committed to Louisville in July before opening things back up following the departure of head coach Bobby Petrino.
For the talented three-star recruit with a 5.6 Rivals rating, there’s only one order of business left before his recruitment takes the next step and he can schedule a visit for what figures to be the weekend of January 18-20.
“This past semester, the grades have to finalize on the transcript and we go back to school on Monday,” Pruitte said. “When the grades finalize, I think they’ll be setting up my official visit. Coach Gasser has been down a couple times a couple times the last month checking on me and my grades.
“I checked with Coach Gasser (on Wednesday) to make sure things are up to date and my offer is still commit-able. The one thing he said to me was they need me to come play for them, so I would take that as a yes.”
In addition to the relationship he’s built with Gasser, Pruitte said a number of aspects of the Cyclones appeal to him.
“They’re top-25 in the country right now, which means the program is on the rise with a new head coach,” he said. “Their wide receivers have a lot similar skills as I do with my size and frame. Hakeem (Butler), Allen Lazard and a lot of the other wide receivers on the roster are 6-foot-4 and higher.
“Right now, I’m 6-foot-6 and 205 (pounds). Some receivers there are graduating and Hakeem has a chance to go to the league, which leaves opportunities for me to play as a freshman and compete. They also have a great schedule next year.”
Pruitte believes he’s a good fit to the mix of receivers in Ames and could factor into the offense’s plans in 2019.
“He explained to me, that with me coming in and competing and working really hard, I have a chance to play early,” the pass catcher said. “They like my size, speed and blocking ability on the perimeter, which is what their guys are asked to do.
“It excites me that they’re not one dimensional. They might have one formation that can run six plays out of. Whatever the case may be, they could run it left, run it right, hand it off inside or throw out of it. They switch it up. I can relate to that at my school. We run a lot of 50/50 balls, vertical routes and give the wide receivers a chance to make a play. Iowa State does that with its wide receivers.”
Depending on how things shake out with I-State, Pruitte said Colorado State and Syracuse could also become factors in the coming weeks. He’s in the process of scheduling an official visit to Colorado State, a stop that would come in the final weekend of the month.
