Maryland Picks Up Late 2011 Football Commitment from NC RB Justus Pickett?

by Ben Broman on Feb 7, 2011 4:30 PM EST in Football Recruiting

Here's a nice little surprise ending to the 2011 football recruiting class: it looks like Terrapin Times (by way of Terrapin Station) is reporting a commitment out of North Carolina RB Justus Pickett. The story is stuck behind a paywall, but the picture is of Pickett and it says a 2011 recruit committed, so...you do the math.

Pickett's 40 time on Scout checks in at an unbelievable 4.32 (by which I mean I really don't believe that his time). Still, even if that's embellished, there's no doubt he's fast, and the highlights (embedded below) show as much. Caleb Porzel filled the speedster role for Maryland awhile back, but he's transferred now, and with Da'Rel Scott gone, too, Maryland's lacking a dynamic home run threat. The hope is that Pickett would provide that, and his speed certainly seems to indicate that it would.

Oh, and here's some even better news: he was pretty hotly-recruited, with offers Arkansas, WVU, and South Carolina, among a few others. Considering how late in the game this is, it's a very nice pickup for a staff that got a late start on things.

(Bonus: his hair [alternate styling] is instantly among the best of the team.)

Highlights are below:

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The first dividend of the Edsall era?

by 1 proud terp on Feb 7, 2011 4:38 PM EST reply actions

Kids been tearing up the Charlotte Area

Here are some more of his stats.

2,400 yards rushing and 31 TD’s.

http://obsrecruiting.blogspot.com/2011/02/ardrey-kells-justus-pickett-will-wait.html

http://www.maxpreps.com/high-schools/E6wIq9ksPkyzkZtMtwwesQ/ardrey-kell-knights/football/schedule.htm

I was hoping to see how he did against Butler and Independence as they both are regional/national powerhouses. For whatever reason the stats for those games werent coming up.

by Charlotte NC Terp on Feb 7, 2011 4:45 PM EST reply actions

Little bit of info

Scroll to bottom

Had 77yds vs. Butler. Was averaging over 200ypg

by wittcap79 on Feb 8, 2011 11:05 AM EST up reply actions

Thanks

Butler is in a class of their own. They are by far the best team in the area and a top 10 team in the country. Max Preps had that team ranked preseason 2nd in the COUNTRY.

http://prepinsiders.blogspot.com/2010/06/butler-no-2-in-national-preseason.html

No slap dicks at all. So to be honest 77 yards rushing really isnt that bad against such a high caliber team. They fell in the final ranking to 35th but that was because their best player (QB) going to GA on a full ride to play QB did not play a snap all year due to a sex scandal at school. They still went undefeated with a 6’5 Soph QB that is a gun slinger. He already has like 5 SEC offers.

by Charlotte NC Terp on Feb 8, 2011 11:28 AM EST up reply actions

Yeah. I saw they won the 4A title game like 44-0, which was also their 31st straight win. They seem pretty decent…
I still can’t find anything on his game against Indy.

He was also the #10 RB from Rivals.com

by wittcap79 on Feb 8, 2011 2:22 PM EST up reply actions

Whoever brought him in

did a hell of a job. We lured him away from Ark and WVU. Thats saying something. He is an above average receiver so I hope we can use him in the screen game as well.

by Charlotte NC Terp on Feb 8, 2011 5:51 PM EST up reply actions

NICE

Thank – God he didn’t go to WVU, can’t stand them. Wvu comes a close 2nd to PUKE, in I hate most!!!!
GO TERPS!!!!

by PADGE on Feb 8, 2011 3:21 AM EST reply actions

He looks like G-Money from New Jack City.

by rt31 on Feb 8, 2011 10:25 AM EST reply actions 1 recs

Am I my brother's keeper?

by 1 proud terp on Feb 8, 2011 6:24 PM EST up reply actions

Rec

for New Jack City reference

When you're rich you don't write checks - Randy Moss

by s.r.genovese on Feb 9, 2011 2:26 PM EST up reply actions

this is what someone posted on IMS about him..

I can’t believe that there aren’t more threads about this huge get. I live in Charlotte and have been following him for 2 years and he is the BEST BACK IN NORTH CAROLINA. I’ve personally seen him shread defenses in three 300 plus yard games and it wasn’t against cupcakes. Two of the teams in his conference were ranked nationally in perennial power Independence and Butler. I saw him run for an eye-opening 348 yds last year as a junior. He also has very good hands, and can catch downfield like a receiver.. He reminds me a lot of Bruce Perry.

I followed his recruitiment closely, and he had Auburn, Florida, Stanford, and WV as his favorites. I noticed a few months ago that he was listed on this site as a “WARM” recruit and joked with my son that he might consider Maryland. On National Signing Day I expected him to ink with Florida, WVU, or Arkansas (he had just come off a vist). However, he surprised everyone when he announced he was delaying his decision until after a trip to Maryland. I couldn’t believe it. I was just happy he was coming to visit. Then I logon Monday and read that he’s a TERP! I don’t know what Edsall said to him, but whatever it was he needs to say it to every recruit.

I also saw where someone questioned him qualifying. This guy has a 3.75 GPA from a very competitive school and will have no problems qualifying.

by MoCounty11 on Feb 9, 2011 12:17 AM EST via mobile reply actions