Under-the-radar players hope for discovery at scouting event
Cutting between Pitt’s practice fields is a sideline reserved for blocking pads, orange cones and those taking notes. In a normal year, media members walk around and watch the Panthers work. So do donors, administrators, high school coaches and — most important to players — scouts.
But that wasn’t the case in 2020. That dual sideline was empty this past season as Pitt, like many other college programs, closed their practices to nonessential personnel in accordance with COVID-19 protocols. Some players didn’t mind the exclusivity of it all, while others, like former Pitt offensive lineman Bryce Hargrove, found it “weird.”
The absence of scouts, specifically, was unfortunate for Hargrove and other NFL hopefuls. NFL personnel show up to not only
assess the sure-fire studs but also to evaluate day three and undrafted free agent candidates up close.
Mike Rittelmann hopes the event he organizes can make up for the opportunities missed because of the pandemic.
Rittelmann, a Hopewell graduate, is the director of scouting and player personnel for the College Gridiron Showcase, a five-day event in Fort Worth, Texas for small-school and under-theradar college prospects. The showcase, which starts Thursday, will host 250 to 300 players, including three from Pitt (Hargrove, wide receiver DJ Turner and cornerback Jason Pinnock), as well as Clairton and Penn State safety Lamont Wade.
The College Gridiron Showcase, now in its seventh year, hosted more than 130 scouts from 31 of 32 NFL teams and all nine CFL franchises at its 2020 event. And Rittelmann expects a similar turnout this go-around.
“The dynamic and the landscape has changed over this past year. It’s been crazy, but exciting for us,” said Rittelmann, who also serves as an assistant coach at Blackhawk High School. “The biggest thing the NFL teams want to see right now are body types and how they move.”
The College Gridiron Showcase isn’t an actual allstar game like the Senior Bowl, Hula Bowl and Tropical Bowl. In the past six years, it has been more of a controlled scrimmage without a week’s worth of practices and playbooks. This year, it’s even simpler. The showcase will feature noncontact, individual position drills, imitating the NFL Scouting Combine without the 40-yard dash and shuttle runs.
Many of the players participating this weekend won’t get an invitation to Indianapolis for the NFL combine, and some have not been looked at by scouts at all up until this point. So it’s an opportunity for Hargrove, Turner, Pinnock and Wade — none of whom rank among ESPN expert Todd McShay’s top 222 prospects — to grab attention of scouts.
“Because of the pandemic, we couldn’t get right in front of scouts at practice or anything. This will be the first opportunity for a lot of people to see us moving around. I feel like I have a lot to show every scout that’s down there,” Turner told the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. “You never know how things are going to play this year with everything. This will be my first opportunity, maybe my only opportunity. So I’m going to take full advantage of it.”
Turner added that he wants to “tick every box” he can while in Texas. The 23year-old Maryland transfer was Pitt’s second-leading receiver in 2020 with 44 receptions and 634 yards. He operated almost exclusively out of the slot, breaking out for 186- and 184-yard performances against N.C. State and Virginia Tech, respectively.
Turner was also named a first-team All-ACC return specialist after averaging 22.2 and 8.3 yards per kick and punt return, respectively. At his best, the 5-foot9, 205-pounder made tacklers miss after catches and on special teams, a trait he feels could also apply as a running back, given his build.
Turner said he “definitely considered” returning to Pitt after Kenny Pickett announced that he would come back for the 2021 season. He spoke with Pickett, as well as wide receivers coach Chris Beatty, about the possibility of rejoining the Panthers. But Turner decided it was “time to move on and get to what’s next,” which in his case is training in New Jersey and joining Pinnock and Hargrove in Fort Worth.
Hargrove, meanwhile, has been in Dallas preparing for the Gridiron Showcase. The 27-game starter at guard is confident in his ability to fit on any offensive line after trying his hand at all five positions in practice during his time at Pitt. He also believes his film will “speak for itself” after earning thirdteam All-ACC status in 2019.
Scouts have access to that tape. And they were allowed at games this past season. But no evaluator has seen Hargrove’s size up close in over a year. So Hargrove knows he’ll need to display his physicality whenever he can at the College Gridiron Showcase.
“I’ve already proved a lot of stuff on film. … I put a lot of guys on the turf or the ground this year,” the 6-4, 320-pounder said. “But I just want to go there and do the stuff in front of them.”
If Hargrove — someone who didn’t play offensive line at all until his arrival at Pitt — can impress, he’ll take one step closer to reaching the next level. Same goes for Pinnock, Wade and Turner.
A proponent of hometown talent, Rittelmann is pulling for the former Clairton star and Pitt’s products down in Fort Worth. Frankly, he hopes all the prospects can take something from their experience in front of scouts, any positive from the mess that’s been the COVID-affected pre-draft process.
Rittelmann let out a sigh of relief when he said there was “never a worry” about whether or not the College Gridiron Showcase would go on this year. They’ve tested every athlete for COVID upon arrival and have received support from both the city of Fort Worth and the NFL. And now that it’s finally here, after months of scouting and planning, he’s excited for both his showcase and the players who will take part.
“We want to grow as an organization and continue to have kids achieve their goals and reach the next level. And it’s awesome to be a part of that,” Rittelmann said. “We’re all in it for the athletes. It’s just great to get their names out there in front of NFL and CFL teams.”