Trio of Woodland Hills Stars Sign with Pitt

After a whirlwind of last minute activity on National Letter of Intent Day, three senior Woodland Hills High School football players are staying close to home.

Defensive back Lafayette Pitts, expected to choose Rutgers University, made a last minute switch and honored a previous commitment to the University of Pittsburgh. He will join his cousin, defensive back Jevonte Pitts, who had already signed with the Panthers.

Lafayette was a recruit of former Pitt head coach Dave Wannstedt. When Wannstedt resigned in December, several of his assistants accepted positions at Rutgers. Lafayette broke his commitment and intended to follow them. After a recruiting push by new head coach Todd Graham, however, Lafayette decided to stay in his hometown and with his cousin.

“[Lafayette] was one of, if not the best, players in this area,” Graham said at a signing day press conference. “He’s a guy that we’ll use in a lot different ways. He is a guy that was a must for us. He’s a guy that loves the University of Pittsburgh. He’ll play corner for us on defense, he’ll be a wildcat quarterback for us, return punts and return kicks. We’re extremely excited with his faith and belief in our program down the stretch.”

Members of the Pitt athletic staff confirmed they weren’t sure Lafayette was bound for Oakland until he appeared at a Woodland Hills press conference wearing a Pitt cap.

Woodland Hills Athletic Director and Head Football Coach George Novak is excited to see how the cousins grow as they move on to higher education.

“They both have great potential and I think they’ll both do very well down there," Novak said. "I think one thing that [Pitt is] looking for - they’ve both got  great speed, and they’re both very quick and very athletic."

The Pitts cousins will be joined by former Woodland Hills standout Khaynin Mosley-Smith, who spent the fall at prep school Milford Academy in New York before enrolling at Pitt in January. Mosley-Smith, who played at tight end, guard, and defensive tackle at Woodland Hills, is listed as a defensive lineman for the Panthers.

“He’s a guy that we think is going to be very impactful up front for us,” Graham said.

Novak also said Mosley-Smith will bring strength to the Pitt team next year.

"He’s a fierce, competitive kid," he said. "Very strong, great center of gravity. He’s
an outstanding defensive lineman and he has great speed for defense."

Inside linebacker Ejuan Price, another Woodland Hills star, ended hopes of a Woodland Hills quartet in the Pitt recruiting class by honoring his commitment to Ohio State University. Media speculation had Price considering breaking his agreement to sign with Pitt; according to Media Relations Director EJ Borghetti. Pitt continued pursuing Price through signing day.

Other Woodland Hills alums headed for the NCAA include: defensive end Quinton Jefferson, now of the University of Maryland; defensive tackle James Price, signed with the University of Akron; and defensive back Ronald Tyler, signed with California University of Pennsylvania.

Lineman Jullian Turner signed with the University of New Hampshire.

In a press release, UNH coach Sean McDonnell described Turner as “an athletic physical player that will add size and strength to our physical defense.”