Family connections
Defensive back Bam Bradley (Trotwood, Ohio/Trotwood-Madison) has offers from Cincinnati, Michigan State, Northwestern, Penn State, Stanford and Vanderbilt. But one program is hoping to use the lure of family to bring him in the fold.
"Pitt is on me pretty strong right now," Bradley said. "My brother signed with Pitt last year and I know they are hoping that connection will lead me there."
Bradley's brother, Nicholas Grigsby, was part of Pitt's 2011 recruiting class. The 6-foot, 195-pounder says the Panthers do have a bit of an upper hand.
"They definitely have a little bit of an inside track because of my brother," Bradley said. "But he doesn't pressure me about a decision. He tells me what he liked about Pitt and what he chose to go there but he wants me to go where I want to be and if that isn't Pitt, it's OK."
Bradley is being recruited as a strong safety, free safety and even a hybrid "bandit" safety by some programs. Whatever the position he says he's happy to be on the field in any capacity as long as he can compete but he's just as concerned about what's happening off the field.
"My first thing is academics; I want to go to a school where the education speaks for itself," Bradley said. "That's why I'm looking at Stanford and Vanderbilt and schools like that."