BTW RB Rodney Hammond (Photo: Lance Hinton/recruit757)
Class of 2021 RB Rodney Hammond pulls the trigger early
by Andy Hilton, recruit757
Booker T. Washington running back Rodney Hammond (2021 RB/DB 5-9 175) has piled up college interest since he made a splash in his freshman season.
He was a Buffalo Wild Wings Player of the Week winner in that 2017 campaign and he hasn’t slowed since.
In the 2019 season, Hammond has 1,391 rushing yards and 18 rushing touchdowns through the first nine games. Those stats don’t count the tackles, INTs and pick sixes that he has used to add to the Bookers scoring.
On Friday night, Hammond made his college choice prior to the team’s home game against Woodrow Wilson. In that game, Hammond had 156 yards rushing on eight carries with four touchdowns, two INT including a pick six, for five touchdowns total.
Back to the decision… he narrowed his options down to Pitt and North Carolina. Hammond picked Pitt, mostly due to his budding relationship with Chris Beatty.
Booker T. Washington head football coach D.J. Alexander explained the decision.
“Coach Beatty did a great job building a relationship with Rodney. Rodney took an unofficial visit to Pitt and he really enjoyed everything that Pitt had to offer,” said the coach.
Hammond also held offers from Virginia Tech, UVA, South Carolina, Penn State, Michigan, Maryland and Duke.
Pitt now has two verbal commits in their recruiting class of 2021. The first commit was OLB Nahki Johnson (2021 OLB 6-3 220) of West Mifflin, PA.
– Andy Hilton