Evaluating Nebraska Safety Commit Tory Pittman III

Nebraska has done a great job with the class of 2027. They have already landed some of their top targets in the class as a whole, including someone who has made a strong case to be considered the best in the class.

That player is Tory Pittman III. Pittman is a safety and wide receiver from Omaha Central High School in the Cornhusker state. The Huskers haven't made off with tons of in-state prospects of late, but grabbing Pittman is a step in the right direction for keeping the elite, local talent at home. It also helps when others in the class move to Nebraska to boost those numbers.

Here is an evaluation covering his positives, traits he needs to work on, and grades.

Positives

https://t.co/w77wrVcylH pic.twitter.com/ZCwSZBeNM8
— Tory Pittman III (@ToryP_3) October 5, 2024

Quick: The first thing you will notice when you turn on Pittman's tape is his quickness. He is second to none in this class when it comes to the speed that he brings to the table. He will have the chance to play over the top in the secondary, and a lot of the reasoning is thanks to his quickness. He can put himself in the best position possible, but he can also make up the ground he needs while the ball is in the air. His ability to close out is nearly unseen in the class as a whole. You can immediately see a difference between his style of play and that of the other in-state prospects. He is what many would refer to as an "exception" in the state of Nebraska, as the state produces talented prospects, but Pittman is one of the better players the state has seen in quite some time on the defensive side of the football.

Ball Tracking: This is one of the more underappreciated traits from safeties. It is always key to find a safety who can track the ball well. Pittman sets the bar high with his ball tracking skillset. While I have seen no mention of him having a baseball background, the talented prospect looks like a center fielder when tracking the ball. He is also lengthy, which allows his legs to take longer strides when backpedaling. It isn't perfect by any means, but this is absolutely a positive that will increase his chances of seeing the field as a true freshman.

Tackling: It is easy to pay attention to tackling, which can be hard to judge. It is hard to evaluate, because HUDL and other resources won't show the mistakes that are made. His tackling is great. I say this because he is always the low man. Those who have played football understand the saying "the low man always wins," and that is the exact case with Pittman. He also wraps up very well and is someone who has shown some positive signs behind the line with short passes. He has the chance to be explosive, and doesn't seem to have any issues with his tackling mechanics.

Ability to Play Both Ways: While this hasn't been signaled to be the case, the talented prospect can play both ways if needed. He is a weapon on the offensive side of the football. He is dangerous out of the slot, which is another speed-based situation, but with some development on his route running, anything is possible. I much prefer him as a prospect on the defensive side of the football, but this kid is uber-talented.

GBR‼️@RingsNthingsCA @TerrenceMackey2 @s_kwilli32 @CoachMattRhule @HuskerFootball @GregSmithRivals @TimVerghese @CentralEaglesFB @DomoAthletics @Xi8grfx @bnew78 pic.twitter.com/BEMISuzZuw
— Tory Pittman III (@ToryP_3) August 15, 2025

Things to Work On

Hips: Pittman could use some work on his hips. Pittman has some solid hips, but there is room to improve. If he can become more fluid and flexible, he will be a more dangerous prospect. I expect him to improve this in his senior year, and if not, he will have this fixed pretty quickly at Nebraska. Let's be clear as well, this is not a glaring issue because of his speed, but there is room for improvement, which will make his overall skillset better.

Add to His Frame: Here's the thing, his frame isn't an issue. However, the Cornhuskers will look to improve his body and size the way they prefer. In this case, if he can get up to a solid 200 pounds, he would be at the ideal weight. You wouldn't see a major sacrifice with the other traits, like speed and things of that nature. The good thing about this is that the staff he is with can gradually pack weight on in smaller amounts, so he isn't overwhelmed and begins to sacrifice some speed for weight. This can be a longer process without there being a big issue.

Nebraska Cornhuskers mascot Herbie Husker | Dylan Widger-Imagn Images

Grade

Ceiling: The Cornhusker commit's ceiling is playing on Sundays and being a starter for an NFL team. This is a very high ceiling, which I am very careful when giving that out, but the talented prospect is one of the better Nebraska high schoolers I have evaluated. There are very few negatives in the prospect's game, and he will likely be a contributor in his first year with the program. The game speeds up when you get to college, but I can confidently say that he is one of the players I don't worry about when it comes to the overall transition from high school to college.

Floor: As a floor, I have him as a multi-year starter in college. Whether he stays his full college career in one place or he transfers along the way, Pittman is ready for the next level. He is going to be viewed as a talented safety by many, and there will be plenty of programs that make a push in this recruitment. What he has to offer is something a large majority of safeties can't duplicate. There is always a chance you don't make the league, and although I believe he has a great shot at doing so, I am around 100% confident he is a long-term starter for a Power Four program.

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