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The Pittsburgh Panthers officially joined the ACC on Monday and got great news the night before when they learned ESPN four-star quarterback Wade Freebeck had verbally committed. He’s the 13th commitment for the class of 2014 and the second quarterback, joining Adam Bertke of Maria Stein, Ohio.
At 6-foot-4, 180 pounds, Freebeck has flown a bit under the radar, as he only had a handful of offers before committing to Pittsburgh. However, he’s got all the tools to end up being a great player for head coach Paul Chryst. On film, he shows excellent mechanics and a smooth, quick delivery. He’s played primarily out of the shotgun, but his drops appear to be balanced and efficient.
Freebeck throws the ball very accurately, especially on intermediate throws in tight spaces. Although he doesn’t possess an extremely strong arm, he is able to fit the ball in tight spots because he has exceptional anticipation. He seems to have a firm grasp of where all his receivers are, often working through his reads, delivering the ball to his third or fourth option.
He’s not an outstanding runner, but he moves well in the pocket and will run to pick up first downs.
There’s no question that Freebeck will need to add weight if he wants to play in the ACC. At this point he’s really lean and will need to redshirt and get in the weight room immediately. The addition of muscle should help with the one glaring weakness in his game: arm strength.
Freebeck is a great pick-up for a Pittsburgh team that is about to start its first year in a new conference.
B.L. is an ACC Football writer for Rant Sports and can be followed on Twitter @coachlip.
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