Standout defensive end Bernardo Nunez made a verbal commitment to the Pitt football team last night.

Nunez (6-3, 234 pounds), who is from Hoboken, NJ, chose the Panthers over scholarship offers from a number of other schools, including Michigan State, Rutgers, Oklahoma and Maryland.

He is ranked as the 19th best overall prospect from New Jersey and one of the top 40 defensive ends nationally by Rivals.com. He is also rated as a three-star prospect by the web-site. He runs the 40-yard dash in 4.76 seconds, bench presses 300 pounds and squats 450.

Nunez made an official visit to Michigan State this past weekend but he told Pitt assistant head coach Greg Gattuso and secondary coach Jeff Hafley that he wanted to be a Panther last night when the two made a home visit to meet with him and his family.

Nunez is the Panthers 18th commitment for this recruiting class as well as their fourth defensive lineman. He is also the Panthers fifth commitment from New Jersey in this class, which is a testament to the inroads Hafley is making in his first season as the staff's primary recruiter in that state. Prior to Hafley taking over, the Panthers had signed a total of only three players from New Jersey in the last five years.