Freshman cornerback K'Waun Williams did not enter training camp as one of Pitt's most heralded freshmen. Many others in this well-regarded recruiting class were ranked higher by the scouting services.

But Williams, a three-star recruit who was not on the radar of most NCAA Division I programs, is one of the few first-year players pushing for playing time. After 14 preseason practices, Williams quickly has climbed the depth chart and is ahead of more experienced players.

The coaches played Williams with the first-team defense during team drills Monday. He played right and left corner at various times in place of starters Ricky Gary and Antwuan Reed.

"If he continues to improve he has a shot to help us," said defensive backs coach Jeff Hafley. "We still have a long way to go before that first game, and he has a lot of work to do with the rest of us. But he's putting himself in position to battle for a spot. There is no question about that."

That's quite an accomplishment for someone who did not receive another scholarship offer coming out of St. Joseph Regional High in Paterson, N.J.

Williams appears to be another recruiting coup for Hafley, who is gaining a strong reputation for being able to identify high school players out of New Jersey. Hafley is the coach who is responsible for landing another lightly recruited player from New Jersey, Heisman Trophy candidate Dion Lewis, and many other New Jersey-bred players on the roster.

One of the reasons Williams was overlooked by major-conference schools was his height. He was only 5 feet 8 as a senior in high school. He has grown a full two inches since signing day in February, which has been an added bonus for the Panthers.

But even before Williams grew the two inches there was enough potential there for Hafley and Pitt coach Dave Wannstedt to be convinced that he could play in the Big East Conference.

"You never know how they'll respond when they get here," Hafley said. "The speed of the game, the change of environment, not playing at this level. But we saw a lot that we liked of him as a high school football player. He had great footwork. I knew he had great speed, and I knew he had the intangibles. He's a great kid. He's a hard worker. That's why we recruited him."

Williams also has picked up the college game from a mental standpoint. Many freshmen struggle with the transition from high school to college because the playbook is more complicated. But Williams has been able to comprehend the new terminology without missing a beat.

"I feel comfortable," Williams said. "The scheme we run here is similar to my high school. I'm just working hard every day and taking it one day at a time."

Williams did not let the fact that he only had one scholarship offer affect the way he approached his first camp. If anything, he used it as motivational fuel for his fire.

"I guess you could say I had a chip on my shoulder," he said. "I did feel that way. I knew I could play. I was just going to come in here and just show them I could play and work hard."

Having confidence is a prerequisite for playing cornerback, and Williams is not lacking in that department. Hafley said it is one of the biggest reasons he is having some early success.

"That's what makes a great corner," Hafley said. "You have to have the confidence level. You're playing on a cliff back there. You can't have a guy who is going to make a mistake and carry it to the next play.

"So far, he has showed me that he can play one play at a time, whether it be a good play or bad play. He'll line up the next play and be confident in himself. You need that quality in a corner. It's very important."

With the season opener against Utah a little more than two weeks away it appears that Williams will have a place on the two-deep. The bigger question seems to be whether he can push for playing time in the secondary rotation.

"He needs to work on the speed of the game, going against some of the bigger receivers, being a little more physical, knowing what we're trying to do as a defense more, playing with a little more knowledge," Hafley said. "But he definitely has the talent and the work ethic right now. He's doing a great job. He has great instincts. He's working hard. He's studying the playbook hard. He's coming out and competing every day. So far, he's having a great camp. Hopefully, he'll continue to improve."

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