Pitt football: 3 players depart as Todd Graham's recruiting class gets smaller

Three redshirt freshman defenders for Pitt will not return to the team going forward as the Panthers prepare for their final game, meaning only 13 players from Todd Graham's only recruiting class remain.

Paul Chryst announced that defensive back Steve Williams had been dismissed from the team, while defensive back Roderick Ryles and linebacker Jason Frimpong will transfer from the team. None had played in their two seasons with the program.

Of the 21 players Graham recruited to Pitt before leaving to coach Arizona State, eight have left under Chryst. Chryst's classes have been higher-ranked - Graham's 2011 class was No. 58 in the country, according to Rivals.com, and since then Pitt has been No. 47 and No. 36 according to the same site - but not because of bigger size. Chryst's two classes have been of 16 and 18 recruits, but the quality of player has been higher, with four of his 2012 recruits earning four stars. Both of the four-stars Graham recruited - linebacker Nicholas Grigsby and defensive tackle Khaynin Mosley-Smith - have remained with the program.