#42 Marcus Ranii-Dropcho

Some know him as Jimmer, others Jimbo; some call him Jimmy Rain Drops and others simply call him Marcus. There are even ancient myths that suppose his name is actually James, an accusation that the man is not willing to confirm nor deny. But, when you ask Marcus what he likes to go by, the truest colors of his personality come out.

“I like people to call me whatever makes them comfortable,” James said. “I like people to be comfortable. People are weird when they are not comfortable with you. Like, weird and hesitant, you know?”

The son of a well-respected disc golfer, the first thing you’re likely to notice about Marcus is the double barrel shotgun he calls a right arm. Easily one of the strongest throwers on the team, Jimmer first made a name for himself in High School by having some of Pennsylvania’s most powerful hucks.

As his time at Pitt grew, so did his game. With a season of hard work under his belt, the 6’2″ Ranii-Dropcho came out of his shell during his sophomore year and helped contribute to the most dominant defensive line in the country. Marcus’ thirst for the big moments and the big plays were only rivaled by his fear-no-match-up mentality that the best defenders in the country possess.

While practicing against Tyler Degirolamo four times a week, Jimbo made the strides that set him up to be one of Pitt’s feature defenders during his junior campaign. His ability to cover big name deep threats like Will Driscoll and still dominate other teams’ best handlers make him versatile, but it is Marcus’ natural gifts as an offensive force that set him apart. If you’re unfortunate enough to turn it against Jimmy’s D-line, good luck trying to find an offensive player who can cover him.