2010 Pitt Recruiting Class Announced

Courtesy of Pittsburgh Athletics

PITTSBURGH – Coming off a 10-win season and Top 15 finish in the national polls, the Pitt football program continued its upward trend today by signing a recruiting class that is already earning praise as one of the best in the Big East and nationally.

Pitt head coach Dave Wannstedt introduced the 24-player class this afternoon at his annual National Letter of Intent Day press conference held in the Panthers’ locker room at Heinz Field.

“We had an outstanding season on the field this fall and that momentum carried over to our coaches’ recruiting efforts,” Wannstedt said. “Prospects are recognizing the national emergence of our program and they want to be part of that. These young men want to help Pitt football continue its rise and be part of an outstanding institution like the University of Pittsburgh.”

Pitt’s class is comprised of players from six different states. In addition to Pennsylvania, the Panthers’ recruiting arm stretched to Maryland, New Jersey, Ohio, Texas and Virginia.

Pitt’s 2010 class includes:

· Eight players who were named to the 2009 Pennsylvania Sports Writers All-State Team, including two-time first-team honorees in defensive lineman Aaron Donald (Penn Hills), quarterback Anthony Gonzalez (Liberty) and receiver Kevin Weatherspoon (Clairton).

· Defensive lineman T.J. Clemmings, the No. 1 overall prospect in New Jersey according to Scout.com.

· Bryan Murphy and Brandon Sacco, two all-state linemen from New Jersey’s Don Bosco Prep, which finished No. 1 in the USA Today Super 25 high school football poll.

· The top-rated quarterback prospect in Ohio according to Rivals.com in Mark Myers, who threw for 2,127 yards and 20 touchdowns as a first-team all-state performer for Cleveland’s St. Ignatius.

· Scout.com’s top-rated running back in Virginia in T.J. Peeler (Broad Run), who rushed for 2,199 yards and 23 touchdowns as a senior.

· Defensive back/receiver Todd Thomas, a former Beaver Falls standout who starred at Milford Academy (N.Y.) this past fall and is considered the No. 4 prep school prospect in the country according to Rivals.com. Thomas was a three-time all-state selection at Beaver Falls from 2006-08

· Two players from perennial Maryland power DeMatha Catholic, including consensus all-state offensive lineman Shane Johnson and defensive back Jeff Knox.

· Nine players who won at least one state championship during their high school careers.

One member of the Panthers’ 2010 class, defensive back Saheed Imoru, enrolled at the University of Pittsburgh in January and will participate in spring drills. Imoru was a standout cornerback at Navarro Junior College in Texas.

      2010 Pitt Football Recruits

      Name                 Pos.  Ht.  Wt.  Hometown/High School/Prep School
      Derrick Burns        DB    5-11 205  New Wilmington, Pa./Wilmington Area
      Brendan Carozzoni    TE    6-4  220  Rocky River, Ohio/St. Ignatius
      Drew Carswell        WR    6-4  210  McKees Rocks, Pa./Sto-Rox
      T.J. Clemmings       DL    6-6  280  Teaneck, N.J./Paterson Catholic
      Arthur Doakes        OL    6-6  325  Lebanon, Pa./Lebanon
      Aaron Donald         DL    6-0  270  Verona, Pa./Penn Hills
      Andre Givens         RB    5-10 185  Hubbard, Ohio/Hubbard
      Anthony Gonzalez     QB    6-3  215  Bethlehem, Pa./Liberty
      Brandon Ifill        DB    6-1  190  Pittsburgh, Pa./Penn Hills
      Saheed Imoru*        DB    5-10 190  Houston, Texas/Navarro J.C./Alief Hastings H.S.
      Shane Johnson        OL    6-5  295  Ft. Washington, Md./DeMatha Catholic
      Jeff Knox            DB    6-2  205  Upper Marlboro, Md./DeMatha Catholic
      Khaynin Mosley-Smith DL    6-0  290  Pittsburgh, Pa./Woodland Hills
      Bryan Murphy         DL    6-3  245  Monroe, N.Y./Don Bosco Prep (N.J.)
      Mark Myers           QB    6-4  225  Pepper Pike, Ohio/St. Ignatius
      T.J. Peeler          RB    6-1  210  Ashburn, Va./Broad Run
      Matt Rotheram        OL    6-6  300  North Olmsted, Ohio/North Olmsted
      Brandon Sacco        OL    6-3  255  Long Valley, N.J./Don Bosco Prep
      Dan Schneider        TE    6-4  240  Avon Lake, Ohio/Avon Lake
      Todd Thomas          DB/WR 6-2  205  Beaver Falls, Pa./Beaver Falls/
      Kevin Weatherspoon   WR    5-10 170  Clairton, Pa./Clairton
      Eric Williams        LB    6-3  215  Yardley, Pa./Pennsbury
      K’Waun Williams      DB    5-10 175  Paterson, N.J./St. Joseph Regional
      Salath Williams      WR    6-3  200  Harrisburg, Pa./Bishop McDevitt

      *enrolled January ’10