Pitt Prospect Camp: Names to Remember

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The Pitt football program will host its annual prospect camp starting June 6th.  The prospect camp allows the coaching staff to (1) evaluate players on the cusp on receiving a scholarship and (2) entertain and provide campus and facility tours for players that were already offered a scholarship.

Pitt head football coach Paul Chryst and staff put a great deal of value into camp evaluations.  It’s a rare opportunity to have the entire staff evaluate a player in-person.  Typically camp standouts are asked to step aside and run additional drills in front of coordinators and position coaches.  Once the staff decides the player is worthy of a scholarship offer, they are asked to meet one-on-one with Coach Chryst.

A few players that attended prospect camp, performed at a high level and earned a scholarship within the last few years include Patrick Amara, Quintin Wirginis, Tony Harper, Avonte Maddox and Connor Dintino.

Pitt fans should expect a fair number of scholarships to be offered within the first few days of camp. It’s safe to say a few ‘off the radar’ candidates will attend and excite the staff.  Few Panther fans knew about Pittsburgh (PA) Fox Chappel linebacker Quintin Wirginis prior to prospect camp a year ago.  Despite an impressive junior highlight reel, he was considered undersized.  Quintin hit a growth spurt and arrived at camp a chiseled 6-foot-2 inches, 225 pounds.  It didn’t take long for defensive coordinator Matt House and linebacker’s coach Chris Haering to pull him aside for a rigorous series of drills.  Shortly after running a 4.5 forty-yard dash and impressing the coaches with his athleticism, he was offered a scholarship.

DreamBackfield.com has building of list of camp attendees.  For the sake of this article, we wanted to highlight a number of players that may earn a scholarship with a strong performance. 

Pitt has already received a commitment from Canonsburg (PA) Canon-McMillan offensive guard Alex Paulina.  Hulking Greensburg (PA) Hempfield offensive tackle Tony Pilato (6-foot-7 inches, 290 pounds) remains the staff’s top priority.  It appears that Pitt will add at least two offensive linemen.  There will two outstanding prospects attending camp: Harmony (PA) Seneca Valley Tyler Hudanick (6-foot-5 inches, 290 pounds) and Library (PA) South Park Ryan Podgorski (6-foot-5 inches, 280 pounds).

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Hudanick has received scholarship offers from Akron, Old Dominion, Miami (OH), Bowling Green, Toledo, Colgate, Buffalo, Bucknell and Duquesne.  He’s a powerful, physical lineman that plays with a bit of ‘nasty’ on the football field.  Pitt, Penn State, Boston College, Notre Dame and Virginia have been closely evaluating him.  Pitt recently stopped by Seneca Valley High School to take a closer look at him.

Akron recently offered Podgorski a scholarship.  Pitt offensive coordinator Joe Rudolph and offensive line coach Jim Hueber recently stopped by South Park High School to watch him work out.  Pitt, West Virginia and a large number of MAC schools have been closely evaluating Ryan.  He’s a big young man that continues to grow into his frame.

Wallingford (CT) Choate Rosemary Hall defensive tackle Connor Dintino arrived at Pitt’s prospect camp a year ago and quickly impressed the coaching staff his size and athleticism.  He was offered a scholarship shortly after.  When recently interviewed by DreamBackfield.com, Dintino specifically mentioned his teammate, 2015 safety prospect William Harris (6-foot-2 inches, 205 pounds).  Harris is a tough, physical safety prospect that has received scholarship offers from Boston College, Connecticut, Syracuse and Old Dominion.  With a solid performance at prospect camp, there’s no doubt Harris will be in line for a scholarship.  He has the frame to potentially grow into an outside linebacker.

Pitt will add at least three linebackers to their 2015 recruiting class.  They have already received a commitment from Altoona (PA) linebacker Kevin Givens (6-foot-3 inches, 230 pounds).  Last week, a pair of Pitt coaches stopped to visit a pair of New Jersey linebackers that have received scholarship offers: Lakewood (NJ) Chapelle Cook (6-foot-1 inches, 212 pounds) and Sicklerville (NJ) Timber Creek Neal Nelson (6-foot-1 inches, 225 pounds).  Hilliard (OH) Hilliard Davidson Markus Bailey and Columbus (OH) Walnut Ridge Anthony McKee are amongst a sizeable group of linebackers that have been offered a scholarship.  Linebacker is clearly a priority position for the staff.

Toledo (OH) Central Catholic High School Chris Green and Cincinatti (OH) Winton Woods David Long is a pair of linebackers that could make some noise at camp.

The 6-foot-1 inch, 225 pound Green is a versatile linebacker from Toledo Central Catholic High School (OH).  Syracuse, Toledo, West Virginia, Western Michigan and Troy have already offered him a scholarship.  Illinois, Indiana and Nebraska have shown exponential interest in his services over the last month.  Chris could easily emerge from camp with a scholarship offer in hand.  Long is undersized at 5-foot-11 inches, 195 pounds but he has accrued a 14 scholarship offers including North Carolina State, West Virginia, Cincinnati, Illinois, Kentucky and Louisville.  Despite his size, he’s a disruptive playmaker capable of shedding blocks and getting to the quarterback.

Pitt has brought in a number of quality wide receivers over the last few years.   They are primarily looking for slot receivers.  Wilmington (DE) Alexi I Dupont receiver Quadree Henderson, Largo (FL) Indian Rocks Christian School Damian King and Philadelphia (PA) Imhotep Charter School D.J. Moore are a trio of receivers the coaching staff covets.

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Coraopolis (PA) Quaker Valley Dane Jackson, Toledo (OH) St. John’s wide receiver Maxwell McCormick, Towson (MD) Calvert Hall Lawrence Cager, Aliquippa (PA) Patrick Anderson and Erie (PA) Cathedral Prep Charles Fessler will be camping at Pitt.  They are intriguing athletes that have the ability to earn camp offers.

Aliquippa High School has been very kind to Pitt in the past.  Anderson is big (6-foot-3 inches, 210 pounds) and has soft hands.  Pitt, West Virginia, Toledo, Ohio State and Akron have been in close touch with him.  Jackson (6-foot-2 inches, 190 pounds) may be the versatile athlete in the WPIAL.  He was a star quarterback that was dangerous with his arms and legs.  Dane accumulated 975 passing yards with 13 touchdowns.  He rushed for an impressive 1,111 yards.  Fessler (6-foot-4 inches, 195 pounds) and Cager (6-foot-5 inches, 200 pounds) is a pair of receivers with impressive size and multiple scholarship offers.  Rutgers, Connecticut and Indiana are amongst Cager’s offers.  Nebraska, Boston College, Toledo and Buffalo have already offered Fessler.

McCormick (6-foot-3 inches, 195 pounds) has yet to receive a scholarship but Eastern Michigan, Ohio University, Cincinnati, Pitt, Indiana, Boston College and Western Michigan have been in close contact.  He led St. John’s High School with over 600 receiving yards last season.

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If you’re interested in the running back position, two campers to keep an eye on are Somerdale (NJ) Sterling High School Davon Tucker and Pittsburgh (PA) North Catholic P.J. Fulmore.  Fulmore is a diminutive but explosive playmaker.  As a sophomore in 2012, he rushed for 1,824 yards.  Although slowed by injury as a junior, Fulmore rushed for 1,200 yards and scored 14 touchdowns.  P.J. led North Catholic High School to a 16-0 state championship season.  The championship was the first in school history.  Tucker has already received scholarship offers from Syracuse, Ball State, Boston College, Villanova and Western Michigan.  He rushed for 1,085 yards and 13 TDs as a junior.  Davon was a first-team Liberty Division/Colonial Conference selection.  He’s a powerful north-south runner that would excel in Paul Chryst’s ‘ground and pound’ offense.

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Massive defensive tackles Connor Dintino and Mike Herndon earned a scholarship after stellar camp performances last summer.  Aliquippa (PA) Arrington Gipson (6-foot-2 inches, 295) and West Chester (PA) defensive lineman Kevin Murphy (6-foot-2 ½ inches, 265 pounds) are a pair of defensive linemen that could earn offers if they perform well.  Gipson has received scholarship offers from Temple and Akron.  He’s a big, space eater that’s anxious to earn additional offers.  Pitt, West Virginia, Akron, Purdue, Miami, and Marshall have expressed strong interest in his services.  Murphy has been a four-year starter for West Chester High School.  He has primarily played defensive end.  He recorded 88 tackles, 7 sacks, 5 forced fumbles, 2 batted passes and 2 fumble recoveries his junior season.  Cincinnati, Connecticut, Middle Tennessee State, Western Michigan and Monmouth have offered him a scholarship.

Follow Harry Psaros from DreamBackfield.com on Twitter at @PittGuru

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