Football: Checking in on Pitt’s recruiting class

As the Pitt football team heads into the final games of its season, the next generation of… As the Pitt football team heads into the final games of its season, the next generation of Panthers is preparing for high school playoffs. Here’s a look at the top performances from Pitt’s 2012 recruiting class and the players whose high school careers ended this week.

Graham has received a verbal commitment from 18 players so far for the 2012 football season.

Rushel Shell — Running Back — Hopewell

Shell, Pitt’s highest ranked verbal commit (No. 45 nationally on Rivals.com), had another dominating performance in a big AAA Parkway Conference showdown. A loss would have ended the Vikings’ season, but Shell wouldn’t let his team miss the playoffs. He ran for 212 yards on 35 carries with four touchdowns on senior night at Tony Dorsett Stadium in Hopewell, Pa. Shell now sits at 8,541 career yards, 496 yards shy of the state record. His performance Friday night was his 38th straight game with over 100 rushing yards. The future Pitt running back needs a 100-yard game in the first round of the playoffs to break the national record for consecutive 100-yard games.

Dakota Conwell — Quarterback/Linebacker — Upper St. Clair

Conwell committed to the Pitt Panthers as a linebacker, but he has been dominant as a dual-threat quarterback this season for the Upper St. Clair Panthers, an AAAA-powerhouse team. His Panthers matched up against their South Hills rival, Mt. Lebanon, for the Great Southern Conference title. In a game that featured a future Big Ten lineman on both teams, Conwell’s performance was the most impressive. He rushed the ball for 276 yards and three touchdowns and led his team to its first conference championship since 2006.

Chad Voytik — Quarterback — Cleveland (TN)

Voytik, selected by ESPN as an Elite 11 quarterback this summer, saw his historic high school career come to an end last Friday. His Blue Raiders went into the game knowing that they needed to win — and other teams needed to lose — in order for the team to go on to the playoffs. The four-star quarterback led his team to a victory, but the Blue Raiders didn’t get the help that they needed from the other teams and did not make the playoffs. In his final game, Voytik threw for 296 yards and four touchdowns. Friday’s performance put him above 5,000 career yards.

Chris and Demitrious Davis — Wide Receivers — Austintown Fitch (OH)

The twin brothers and receivers played their final high school game for the Falcons last Friday in a 14-0 defeat. Both receivers possess incredible 4.4 40-yard dash speed and are prototype Todd Graham slot receivers. Chris Davis, who is ranked No. 28 in the nation on Rivals.com, played wide receiver for Fitch and put up historic numbers. He will graduate with the school’s career receptions record. Demitrious, regarded by recruiting sources as the better player, will play wide receiver at Pitt but was a wildcat quarterback for the Falcons this season. He owns the career passing and rushing yards records for Austintown Fitch.

Corey Jones — Wide Receiver — Penn Hills

Jones led the Penn Hills Indians to victory in a rivalry match-up with Woodland Hills. He made his mark on Friday’s contest running the ball, a departure from his usual superb catching. The Indians senior carried the ball 11 times for 156 yards and two touchdowns. His two scores came on 50- and 73-yard runs — what Graham would call “explosive plays.” Penn Hills finished second in the AAAA Big East Conference to the state’s top team, Central Catholic, the only conference loss for Jones’ Indians.

Myles Hilliard — Defensive End — Bedford (OH)

Hilliard’s Bedford Bearcats dropped another game and will not participate in the playoffs this season. In the Bearcats’ 40-27 loss, Hilliard had six tackles and two forced fumbles. The future Panther’s final high school season came to a close with 61 tackles, 13 sacks and 10 tackles for a loss.