Panthers luring top talent on field, court

Bearing in mind LeSean McCoy, Jonathan Baldwin and DeJuan Blair, the Pitt Panthers have not had… Bearing in mind LeSean McCoy, Jonathan Baldwin and DeJuan Blair, the Pitt Panthers have not had trouble adding quality players to the school. With 11 football and four basketball players already committed, Pitt is adding even more talent for 2009. Defensive end Jack Lippert and running back Raymond Graham highlight the football class. The 6-foot-3-inch, 245-pound Lippert chose the Panthers over Boston College in late June. Rivals.com rated him as the seventh best defensive end in the nation and one of the top 10 players in Pennsylvania. Scouts like Lippert’s ability to shed blocks while defending against the run, and they also like that he outworks many of his opponents. Coupled with his technique and athleticism, Lippert could become a big part of the Panther defense in the coming seasons. On the other side of the ball, coach Dave Wannstedt will be adding a solid running back in Raymond Graham.’ Also rated in the Pennsylvania top 10 by rivals.com, Graham picked the Panthers over Maryland and Connecticut.’ Graham uses solid speed and vision to attack the defense, and his compact frame allows for powerful finishes to runs. Last year, he averaged more than 175 yards per game until he suffered a broken collarbone that ended his season.’ Of the other nine players joining Lippert and Graham, five will be linemen. Tyrone Ezell could become a defensive end or tackle, depending on how much he builds on his 6-foot-4-inch, 250-pound frame. Cory King is the largest player that Pitt has added, at 6 feet 5 inches and 300 pounds. He will likely become a guard along the offensive line. Locally, Aliquippa standout Juantez Hollins will join an already dominant western Pennsylvania presence in the Panthers’ locker room. In basketball, coach Jamie Dixon landed one of the top 20 players in the country with Dante Taylor. The 6-foot-9-inch, 230-pound power forward may become Pitt’s first McDonald’s All-American player since Bobby Martin and Brian Shorter in 1987. Pitt’s style of play interested and attracted Taylor. He noted Pitt’s tendency to feed the post and liked that the guards push the ball. But what brought Taylor to the program was Pitt’s early interest in him, especially from assistant coach Tom Herrion, who recruited him. Taylor will likely start at power forward after Sam Young graduates next year. He brings a physical presence to the Panthers’ lineup and has a very polished offensive game for his size. The only downside is that he might be talented enough to enter the NBA Draft after his freshman or sophomore year. Joining Taylor will be three other forwards. Lamar Patterson is a 6-foot-5-inch, 220-pound small forward from St. Benedict’s Prep in New Jersey. Power forwards J.J. Richardson and Talib Zanna will give Pitt depth in its frontcourt. Zanna announced his commitment last weekend. Unfortunately for Pitt, Darnell Dodson will not be a part of the 2009 class. Dodson enrolled at Pitt in the summer of 2007, but officials deemed him academically ineligible. He attended Miami-Dade Junior College with the intention to enroll at Pitt again in 2009.’ Because of a Big East conference rule, Dodson will not be back this year. The rule states that any non-qualifier who enrolls at a Big East school cannot enroll again after attending a two-year institution. As a result, Dodson will not be allowed to attend any Big East school. He will have to complete his second season at Miami-Dade and attend another Division I program. At that point, Dodson will have three years of eligibility remaining.