Rookie Donald one of three former Panthers to earn Pro Bowl invite

Three former University of Pittsburgh football players– Aaron Donald, LeSean McCoy and Darrelle Revis– were named to the 2015 Pro Bowl roster, according to an NFL announcement Tuesday night.

Donald, a rookie defensive tackle for the St. Louis Rams, earned his first Pro Bowl appearance. The 2014 first round pick currently leads all first-year NFL players in sacks and tackles for losses. He is considered a favorite for the league’s Defensive Rookie of the Year award, and is one of just three rookies to garner a Pro Bowl invitation this season. Donald, 23, played for Pitt from 2010-2013, winning four national awards and being selected as a unanimous All-American his senior year.

McCoy, the 26-year old running back for the Philadelphia Eagles, started the year slowly but surged late to compile his fourth 1000-yard season of his career. This is McCoy’s third Pro Bowl selection, also earning a trip in 2011 and 2013. McCoy played for the Panthers in 2007 and 2008, and was named the Big East Player of the Year in 2008 before being selected in the second round of the 2009 draft by Philadelphia. 

Revis’ selection was his sixth of his career, and his first as a member of the New England Patriots. Before signing with them in the offseason, the cornerback had previously made four Pro Bowls with the New York Jets and one with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. He has only surrendered two touchdown passes this entire season, and has made a habit of routinely shutting down opponent’s number one wide receivers. Revis, 30, played at Pitt from 2004-2006, earning first-team All-Big East honors twice en route to being selected in the first round by the New York Jets in 2007.

With the three former Panthers being selected, Pitt tied for the second-most selections of any college, trailing the University of Miami with four.

The 2015 Pro Bowl will take place on January 25^th in Glendale, Ariz. Kickoff is scheduled for 8 pm, and the game will be televised on ESPN.