Although it is coming off a 5-6 season, the Pitt football team has a lot to look forward to… Although it is coming off a 5-6 season, the Pitt football team has a lot to look forward to for the upcoming fall.

Highlighting the optimism are the pre-season NationalChamps.net All-American picks of H.B. Blades and Darrelle Revis.

Blades, a senior linebacker from Plantation, Fla., was picked for the first team as he tallied 121 tackles to his credit last season.

The son of former NFL safety Bennie Blades ranked third in the nation last year with 11 tackles per game, after netting 108 tackles in 2004.

Blades scored his first career touchdown on a 38-yard interception return vs. Syracuse last season.

Blades is also a Lombardi Award candidate for 2006, which is awarded annually to the best defensive lineman.

Revis was picked as a third-team All-American for next fall.

The junior cornerback had four interceptions last year, which earned him first-team All-Big East.

In addition, he led the conference with an 11.6-yard punt-return average and had 324 total punt-return yards, including a 79-yard touchdown against Cincinnati.

The Alequippa native was named to the Big East All-American first team by The Sporting News as a freshman in 2004. That season, Revis recorded 49 tackles and picked off two passes.

Former wideout Greg Lee was the last Pitt player to be a pre-season All-American pick, being lauded by Lindy’s and The Sporting News last year.

Current Dallas Cowboys lineman Rob Petitti was named a preseason All-American by Street and Smith’s and Athlon Sports in 2004.

The last Panther to earn All-American honors for the season was Larry Fitzgerald, who was a unanimous first-team selection in 2003.

Blades and Revis will showcase their talent along with the rest of the Panthers in an open practice at their South Side facility on Thursday and at Heinz Field on Saturday in the Blue-Gold game.

The Blue-Gold scrimmage is set to start at 1 p.m. this Saturday while the open practice tomorrow will run from 1:45 to 5 p.m. at the UPMC South Side Sports Complex.