Pitt football scores on signing day

Pitt Panther head coach Dave Wannstedt took the podium at Wednesday’s press conference on the… Pitt Panther head coach Dave Wannstedt took the podium at Wednesday’s press conference on the South Side to announce the 25 players that would be part of the Panthers’ 2006 recruiting class. He did so believing the process was a success.

“Recruiting comes down to believing in the product, and in this case we are talking about the University of Pittsburgh, the football program and where we are headed,” Wannstedt told a room full of reporters. “It’s the first time we have gone through from start to finish as a staff and I think this class will be a good foundation for the future.”

The Panthers bring in a class that has received national acclaim, ranked as high as one of the top-10 classes in the country by different scouting services. A total of 16 players were first team all-state during their time in high school, with 11 of those players coming from the state of Pennsylvania.

The Panthers landed two Pennsylvania players of the year, West Allegheny’s Dorin Dickerson, Duquesne’s Elijah Fields and three players among the Top-100 recruits by at least one scouting service, tight end Nate Byham, defensive lineman Jason Pinkston and Dickerson.

“Most of these players had a lot of places to go,” Wannstedt said. “Most of these players chose the University of Pittsburgh because they expect to win and they expect to be the very best.”

It is also apparent that the Panthers have reestablished their presence in the state of Pennsylvania, specifically the western part of the state. When Wannstedt first took over the head coach position, he emphasized protecting the Panthers’ own backyard in terms of recruiting, and this year’s class fit the mold. The Panthers landed 14 recruits from the Keystone state, including 10 from the western side.

However, Wannstedt emphasized that this was a particularly good year in Pennsylvania, and to keep in the mind the Panthers will not burn their bridges in other recruiting spots like the state of Florida.

“If the state of Pennsylvania has as good of football players year in and year out as they were this year, we are going to spend our time here,” Wannstedt said. “I have said it from the beginning, we have to protect our turf and we are going to do everything we can in our own backyard.”

The gem of the class is without a doubt Dickerson, who comes to the Panthers as a multi-talented athlete who can play many positions, but will most likely settle into a spot at wide receiver and could be expected to start come August. A consensus top-100 recruit across the country, Dickerson scored 36 touchdowns his senior year, rushing for more than 1,400 yards, catching 22 passes as a receiver and intercepting four passes as a defensive back.

Dickerson was named a U.S. Army All-American and was selected to play in the All-American bowl, a showcase game that features the nation’s top 78 high school seniors. With a thinning depth chart at the receiver position, Wannstedt believes Dickerson could contribute to the Panthers immediately.

“These young kids are going to have a chance to get in there and compete early,” Wannstedt said.

The other prizes of the class include Byham, Pinkston and Fields. Byham was ranked the nation’s number one tight end by Scout.com, and, like Dickerson, was selected to play in the All-American Bowl. As a senior, Byham finished with 67 catches for more than 1,200 yards and 21 touchdowns, but also intercepted eight passes as a cornerback and took three of those interceptions back for touchdowns.

As a senior at Wannstedt’s alma mater, Baldwin High School, Pinkston was possibly the most dominant lineman in the state. As a senior, he tallied 80 tackles, eight tackles for loss, five fumble recoveries and two sacks. For his efforts, Pinkston was named to the Pennsylvania Class AAAA first team.

Built from the same mold as Dickerson, Fields comes to the Panthers as a dynamic wide receiver and cornerback who averaged 18.5 yards every time he touched the football. As a senior he scored 31 touchdowns and accumulated for more than 2,000 all-purpose yards.

In total, the Panthers signed seven defensive lineman, one running back, four offensive lineman, three linebackers, three wide receivers, four defensive backs, two quarterbacks and a tight end. The Panthers landed four players from Florida and two all-state performers from both Ohio and New York.

The rest, if any, is short-lived for Wannstedt, as he pointed out he is already targeting recruits for 2007.

“Next year’s recruiting starts today.”