Panthers unveil 2003 recruiting class

After sweating out a few last-minute commitments during the last couple of days, the Pitt… After sweating out a few last-minute commitments during the last couple of days, the Pitt football team announced its signing of the 25-member recruiting class of 2003 on Wednesday.

“It was a tough recruiting year but we feel very excited about the young men that we have,” Pitt head coach Walt Harris said. “We feel like we have a lot of very good athletes and we’re excited to finally get the letters from these guys.

The Panthers landed two Florida all-state linebackers, H.B. Blades and Clint Session, after their prior verbal commitments were wavering. Blades, who is 5-foot, 11-inches and 244 pounds, was a four-year starter at Plantation High School, where he led his team to an undefeated regular season (10-0) this year. He was rated Florida’s No. 35 prospect by SuperPrep and registered 148 tackles, five forced fumbles, three interceptions and three quarterback sacks this season as a senior.

Blades comes from a football family with ties to the University of Miami, as his father Bennie and uncles Al and Brian all played there, but Harris feels that may be part of the reason Blades decided not to commit to the Hurricanes.

“I think H.B. wants to make his own name, so from what I understand, H.B. was leaving,” Harris said. “He was leaving the state of Florida and was going to make his own mark.”

Session, a 5-foot, 11-inch linebacker from Pompano Beach, Fla., compiled 138 tackles, seven sacks and 11 fumble recoveries this season and was named to PrepStar’s All-Southeast Region team. He led his team to a 36-5 record during his three years as a starter, advancing to the state playoffs each season.

The Panthers signed four Pennsylvania prospects, led by running back Windell Brown of Duquesne High School. He averaged 9.4 yards per carry this season, rushing for 2,008 yards and 28 touchdowns on 213 carries. He received numerous accolades from Pittsburgh newspapers and was named Pennsylvania’s No. 23 prospect by SuperPrep.

As a three-year starter for Duquesne, Brown showed his versatility by playing cornerback, tailback and wing back and scoring 41 total touchdowns. He picked up nine interceptions, three of which were returned for touchdowns, and averaged 36.7 yards per scoring play.

“Windell Brown is a very talented football player and he could probably play about three spots in this program,” Harris said. “We’re excited to have as versatile and athletic a guy as he is.”

Also from Pennsylvania are linebacker Chris McKillop from Kiski Area High School, fullback Mark Yezovich from Woodland Hills High School and defensive end Kyle Smith from Harbor Creek High School. McKillop, who played in only five games this year after suffering a season-ending ankle injury, picked up 56 tackles, two interceptions and a blocked field goal as a linebacker. He also played fullback, where he rushed for 181 yards and five touchdowns. SuperPrep rated McKillop as Pennsylvania’s No. 17 prospect and PrepStar named him to its All-East Region team.

Yezovich rushed for 596 yards and nine touchdowns on 109 carries this season to help lead Woodland Hills to a 13-1 record. He was rated Pennsylvania’s No. 30 prospect by SuperPrep and joins former Woodland Hills players William “Tutu” Ferguson, Shawntae Spencer, Lousaka Polite and Tyre Young on the current Panther roster.

Smith, a 6-foot-5, 240 pound defensive end from Erie recorded 61 tackles, seven sacks, 12 tackles for losses and two fumble recoveries during his senior season. He helped lead his team to three Erie County League championships and was named the No. 18 prospect in the state by SuperPrep.

“Our goal is always to recruit your home area first and foremost,” Harris said. “Western Pennsylvania is where we try to make it happen and we’re excited to get four young men from that area.”

The Panthers signed nine players from Ohio, headlined by three all-state selections: defensive back Mike Phillips, offensive lineman Zach Slates and offensive lineman Chris Vangas. Phillips, from Warren, Ohio, was a three-year starter playing cornerback and quarterback. This past season he had four interceptions, 15 pass breakups, 30 tackles, two fumble recoveries and a forced fumble to help lead Warren Harding High to a 14-1 record and the state title game. He was named one of the top 60 prospects in the Midwest by SuperPrep.

Slates, a 6-foot-2, 325-pound offensive lineman from Massillon, Ohio, helped lead his team to a 10-2 record this past season, advancing to the state regional finals. He was named first team all-Ohio both his junior and senior years and was named to both the SuperPrep and PrepStar All-Midwest teams. Chris Vangas, a 6-foot-2, 300-pound offensive lineman from Dayton, Ohio, led Chaminade-Julienne High to the 2002 Ohio Division II championship and a 14-1 record. He was a three-year starter at center and as also named to both the SuperPrep and PrepStar All-Midwest teams. Overall, Pitt signed five offensive linemen, all from Ohio.

“I like the fact that the five guys that we’ve got are all from Ohio,” Harris said. “It adds a little camaraderie amongst those guys.”

The Panthers also signed Terrell Allen, the No. 7 prospect from South Carolina according to SuperPrep. Allen, a 6-foot, 185-pound wide receiver, had 52 receptions for 811 yards this season and was named the nation’s No. 30 receiving prospect by TheInsiders.com. He was also named first team All-South Carolina and was a SuperPrep All-American.

Overall, the Panthers signed five linebackers, five offensive linemen, four receivers, four defensive backs, two defensive ends, two fullbacks, one running back, one quarterback and one punter. Geographically, the class consists of nine players from Ohio, six from Florida, four from Pennsylvania, and one player from each of the following states: New Jersey, Texas, Maryland, Virginia, South Carolina and Rhode Island.