The 2002 Pitt football season has even started and already there is talk about next year –… The 2002 Pitt football season has even started and already there is talk about next year — or at least about who might be wearing a Panther uniform.

The Panthers already have 11 high school players who have given verbal commitments for the incoming class of 2003 and a number more who have shown an interest in Pitt.

Nate Robinson, a defensive tackle from Irvington, N.J., has been offered a scholarship by Pitt but is still considering nine schools, the others being Miami, Rutgers, Virginia Tech, Michigan State, North Carolina, Maryland, Tennessee and Kansas State.

“Pittsburgh’s pretty good, they have a good reputation and I like the coach recruiting me,” Robinson told Mike Bakas of InsidePitt.com. “They were one of the first schools to offer and they’re also a place I’ll probably check out.”

Oscar Walker, a 6-foot-3-inch, 200-pound player out of Naples, Fla., is one of the top running backs in south Florida, but has been projected as a wide receiver at the collegiate level. Walker, who has received numerous recruiting calls, is waiting on scholarship offers.

“I’d say my top five would be Wisconsin, Pittsburgh, Rutgers, Tennessee and Central Florida,” Walker said.

Walker has, however, mentioned Pitt and Rutgers as his top choices.

“They’re both really good schools,” he said. “They’re up and coming programs and I’m definitely interested in both of them. I just want a chance so hopefully they’ll give me one.”

Craig McGruder, a 6-foot-2-inch, 205-pound safety, is another player who includes Pitt in his top two. McGruder spent the summer at camps at Ohio State and Kent State and has a top five list of Syracuse, Pitt, Ohio State, Marshall and Indiana.

But when he narrows it down, he likes the schools from the Big East best.

“At Pittsburgh, I really like coach Walt Harris. He’s done a nice job turning the program around,” McGruder said. “Syracuse and Pittsburgh are two of the schools I’ll probably take visits to later in the year.”

McGruder is still waiting on scholarship offers.

Wide receiver Micah Rucker from Estero, Fla., is 6 feet 6 inches, 195 pounds and coming off an impressive off-season that included a standout Nike Camp performance and a strong showing at Bishop ‘ Dullighan’s Skills Camp. Rucker, who has a 2.8 GPA and 810 SAT score, has five scholarship offers from Pitt, Michigan State, Wake Forest, South Carolina and Clemson.

But as with a number of other recruits, Pitt is a favorite.

“Michigan and Pittsburgh are my top two,” Rucker said. “Pittsburgh has a real nice facility that they share with the Steelers, plus they have a good coach and good tradition. I’ll take some trips and then make a decision after the season.”

Vaughn Rivers, a 5-foot-9-inch, 170-pound wide receiver and defensive back from Pittsburgh’s Perry High School, has been offered a scholarship by West Virginia but has not verbally committed.

Rivers was an All-City pick last season as a junior when he caught 12 touchdowns on offense and made 10 interceptions on defense. He also punts and could play on either side of the ball in college.

“My top five would be Penn State, West Virginia, Pittsburgh, Virginia Tech and Syracuse,” Rivers said. “West Virginia has offered and the others have talked about it.”

Jerome Springfield, an offensive tackle out of Lehigh, Fla., had an impressive off-season with strong showings at the Nike Camp and Down ‘ Dirty Lineman Camp. The 6-foot-8-inch, 320-pound Springfield is ready for the season after working hard over the summer.

“I talked to some coaches in the spring and I think they can start calling again next week,” Springfield said. “They all say they’re going to watch my first two games and then offer me.”

Springfield’s choices include Clemson, Florida State, Memphis and Pitt, and he talked about the Panthers.

“They are talking to me and [teammate] Mario [Henderson],” he said. “I don’t know much about them except it seems like a good school. I’ll probably take a visit there.”