This is just my opinion, and I admit I am judging these players based on only their play at Pitt, but I believe a few can make a NFL Roster even if they do not get drafted! A Sports Lawyer that played in the NFL and represented many Athletes once told me, the fastest, biggest, and most talented player does not always play in the NFL......the smartest play, that makes the least mistakes. Pitt has always produced both smart and talented players. So has Penn State. Pitt should have about 8 Candidates to try and make a NFL Roster. Pitt had one of the youngest Teams in College this year and the Coaching Changes caused many Recruits to Decommit each year.
TJ Clemming is a given 1st or 2nd Round Draft Pick but it gets slim after that for Pitt!
Matt Rotheram could be a sleeper & is coming out the right time since this a year of Offensive Lineman being needed and not that many in this Draft. At 6-6 & 335 and from Hoyer's North Olmsted High School, I think he will make a NFL Roster. Matt has shown signs of being able to do the job since he was second team All-ACC and ACC Offensive Lineman of the Week, but he will need to do that every week in the NFL. Yet, he played all 4 years at Pitt going the building and re-building and coaching changes and Multi-Offensive Systems and will make a NFL team in my opinion.
Todd Thomas at 6-2 & 205 was a Top 100 Recruit when he chose Pitt but needed time to adapt to all the coaching changes and was in Chryst Dog house for a while, but he grew up, stuck with Pitt, and has the talent to make an NFL Roster. Todd has played many positions at running back, wide receiver, defensive back and linebacker and comes from a family known for Football, Basketball and Track just like Todd. Todd has the nose for the ball and will make a great Special Team player and practice squad as he adapts to the speed and size of the NFL. I love Beaver County Players and many of them play or make the Roster from Pitt, Penn State and WVU! Todd has the smarts to play and I think he will be invited and will make a Practice Squad! At his size, he also could try out at Strong Safety but that would be a task to match!
Ray Vinopal laugh all you want but that is what many did when this Wolverine recruit transferred to become a Panther, but he got better every game. At 5-10 & 200 he comes from Cardinal Mooney and they teach great Football with an attitude just like at Aliquippa and Clariton! The Coaching connections alone can get ray a good look on any Roster in the NFL. Sometimes there comes a player that knows where to be and works hard to make a Team and that is Ray Vinopal. If he does not make a NFL Roster he could become a great Coach. He is very smart and studies the game and knows how to make himself and other better as players and was an ACC All-Academic Football Team Honoree. If he cannot be around the Ball he will be around team as a Coach!
Isaac Bennett has the heart and determination to play in the NFL and was patience all years at Pitt learning the game. However, how bad his knee Injury from the Pitt bowl Game will determine his status to make a NFL Roster. He is a superb blocker and could be a great slot Running back on Third Downs. At 5-10 & 210 with those tree trunk legs and speed with smarts can make a Practice Squad depending on his knee and keeping that exploding power running after catching a ball in the slot.
Anthony Gonzalez at 6-3 and 230 pounds this Honorable Mention All-ACC has the bulk to make a squad but the speed in the NFL is so important and there are many Players just as big or even faster. Yet, he did learn the position and started the last 2 seasons whether that translate to a making a NFL Roster is up to where he is invited and how he handles the competition with smarts over speed.
David Durham at 6-2 & 240 has speed but has to work on his quickness to make a NFL roster. He transferred from Ohio State to Pitt and played Fullback in High School so he has good abilities to move and could be a Linebacker in the NFL. Unless he decides to bulk up and seek to become a Nose Tackle but would be a stretch and time consuming change.
Manasseh Garner another Big Ten Transfer to Pitt from Wisconsin. The NFL Draft is full of Wide Receivers this year and they are new Running Backs to score. At 6-2 & 220 it will take a big effort to make a Roster at WR but his speed and hands could be adapted to Special Teams unless he chooses to develop as a Tight End or goes to Defense, depending what Team he signs with and the competition will be fierce, but he was a standout recruit and played his freshmen year at Wisconsin and came with to Pitt due to Chryst!
Kevin Weatherspoon at 5-10 & 175 he is a scrapper like all Players at Clariton, and was another recruit that experienced the coaching changes at Pitt. Comes from a Football Family whose Father and Uncles played at Pitt, Penn State. Undersized but fast shows his grit to learn and will need every part of that heart and smarts to make a Practice Squad starting on Special Teams!
Penn State will have a number of players signing with NFL teams and more than Pitt. Penn State Recruiting Summer Camps and Larger Roster (Until Sanction reduced Them For 2 Years) is simply a great advantage and will always put more Players into the NFL. I said, more, not necessarily better?
However, look for that to increase big time under Franklin that has done a great job in acquiring far more talent than Paterno or Sandusky ever did, and Coach Pat & Staff have their work cut out to make sure the recruits they take develop as he did for many at MSU!
Yet, beware Franklin is recruiting at the same rate and high caliber as Johnny Majors and Jackie Sherrill did in the 1980s’! This could be the “Golden Age Of Penn State Talent To The NFL”, as Franklin continues to rebuild the Penn State Program.
At the same time, Pitt might have found its Joe Paterno in Pat Narduzzi that can recruit anyone and develop them into great Players & Good Teams, and stays a long time at Pitt! We shall see?
However, I see WVU’s Holgrosen having to win 9 to 10 games this year or maybe replaced and Coach Rod may consider going back to WVU?
WVU Holgrosen will have about 6 to 8 players due to having to dump some Fifth Year Players due to his over recruiting this year?
TJ Clemming is a given 1st or 2nd Round Draft Pick but it gets slim after that for Pitt!
Matt Rotheram could be a sleeper & is coming out the right time since this a year of Offensive Lineman being needed and not that many in this Draft. At 6-6 & 335 and from Hoyer's North Olmsted High School, I think he will make a NFL Roster. Matt has shown signs of being able to do the job since he was second team All-ACC and ACC Offensive Lineman of the Week, but he will need to do that every week in the NFL. Yet, he played all 4 years at Pitt going the building and re-building and coaching changes and Multi-Offensive Systems and will make a NFL team in my opinion.
Todd Thomas at 6-2 & 205 was a Top 100 Recruit when he chose Pitt but needed time to adapt to all the coaching changes and was in Chryst Dog house for a while, but he grew up, stuck with Pitt, and has the talent to make an NFL Roster. Todd has played many positions at running back, wide receiver, defensive back and linebacker and comes from a family known for Football, Basketball and Track just like Todd. Todd has the nose for the ball and will make a great Special Team player and practice squad as he adapts to the speed and size of the NFL. I love Beaver County Players and many of them play or make the Roster from Pitt, Penn State and WVU! Todd has the smarts to play and I think he will be invited and will make a Practice Squad! At his size, he also could try out at Strong Safety but that would be a task to match!
Ray Vinopal laugh all you want but that is what many did when this Wolverine recruit transferred to become a Panther, but he got better every game. At 5-10 & 200 he comes from Cardinal Mooney and they teach great Football with an attitude just like at Aliquippa and Clariton! The Coaching connections alone can get ray a good look on any Roster in the NFL. Sometimes there comes a player that knows where to be and works hard to make a Team and that is Ray Vinopal. If he does not make a NFL Roster he could become a great Coach. He is very smart and studies the game and knows how to make himself and other better as players and was an ACC All-Academic Football Team Honoree. If he cannot be around the Ball he will be around team as a Coach!
Isaac Bennett has the heart and determination to play in the NFL and was patience all years at Pitt learning the game. However, how bad his knee Injury from the Pitt bowl Game will determine his status to make a NFL Roster. He is a superb blocker and could be a great slot Running back on Third Downs. At 5-10 & 210 with those tree trunk legs and speed with smarts can make a Practice Squad depending on his knee and keeping that exploding power running after catching a ball in the slot.
Anthony Gonzalez at 6-3 and 230 pounds this Honorable Mention All-ACC has the bulk to make a squad but the speed in the NFL is so important and there are many Players just as big or even faster. Yet, he did learn the position and started the last 2 seasons whether that translate to a making a NFL Roster is up to where he is invited and how he handles the competition with smarts over speed.
David Durham at 6-2 & 240 has speed but has to work on his quickness to make a NFL roster. He transferred from Ohio State to Pitt and played Fullback in High School so he has good abilities to move and could be a Linebacker in the NFL. Unless he decides to bulk up and seek to become a Nose Tackle but would be a stretch and time consuming change.
Manasseh Garner another Big Ten Transfer to Pitt from Wisconsin. The NFL Draft is full of Wide Receivers this year and they are new Running Backs to score. At 6-2 & 220 it will take a big effort to make a Roster at WR but his speed and hands could be adapted to Special Teams unless he chooses to develop as a Tight End or goes to Defense, depending what Team he signs with and the competition will be fierce, but he was a standout recruit and played his freshmen year at Wisconsin and came with to Pitt due to Chryst!
Kevin Weatherspoon at 5-10 & 175 he is a scrapper like all Players at Clariton, and was another recruit that experienced the coaching changes at Pitt. Comes from a Football Family whose Father and Uncles played at Pitt, Penn State. Undersized but fast shows his grit to learn and will need every part of that heart and smarts to make a Practice Squad starting on Special Teams!
Penn State will have a number of players signing with NFL teams and more than Pitt. Penn State Recruiting Summer Camps and Larger Roster (Until Sanction reduced Them For 2 Years) is simply a great advantage and will always put more Players into the NFL. I said, more, not necessarily better?
However, look for that to increase big time under Franklin that has done a great job in acquiring far more talent than Paterno or Sandusky ever did, and Coach Pat & Staff have their work cut out to make sure the recruits they take develop as he did for many at MSU!
Yet, beware Franklin is recruiting at the same rate and high caliber as Johnny Majors and Jackie Sherrill did in the 1980s’! This could be the “Golden Age Of Penn State Talent To The NFL”, as Franklin continues to rebuild the Penn State Program.
At the same time, Pitt might have found its Joe Paterno in Pat Narduzzi that can recruit anyone and develop them into great Players & Good Teams, and stays a long time at Pitt! We shall see?
However, I see WVU’s Holgrosen having to win 9 to 10 games this year or maybe replaced and Coach Rod may consider going back to WVU?
WVU Holgrosen will have about 6 to 8 players due to having to dump some Fifth Year Players due to his over recruiting this year?
