It's paid content from ESPN+ - so i'll only post the list. lots of Pitt representation in the top 10....#10, #7 and #1 - see if you can guess before scrolling down the list
Surprisingly missing from the list is Larry Fitz
In the late 1970s and early 1980s, Pitt had as much elite and future pro talent as any roster in the country. Fralic still became an immediate standout, replacing All-American Mark May with almost no drop-off whatsoever. By the end of his college career, he was a two-time unanimous All-American and saw his No. 79 retired at Pitt, then he became a four-time Pro Bowler and a member of the NFL's all-1980s team.
Jimbo Covert ... Mark May ... Russ Grimm ... Rickey Jackson ... Pitt was blessed with some of the best line talent that college football has ever produced in this era, but Green still stood out immediately. The Natchez, Mississippi, native was two players at once: On one hand, he was an elite and speedy linebacker who made 92 tackles as a freshman, then averaged more than 120 over the rest of his career. On the other hand, he was the best defensive end in the sport, credited with 12 sacks, 5 forced fumbles and 21 quarterback hurries as a freshman, then replicating that for each of the next three seasons (four-year average: 13.3 sacks, 19 hurries). Linebackers weren't supposed to be this dangerous, and defensive ends weren't supposed to be this ridiculously fast.
Green was a second-team All-American in his first year, and honestly that might have been an injustice. But voters made up for it, naming him a consensus first-teamer for each of the next three seasons.
Surprisingly missing from the list is Larry Fitz
50. LB/RB Myles Jack, UCLA (2013)
49. OL Reggie Green, Florida (1992)
48. WR David Bell, Purdue (2019)
47. DE George Karlaftis, Purdue (2019)
46. S LaRon Landry, LSU (2003)
45. RB Todd Gurley, Georgia (2012)
44. OL Brad Budde, USC (1976)
43. RB Jamal Lewis, Tennessee (1997)
42. OL Jonah Williams, Alabama (2016)
41. QB Chad Henne, Michigan (2004)
40. DT William Perry, Clemson (1981)
39. QB Robert Griffin III, Baylor (2008)
38. RB Maurice Clarett, Ohio State (2002
37. LB Randall Godfrey, Georgia (1992)
36. DE Ross Browner, Notre Dame (1973)
35. LB Ahmad Brooks, Virginia (2003)
34. CB Charles Woodson, Michigan (1995)
33. DE Derek Barnett, Tennessee (2014)
32. QB Sam Howell, North Carolina (2019)
31. WR Rondale Moore, Purdue (2018)
30. DE Simeon Rice, Illinois (1992)
29. S Tracy Saul, Texas Tech (1989)
28. LB Woodrow Lowe, Alabama (1972)
27. CB Kendall Fuller, Virginia Tech (2013)
26. RB Samaje Perine, Oklahoma (2014)
25. LB Marvin Jones, Florida State (1990)
24. WR Mike Williams, USC (2002)
23. RB Marshall Faulk, San Diego State (1991)
22. CB Ricky Manning, UCLA (1999)
21. OL Cam Robinson, Alabama (2014)
20. QB Jamelle Holieway, Oklahoma (1985)
19. S Robert O'Neal, Clemson (1989)
18. DT Ed Oliver, Houston (2016)
17. RB Jonathan Taylor, Wisconsin (2017)
16. LB Anthony Simmons, Clemson (1995)
15. S Kenny Easley, UCLA (1977)
14. QB Philip Rivers, NC State (2000)
13. DT Tommie Harris, Oklahoma (2001)
12. CB Derek Stingley Jr., LSU (2019)
11. QB Jalen Hurts, Alabama (2016)
10. OL Bill Fralic, Pitt (1981)
In the late 1970s and early 1980s, Pitt had as much elite and future pro talent as any roster in the country. Fralic still became an immediate standout, replacing All-American Mark May with almost no drop-off whatsoever. By the end of his college career, he was a two-time unanimous All-American and saw his No. 79 retired at Pitt, then he became a four-time Pro Bowler and a member of the NFL's all-1980s team.
9. RB Adrian Peterson, Oklahoma (2004)
8. LB Luke Kuechly, Boston College (2009)
7. RB Tony Dorsett, Pitt (1973)
Freshmen didn't get too many chances to stand out during that initial 1972 season. Then came Dorsett. The pride of Aliquippa, Pennsylvania, exploded for 1,686 yards and 13 touchdowns as the Panthers jumped from 1-10 to 6-5-1 in Johnny Majors' first year in charge. By 1976, Dorsett was rushing for more than 2,000 yards and carrying Pitt to the national title. He rushed for 6,526 yards in college, then went for 12,739 yards in the pros. He was an all-time great, and it started the moment he set foot on campus.6. LB Andy Katzenmoyer, Ohio State (1996)
5. RB Ron Dayne, Wisconsin (1996)
4. QB Trevor Lawrence, Clemson (2018)
3. OL Orlando Pace, Ohio State (1994)
2. RB Herschel Walker, Georgia (1980)
1. DE Hugh Green, Pitt (1977)
Jimbo Covert ... Mark May ... Russ Grimm ... Rickey Jackson ... Pitt was blessed with some of the best line talent that college football has ever produced in this era, but Green still stood out immediately. The Natchez, Mississippi, native was two players at once: On one hand, he was an elite and speedy linebacker who made 92 tackles as a freshman, then averaged more than 120 over the rest of his career. On the other hand, he was the best defensive end in the sport, credited with 12 sacks, 5 forced fumbles and 21 quarterback hurries as a freshman, then replicating that for each of the next three seasons (four-year average: 13.3 sacks, 19 hurries). Linebackers weren't supposed to be this dangerous, and defensive ends weren't supposed to be this ridiculously fast.
Green was a second-team All-American in his first year, and honestly that might have been an injustice. But voters made up for it, naming him a consensus first-teamer for each of the next three seasons.
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