A quick look at the Pitt 2012 recruiting class

Hopewell RB Rushel Shell

Today is National Letter of Intent Day in America, a fun day for football fans of every high school and college program in the country.  Locally, the WPIAL has consistently placed a number of student-athletes into major college programs each year, and 2012 is no exception. 

The University of Pittsburgh football program has gone through some very publicized growing pains over the past year, culminating with former coach Todd Graham abandoning his job to take the Arizona State gig and new coach Paul Chryst making his way from Wisconsin to take over a program that needs some TLC.  In the meantime, Pitt has made a solid attempt at keeping a nice recruiting class together despite the confusion.  Today, fans got a look at the next wave of Pitt football stars via all sorts of media outlets, including Facebook and Twitter.  It was by far the most interactive NLI day in the history of college football.

A quick look at the Pitt recruiting class of 2012, by order of letter arrival at the Pitt offices today.

7:01 a.m.	Chad Voytik	QB	6-0	185	Cleveland, Tennessee	Cleveland High School
7:19 a.m.	Adam Bisnowaty	OL	6-6	275	Cheswick, Pennsylvania	Fox Chapel
7:50 a.m.	Devon Porchia	LB	6-2	200	Parkville, Maryland	Gilman School
8:00 a.m.	Chris Davis	WR	5-9	185	Austintown, Ohio	Austintown Fitch
8:00 a.m.	Demitrious Davis	WR	5-10	185	Austintown, Ohio	Austintown Fitch
8:18 a.m.	J.P. Holtz	TE	6-4	230	Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania	Shaler Area
8:26 a.m.	Darryl Render	DL	6-2	255	Brook Park, Ohio	St. Edward
8:56 a.m.	Deasyean Rippy	S	6-2	200	McKees Rocks, Pa.	Sto-Rox
9:00 a.m.	Rushel Shell	RB	6-0	210	Aliquippa, Pennsylvania	Hopewell
9:09 a.m.	Gabe Roberts	OL	6-5	295	New London, Wisconsin	New London
9:11 a.m.	Bam Bradley	S	6-2	200	Trotwood, Ohio	Trotwood-Madison
9:17 a.m.	Jahmahl Pardner	DB	5-11	170	Rochester, New York	Aquinas Institute
9:48 a.m.	Mike Caprara	LB	6-0	205	Turtle Creek, Pennsylvania	Woodland Hills
10:33 a.m.	Trenton Coles	DB	6-3	175	Clairton, Pennsylvania	Clairton
10:45 a.m.	Terrell Jackson	DL	6-3	285	Columbus, Ohio	Marion-Franklin
11:50 a.m.	Ryan Lewis	DB	6-0	185	Sammamish, Washington	Eastlake

Pitt recruit QB Chad Voytik of Cleveland, Tennessee

Right off the bat, Chad Voytik and Rushel Shell stand out as the cornerstones of the class, with Bisnowaty and Sto-Rox LB/S Deasyean Rippy as the next level of recruits.  All in all, Pitt scored a pretty nice class considering the obstacles the school had to overcome this past year.  With the addition of Shell to a rushing unit that should include a healthy Ray Graham next season, Coach Paul Chryst should have a solid ground game to build his offense around.

Congrats to Pitt on their class and the bright future that appears to be materializing under Coach Paul Chryst!