in Pitt Football 614 Words

Draft Day Open Thread

Questions to ponder on NFL Draft Day:

  1.  How many Panthers will be drafted?
  2. Who goes first, Ollison or Hall?
  3. Does George Aston get drafted?
  4. Of all the Panthers eligible to be drafter or signed as a FA, who has the most NFL upside?
  5. Do the Steelers grab a Panther this year?
  6. Who is your sleeper pick to get drafted?

Here is a list of all Pitt’s Draft-Eligible Players:

  • WR – Rafael Araujo-Lopes
  • FB – George Aston
  • OL – Alex Bookser
  • EDGE – James Folston
  • RB – Darrin Hall
  • DL – Dewayne Hendrix
  • LB – Oluwaseun Idowu
  • WR? – Colin Jonov
  • RB – Qadree Ollison
  • DL – Shane Roy
  • LB – Quintin Wirginis
  • LB – Elijah Zeise

Thanks to Joe Lawrence for the content suggestion

Day 2 addendum.  I’ve been following the draft on cbssports.com (their live coverage is excellent by the way), and they have a nice little section about “best available” by position.  So of course I decided to check out Running Back.  What a freakin’ travesty.  Here are the questionable backs that cbssports lists above Hall and Ollison.

Ryquell Armstead – Temple – 181:

Armstead is an authoritative back who gets to top speed quickly but doesn’t have another gear in his arsenal to hit big-gainers. His feet are impressive at times. He’s not that elusive in space, and despite his powerful running style, he doesn’t bounce off many tackle attempts. — CT

10

210

1098

5.2

13

 

MM’s take – tell me how this is better than QO?  And yet her is Armstead, from TEMPLE, no less ranked at 181, while Ollison labors at 279.   Also, you know who does have another gear…Darrin Hall.  He’s ranked 449. smh.

Jalin Moore – App State – 209:

Decent bounce, but his vision is lacking. Above-average contact balance and leg churn through tackles. Wiggle dissipates as he gets further away from the line of scrimmage, and his long speed is a major concern. Hard-nosed runner who could carve out a role as a RB3 in the NFL. — CT

5

63

400

6.3

6

 

MM’s take – so here is a guy that got hurt, can’t find the hole and isn’t fast.  Correct me if I’m wrong but Ollison and Hall both ran in the 4.5 range and are pretty damn good at hitting the hole.  Also durable as heck.  Just sayin’

LJ Scott – Mich State – 192

Rare flashes of impressive feet for a bigger back his size. Vision isn’t great but didn’t have much room to run late in his long college career. Decently powerful but not as powerful as you’d expect at his size. — CT

5

79

264

3.3

0

MM’s take – You know who are as powerful as you’d expect at their size?  Qadree Ollison and Darrin Hall.  Good job ranking this dude above them.  And good job blaming his  3.3 YPC on the offensive line.

 

Nick Brosette – LSU – 268

Powerful but strictly linear runner. Lacks contact balance, shiftiness, and vision needed to be a consistent contributor at the next level. — CT

13

240

1039

4.3

14

 

MM’s take – Yup, seems like a guy I’d draft ahead of the guy who did this:

 

Annnd just in case you hadn’t scouted the two most underrated backs in the class:

 

Qadree Ollision – Pitt – 279

Ollison is a tall, zone-blocking back with good one-cut ability for his size and above-average ankle flexion that allows him to hit those cutback lanes he sees. There’s some power and contact balance to his game too but stiffness in his hips. — CT

14

194

1213

6.3

11

Darrin Hall – Pitt – 449 (449 is some bulls***)

No analysis available

14

153

1144

7.5 – HIGHER THAN ANYBODY ELSE ON THIS PAGE

10

 

Hail to Pitt

Michaelangelo Monteleone

109 thoughts on “Draft Day Open Thread”

  2. How many Panthers will be drafted? Hall and RAL
    Who goes first, Ollison or Hall? Hall
    Does George Aston get drafted? No
    Of all the Panthers eligible to be drafter or signed as a FA, who has the most NFL upside? Hall
    Do the Steelers grab a Panther this year? No (yes, if you can’t UDFA)

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  3. MM – I think my response answers that in question one … RAL … as I don’t expect many to think he’ll be off the board before Ollison or Aston.

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  4. Very little buzz but you have to think Bookser gets drafted in the 6th or 7th as a guard

    Liked by 1 person

  5. I think my sleeper pick would actually be that no one gets drafted. Hall and Ollison are both looked as very late picks. Fullbacks don’t get drafted often and Aston is a fringe top 5 at the position. RAL could get drafted because he can play special teams and add depth to WR but hardly a guarantee.

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    1. Hah. Interesting. What does that say about the team and / or the coastal that the champs may have no draft picks. The combine means nothing but the fact that ollison punched above his perceived weight means everything. I’d be very surprised if he doesn’t get picked late. Hall is getting no love so might not get picked up, but he’ll be in somebody’s training camp. Aston too. RAL a wild card for sure. My super dark horse is James Folston. Here is a guy that did little on the field but has some good measurables. Does somebody take a late round flyer on him at rush end or 3-4 OLB?

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      1. Hall essentially equalled Ollison’s production and crushed him on the measurable’s and is a more ideal size and weight for an NFL RB. Plus, he has better hands. I’d be surprised if Ollison goes first.

        Ollison (6’1″ 228 LBS)
        40 – 4.58
        Bench – 19 reps
        Vert – 29.5
        Broad – 114
        3 Cone – 7.53 … 7.13 at pro-day
        20 yard Shuttle – 4.31 … 4.25 at pro-day

        Hall 5’11” 217 LB
        40 – 4.52
        Bench – 27 reps
        Vert – 32
        Broad – 122
        3 Cone – 6.94
        20 yard Shuttle – 4.03

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        1. Additionally, Ollison was in the 35 percentile for SPARQ rating while Hall was in the 60 percentile.

          Hall also averaged 4.11 yards after contact, tied for 4th best in the country.

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        2. Hall is clearly more athletic and has a touch more speed – although electronic speeds at combine are almost always slower than hand-timed at pro day. The problem is that Hall can’t pass block. That’s a big issue in the NFL

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          1. He’s listed as a better pass blocker than Ollison. Ollison is the culprit who got Max Browne murdered. Anyone remember the Ollison phantom block from his freshmen year?

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            1. “Listed”. Lol where? Did you not watch the sun bowl? Ollison may have been a matador in his fresh to jr years but he was a brick wall in his senior. Hall’s blocking in El Paso was just that “el Paso!”

              Liked by 1 person

              1. Haha – Fair, but I can’t take bowl games seriously so that would not influence me. Hall was certainly not good. Ollison did improve but I can’t erase the phantom ND block and Max Browne wrecking. I may have a warped opinion. I can’t see Ollison having an NFL career though. I can see Hall.

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  7. PITT will have a player or two drafted but what does that say? They have a lot of returning starters on defense.

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  8. I read somewhere where if you consider the average number of seniors and early-leaving players in both D1 and D2, about 7% of eligible college players get drafted.

    So 93 out of a 100 seniors don’t get drafted by the NFL…

    Not very surprising that we won’t have but maybe one or two guys as late draft choices given our lack of high end recruits…

    I think Bookser gets picked — just aren’t that many guys his size…

    Go Pitt.

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  9. going for the trifecta here:

    )1 Three
    )2 Ollison
    )3 Yes
    )4 Hall
    )5 Yes and it’s Hall
    )6 Folston and Bookser were two great choices, mine, Georgie!

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  10. Ollison will be only one drafted in the 4th or 5th round … because in part of his special teams skills. In the NFL with its 47 man rosters, you need to be good on ST unless you are not 1st (and maybe 2nd) team.

    Hall, Herndon, Bookser, Dintino, Lopes, Hendrix and possibly Wirginis will be saigned as FAs

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    2. While I wish more would get drafted I just don’t see it happening :<( . I say one draft pick: Ollison.

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  11. and get this … the OSU QB is expected to go in the first round. This will mark the first time in 24 years when a Big 10 QB is drafted in the first round.

    This is why you cannot depend solely on overall rankings when you evaluate a defense or offense. The same pass defense can rate very high in the Big 10, yet look very poorly in the B12

    Liked by 1 person

  13. How many Panthers will be drafted?
    2 – Aston and Bookser
    Who goes first, Ollison or Hall?
    Neither get drafted.
    Does George Aston get drafted?
    Yes
    Of all the Panthers eligible to be drafter or signed as a FA, who has the most NFL upside?
    Aston on the right team. He got screwed his SR year by Watson’s offense.
    Do the Steelers grab a Panther this year?
    Nope
    Who is your sleeper pick to get drafted?
    Lopes

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    1. He’d be a good guy for some team to take a flyer on, for sure. He could contribute on special teams, at least.

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  16. Hall is probably not a good blocker out of the backfield but I think he’s getting a bum rap for getting pancaked and run over one time on national TV. I never noticed a big problem prior to that one play.

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  17. I dont see any drafted
    Bunch of free agents
    Some may land on a practice squad

    do they test these guys on the Wonderlick for coin toss?

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  18. It really doesn’t sound like PITT players are getting much respect for this draft. Could it be that there was some good coaching going on the southside last year?

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  19. There were several other senior O linemen not listed as draft eligible above. Can they sign as FAs?

    1) How many? One
    2) Hall
    3) Aston makes a team as a FA
    4) Most upside is Bookser
    5) Steelers won’t draft any Pitt guys but will take a FA or two from Pitt
    6) Lopes – can play slot for several teams as well as special teams

    I wouldn’t be surprised to see Idowu, Ziese and Hendrix be invited to camps and possibly make rosters for a year or two.

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  20. Ike, now you’re stretching it. I wonder how much Pitt helps with the exposure. You may recall there was some grumbling among NFL scouts about how welcome they were at Pitt. And yes, Watson probably cost Aston some big dollars due to the way he neglected using him this past year.

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  21. and with the 24th pick in the 2019 NFL Draft, the Oakland Raiders select Quadree Ollison from the University of Pittsburgh. Cause the Raiders gotta Raider.

    Liked by 1 person

    1. hah. I get an hour to myself each day between work, a three acre yard and two kids. I’ll spend it drinking yeungling and watching the picks trickle in, thank you very much.

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      1. Maestro, after I left pharmaceutical sales my buddy would take me to lunch with some other docs in his territory. He had to record all names so I became Dr Yuengling.

        Liked by 2 people

      2. I have much respect & admiration for you. Don’t know how you manage your time. I only get through the days & weeks by not doing the stuff I don’t like to do until I just plain have to. A cold yuengliing or four is my reward.

        Liked by 1 person

  24. The phantom block that got browne hurt was by the tight end transfer from buttgers-flanagan.

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    1. Iggles fan here, but Stillers are my backdoor team (Well them and the Falcons…) I agree, good move for them. Hope he dominates the middle for years to come.

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    1. Yea but threw for 1300 yards. Good thing Cutcliffe can’t coach defense.

      I think the giants reached but who the heck knows…

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  27. Hey yo everybody I updated the post and added some interesting running back commentary. Enjoy

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  28. Like

    1. Well maybe we should hire Kirk Ferentz. He’s a WPA guy. Actually I like the post. I believe in what duzz is doing and I think this year is the payoff year. Iowa bounces between 7-5 and 10-2. If Pitt can do that consistently that’s an upgrade and we’d be in the top third of college football. I’ll take that if it’s sustained

      Liked by 1 person

      1. Let’s also remember that there are usually not many 5 star or 4 star Te’s out of high school, so it makes sense that 2 three stars got drafted. Weird that it was in the first round however. Pro style offense put them in a good position for sure.

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  29. So, against Clemson’s Dline last season, our cobbled together Oline was going against three guys picked in the first 17 picks in the NFL draft…

    Think about that…

    And yet Watson had KP trying to pass our high-powered offense down the field with 50 seconds left in the half…

    Go Pitt.

    Liked by 1 person

  30. So the Ravens just took Marquise Brown, WR.

    What’s weird is he’s listed as 5’9” and 166 pounds.

    He’s supposed to be super fast. At that size, I’m thinking he better be…

    Go Pitt.

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  31. Major, CBS sports graded that pick an A.
    They gave the Stiller pick a B…said they gave up too much to get Bush.

    Liked by 1 person

    1. Agree with the “gave up too much” comment – a close friend who is a Michigan fan agrees as well.

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      2. They were just interviewing Dan Deirdorf on the radio. The old player turned announcer, who now is a color guy on Michigan’s radio broadcasts. He said Bush is the best player to come out of Michigan in the last 10 years.

        That sounds pretty promising…

        Go Pitt.

        Liked by 1 person

  35. As for those hometown Steelers… So DESPERATE to find the next nearest thing to Ryan Shazier.

    If it’s true that the Draft is won on Day 2, they just SURRENDERED this year and next to do it.

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    2. Day 2….well with the changes in how the draft is conducted, that old adage now actually now means Day 2 & 3 of the draft, POD. And if we go back a bit further to when that thought was born, rounds 1-3 were on Day 1.

      Steelers have 2 picks today – a high 3 (aka a low 2) and a mid 3.
      On Day 3, they have a mid fourth, a high fifth, and three in the round 6

      Im struggling to understand any logic behind “surrender”. Looks like they are in pretty good shape and one can argue that with 10 picks this year, it was an ideal time to make a move for a position of need.

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  36. Saw this on Rivals site:

    FIRST ROUND BY STARS (per 247Sports):

    5-stars: 8
    4-stars: 10
    3-stars: 10
    2-stars: 2
    Not Rated: 2

    So 18 four and 5-star players versus 14 three-star and lower players.

    Go Pitt.

    Liked by 2 people

    1. so 18 out of about 300 were 4 and 5’s…6%
      and 14 out of 10,000 were the rest…<1%

      the percentages are much higher with 4 and 5’s

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    2. MajorMajors, the star stats from rivals was just from last night I guess? I’d like to see the past ten year history and see if that stat is consistent throughout the past decade. and lol no, not asking you to look that up, jus saying. Meanwhile the first rd pick is a transfer, go figure. 😉

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  37. OK, I started this thing and didn’t get a chance to weigh in yesterday.

    Panthers drafted = 2

    Ollison gets drafted before Hall because of his blocking ability.
    Aston gets drafted in the 6th or 7th round. His blocking ability, tenacity and football sense attract someone.
    Most upside – Bookser
    Picked by the Steelers – not this year
    Sleeper pick – Araujo-Lopes

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  38. …and just a comment about Ollison and blocking. He’s in the draft discussion because Narduzzi made him improve his skill and reduced his playing time when he wasn’t doing it. Many questioned and some criticized Narduzzi for that, but that is exactly what he should be doing – getting a guy with potential ready for the next level.

    Cherrypick his misses all you want, but the lightbulb went on for him towards the end of his time at Pitt and he is still developing there.

    And with all due respect to Hall, Ollie is much better between the tackles in tight spaces.

    Liked by 2 people

  39. Lets all remember that Duke game at home last year when we couldn’t stop QB Daniel Jones from making plays. Sometimes its not as much about what Pitt couldn’t do, but rather that the other guy is pretty good.

    Giants took him at #6. Some say that was a reach. But we aren’t talking about a classic insane Raiders or Browns reach. The kid was going in the first round.

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    1. Yea I was wondering why they didn’t take Haskins at 6, but then i saw on Twitter Haskins was having a draft party and charging $50 to get in. Here is a guy that will be making $8M at signing charging ppl $50 to celebrate him making $8M at signing. I wouldn’t want him on my team either.

      Liked by 2 people

          1. Redskins hold most of their camp here in Richmond at a site the local govt set up for them and admission is free. Some years back, Danny Boy charged admission to practices at their facility in Sterling, VA, but learned he could not forbid scouts from other teams from attending and thus ended the practice. At least thats how I remember it. I may be off on the last point.

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    1. Hah. Nope. Not if he’s going to charge everyone in the locker room $50 to come to his house on the weekend. Obviously I’m spewing hyperbole now but locker room dynamics are a real thing. Also there was a really telling interiew with Haskins dad that was published recently. Sorry I just don’t do crazy and the apple doesn’t fall far from the tree…

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        2. Well technically I’d have to get Reed to charge you all $50 a month. I’m just a humble guest author. But you get the idea

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  43. more interesting thing from the recruiting scandal trial yesterday …. here’s an excerpt

    “Nike schools pay, too,” video wiretap catches former adidas and Nike employee Merl Code saying, according to CBS Sports’ Matt Norlander. “In some form or fashion, Duke, North Carolina, Syracuse, Kentucky and all of those schools are doing something to help their kids.”

    yes .. Duke too.

    https://www.msn.com/en-us/sports/ncaabk/recruitments-of-zion-williamson-marvin-bagley-discussed-on-wiretaps-as-federal-trial-continues/ar-BBWisFW?ocid=spartandhp

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    1. Hope Capel isn’t in trouble….that would figure though. Even when we don’t cheat we get screwed….

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    2. been saying that for years. that is why i keep wondering if our AD will let capel play the game! I hope so.

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  44. Here’s another name that’s out there, Dewayne Hendrix. He’s been much maligned since coming to PITT and I took a particular interest in him. He didn’t have many sacks but watching him on a game by game basis he always hustled, was in the backfield often and played his position like he was suppose to. Plus I understand he had a great Pro day workout for the scouts. I wouldn’t be surprised if he signs on as a free agent somewhere. Well to make more fun, I’m saying he will be signed.

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  45. Pro Scouts look at what players did against the stronger competition. Especially with RBs. So, if you look at the best rushing defenses we faced last year you can see that Ollison just wasn’t all that effective against them:

    Rushing Defenses ranked under #50 we faced:

    #36 ND 3.1 ypc / 1 TD

    #47 VA 3.4 ypc / 0 TD

    #42 Miami 3.1 ypc / 0 TD

    #4 Clemson 4.3 ypc / 1 TD

    #45 Stanford 4.6 ypc / 0 TD

    Against those better defenses Ollison was 50 carries for 181 yards @3.62 ypc and only 2 TDs. So not too surprising the scouts rated him pretty low.

    But really – where a kid goes in the draft has almost nothing to do with how well he played at Pitt. I think we all agree that Hall and Ollison saved our season with their rushing, don’t we?

    For that alone we think they were great Panthers.

    Liked by 2 people

    1. When you have absolutely no balance with the pass, the 4.3 and 4.6 of Clemson and Stanford respectively look great to me.

      I think Ollison has a shot at a decent short run with some NFL team if the fit is right. I have always thought more of him than Hall, who surprised me with his measurables. Both accomplishing what they did with zero need for the defense to defend the pass was amazing.

      Liked by 1 person

  46. In those instances against the BETTER defenses, was it Ollison or the Offensive Line?

    Of course, this is not considering Hall’s “Lottery Winning” night against Virginia.

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    1. I was there. Ollision had to sit out most of the game with an injury. Hall though did have a nice evening against what was one of UVA’s better D’s in recent years.

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  49. Saw Ollison run against Syracuse and Virginia Tech. He was a man against boys on those days, especially that spectacular 90-plus yard run against VT. Record-setting run for Pitt? I thought he would get an unsportsmanlike penalty for the way he leaped into the end zone, but no flag was thrown. As a freshman and as a senior, he was great for Pitt. To me, he was a superior runner to Hall. Maybe not by much but still a notch better. To me. Haven’t commented much for a while. Some hospitalizations and my age (almost 78) have slowed me down, but I read the POV every day. Double the pleasure now with Reed and Michaelangelo helming the ship of state (journalism is the fourth estate, of a state…whatever).

    Liked by 9 people

    2. It’s great to hear from you Justin, hope you are improving daily. Almost 78 is saying something. Keep getting better and chiming in.

      Like

  50. Hey, I just realized that Devin Bush’s position Coach is our very own Jerry O. !!

    Jerry O. Is one of my all-time favorite Panthers. He was a textbook middle linebacker… If kids want to know how to tackle – they should watch video of Jerry O.

    Go Pitt!

    Liked by 2 people

    1. Jerry used to have drinks at the bar at Hemingways back in the 90’s

      I saw Tony there as well from time to time but he always had a body guard

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  52. Not sure if I will answer all the categories but…

    of Panthers Drafted: 3

    First Panther drafted Ollison

    Not sure why but have it stuck in my head that the Steelers will pick up Darren Hall.

    Sleeper…George Aston…..I know he isn’t a sleeper to us but he isn’t a household name outside of Pitt fans and could see him making an impact like Henry Hynoski or Lousaka Polite in the big show.

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  53. I brought a bodyguard for me to the Pitt psuX first game…and I needed him.

    Med JerryO a few times in Lawrenceville bars and last year at the Pitt Celebrity golf outing. Great guy.

    Liked by 1 person

    1. I have a photo of Jerry O and Richman at the golf outing — two famous Pitt celebs in one photo!

      Go Pitt.

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  56. Ollison taken in the fifth round by Atlanta. Great. Doesn’t look as if Hall was taken but I may have missed it. By the way, I am worried that the Zion Williamson part of the FBI investigation of NCAA basketball may somehow negatively involve Pitt’s HC Capel while he was the ace recruiter at Duke. I also am worried that he is unable to close on capable players to fill out this year’s team that has four or so open scholarships. Hype involving his skill in recruiting is easy to believe when he was working for Duke. Pitt, I guess, is a harder sell.

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  57. So, Ollison drafted by Falcons.
    Zeise signs a FA deal with the Chargers
    Hall signs a FA deal with the Browns
    Bookser invited to Lions minicamp to possibly earn a contract.

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