Pitt commit and only QB in the class to date, Kevan Smith gets a profile. The focus, of course is his return from the injury to his non-throwing arm.
The impromptu medical procedure — Smith had received clearance from his mom and the school’s medical trainer — started a whirlwind four-month span in which Smith would go from a relative no-name to the University of Pittsburgh’s top quarterback recruit.
Smith will begin his senior year at full strength when training camp begins today for the 2005 high school football season. The strong-armed 6-foot-3, 217-pounder provides hope for a Seneca Valley team that went 1-9 last season and hasn’t won a Quad North game since 2002.
“At this time last year I was in a full arm cast, bent at the elbow,” Smith said, “and I was miserable.”
The reports were, that just as Pitt offered and he committed, other name schools started sniffing around once they saw how he had recovered from the injury. It of course gives him “sleeper” potential.
The big name recruit from Western Pennsylvania everyone wants at this point is Darrin Walls. He gets puffed in the other daily.
Walls, a defensive back/running back/receiver, heads into his senior season with possibly more accolades and more national hype than any player in the WPIAL. One scouting service (rivals.com) ranks him the No. 1 cornerback in the country. But the 6-foot-1, 175-pound Walls also is ranked highly by other services. Scout.com ranks him the No. 6 cornerback. Nationally known talent scout Tom Lemming ranks him the No. 5 defensive back and the No. 32 player overall.
“I really try not to think too much about those rankings,” Walls said. “I just want to go out, play and, hopefully, show that I am one of the best in the country.”
Walls also is one of the most heavily recruited players in Novak’s 19 seasons at Woodland Hills, gaining as much attention from colleges as former Wolverines stars Steve Breaston and Ryan Mundy, who both play at Michigan.
“You don’t want to be just like the other players from here. You want to be yourself. But they have set some good paths,” Walls said. “You do want to follow what they did.”
Walls has dozens of scholarship offers and the lucky seven that he likes most are Pitt, Penn State, West Virginia, Southern California, Michigan, Notre Dame and Florida. If he had to narrow his list from there, he said Michigan, Notre Dame and Florida would be his top three, although Pitt has gained ground in his eyes.
Walls will likely wait until the college football season ends. At a minimum, until after his high school season ends. That can only work to Pitt’s advantage with many “ifs.”
If the list is accurate, Pitt is the darkhorse looking in on the other 3 choices. If Pitt has the season we anticipate/hope/pray Walls will be right there watching it unfold. If that happens and Pitt continues to aggressively woo him, how can that not increase Pitt’s chances.
I’m just saying
