Several little things I need to get out of the browser tabs.

H.B. Blades has been put on the Butkus Award Watchlist for the top linebacker. He’s one of 65 candidates. I’m reasonably sure he was on the list last year. CBS Sportsline also named him the 3d best pro prospect at linebacker.

3. H.B. Blades, Pitt, 6-0, 240, Sr.

Blades enters his senior season with 286 tackles, including 18.5 for loss, and 24 career starts. He also has strong football bloodlines: His father, Bennie, and his uncles Al and Brian were standouts at the University of Miami and went on to successful careers in the NFL.

They also listed Darrelle Revis as the 4th best DB pro prospect.

4. Darrelle Revis, CB, Pittsburgh, 6-0, 190, Jr.

Revis is an exciting young cornerback who established himself as a quality prospect almost immediately. He earned freshman All-American honors in 2004, starting all 11 games and finishing with 14 passes broken up. Opponents learned not to test Revis last season, instead choosing to pass against future sixth-round pick Josh Lay. Revis was the only sophomore to earn first-team Big East honors, coming through with four interceptions and nine passes broken up. He also became one of the better young return specialists, averaging 11.6 yards per punt return.

Revis not only has the size teams like, but his short-area burst, vertical speed and flair for the dramatic are noteworthy. Like Arizona’s Cason, Revis has NFL bloodlines. His uncle is former Pitt defensive tackle Sean Gilbert, who went on to play for four teams in the NFL.

Rivals.com does a sleeper team prognostication. The surprise is who tops the list.

1. Pittsburgh: Last season’s record: 5-6. Returning starters: Six offense, six defense.
Outlook: All the preseason hype in the Big East centers on West Virginia and Louisville, but the Panthers have a realistic shot at winning their first 10 games before closing with the Mountaineers and Cardinals. The Panthers started slowly in coach Dave Wannstedt’s debut season, losing four of their first five. This year, four of their first five games are at Heinz Field, and Notre Dame and Nebraska aren’t on the schedule. Until facing West Virginia and Louisville, the only Pittsburgh opponents to win as many as eight games last season are Toledo and Central Florida. Quarterback Tyler Palko and All-American caliber linebacker H.B. Blades are proven commodities and good leaders.

It is true that the first 10 games contain none that should be thought of as “sure losses,” but there are a slew of “toss-ups.”

P-G beat reporter Paul Zeise’s Q&A shows a little testiness at being asked about his prediction for the team this season.

Look, if I could predict the future I’d be on one of those Vegas handicapper shows on the radio on Saturday mornings screaming “I LOVE THIS GAME. CALL ME!” That being said, I have been at camp every day, I’ve seen every practice and I have a good idea of the team’s strengths and weaknesses.

I think the team will struggle to score a lot of points because I just don’t see enough big-play threats. I also think the kicking game is going to be an adventure, at least until one of those two kickers gets settled in. That doesn’t mean the offense can’t be productive and efficienty — there are a lot of good players and veteran players, so it will be. In college football, though, to try and grind it out every time you touch the ball is tough, and Pitt is going to have to do a lot of grinding. Those 10-play, 70-yard drives are great for controlling the ball and the clock, but to pull them off you have to be near perfect in execution. You can?t take any penalties or negative plays, and that’s asking a lot.

The defense will be better. It can’t be much worse than it has been in the past few years, particularly against the run.

He could just tell them to pick up the Sporting News or Lindy’s preview guide since he made his predictions then. He sticks with his 7-5 call.

Q: With so much inconsistency at wide receiver, do you see coaches using other skill position players, such as Darrelle Revis, to help the cause?

Zeise: Last year they had some packages to use Revis as a wide receiver in the game plan for West Virginia but didn’t use them. I don’t know that they would go that route simply because the biggest problem the receivers have is inexperience, not talent. And thus, the only way to get them better is to let them get out there and play. When you take an honest look at this team, it will be much better in week eight than it is right now. There are just so many young players being counted on that they can’t help but get better with more experience.

That also means a lot of mistakes to be expected in the first few weeks.