Pitt Gazette
1/22
Recruiting: Top QB considering shift to Penn State
Sunday, January 22, 2006
By Mike White, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
As football recruiting heads down the home stretch, Pitt is trying to get a few top high school players out of Florida, while Penn State is trying to keep a record-setting Pennsylvania quarterback from playing college ball in Florida.
Pat Devlin, of Downingtown East High School near Philadelphia, is one of the top quarterbacks in the country and made a verbal commitment to the University of Miami in July. But he has had a change of heart and is looking at other schools. One of them is Penn State.
Devlin (6 feet 4, 205 pounds) is on an official visit to Penn State this weekend. He also might look at Virginia. Devlin is the all-time leading passer in Pennsylvania history with 8,162 yards.
Penn State is having a strong recruiting year. Some recruiting gurus believe the Nittany Lions have a top 10 class. Getting Devlin might push them close to the top five.
Pitt is a finalist for three Florida players -- defensive end Audie Augustine of Northeast High, defensive end Geno Atkins of St. Thomas Aquinas and quarterback Thaddeus Lewis of Miami Lakes.
Pitt's best shot might be at Augustine, who is visiting Pitt this weekend.
"It's come down to North Carolina State and Pitt," Northeast coach Adam Ratkevich said. "Ever since last spring, Audie has been very impressed with coach [Dave] Wannstedt.
"Pitt already got [a commitment from] Jared Martin in this area. He's probably the best defensive tackle in Broward County. By most people's account, Audie is the best defensive end in the county. That would be two nice players for them."
Pitt has commitments from 22 players. The Panthers are battling Auburn, Georgia, North Carolina State and Michigan State for Atkins. He is visiting Michigan State this weekend.
Pitt, South Florida, Duke and TCU are the finalists for Lewis.
Pitt also is in the running for receiver-defensive back Aaron Berry of Bishop McDevitt High School in Harrisburg. West Virginia and Minnesota are his other choices.
Penn State is in the running for some linemen who are ranked high nationally.
Phil Taylor of Clinton, Md., will announce his decision next week, and Penn State is the leader. Maryland, Virginia Tech, Florida and Ohio State are a few of his other top choices.
Antonio Logan-El of Forestville, Md., will announce his decision next week and most likely will choose between Penn State and Maryland. But he also is considering Florida, Tennessee and Oklahoma.
Defensive end Johnnie Troutman of Browns Mills, N.J., will probably choose between Penn State and Ohio State.
In Western Pennsylvania recruiting, two top players who have yet to make decisions are Duquesne receiver-defensive back Elijah Fields and Woodland Hills receiver Wesley Lyons. Fields is visiting West Virginia this weekend. He has been to Pitt and Penn State.
Lyons will most likely choose between Ohio State and West Virginia.
The national signing day is Feb. 1.