Pitt Seniors trying to impress scouts. Really, Rob Petitti is the only one with a chance to be drafted on the first day. He’s trying to overcome some bad workouts.

Offensive tackle Rob Petitti plans to give it one more try after he failed to run well for NFL scouts yesterday at Pitt’s pro workout day at the UPMC indoor practice field.

Petitti, the only sure NFL draft pick the Panthers have this year, did not run at the NFL combine workouts in Indianapolis 2 1/2 weeks ago because he has turf toe, which still bothers him. He ran a 5.50 yesterday in the 40-yard dash, a slow time for tackles. By comparison, Alex Baron, considered the top tackle available in the draft, ran in the 4.8s at Florida State’s workout yesterday.

Petitti scheduled another workout for March 29 at Pitt for interested scouts.

Most of the other Pitt Seniors are projected to be free agent signees.

Coach Dave Wannstedt has his first verbal for the class of 2006.

Dave Wannstedt’s pledge to make Western Pennsylvania prominent recruiting grounds for Pitt paid off at a school where Walt Harris was persona non grata.

Gateway linebacker Dan Loheyde made a verbal commitment to Pitt on Tuesday, giving the Panthers a WPIAL star for their first recruit from the Class of 2006.
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The relationship between Pitt and Gateway coach Terry Smith was repaired immediately once Wannstedt was hired. The Panthers quickly made Loheyde a priority, extending an offer last month at the Syracuse men’s basketball game.

In addition to Pitt, Loheyde also received an offer from West Virginia and strong interest from Maryland and Penn State. He made unofficial visits to all four schools.

“Each place he went, none measured up to what Pitt offered him,” Smith said. “I told him, once you find the right place for you, you don’t need to look any further.”

The 6-foot-2, 215-pound Loheyde led the Gators with 130 tackles, four fumble recoveries, three forced fumbles, two interceptions and two blocked kicks last season. He was named first-team All-Quad Southwest Conference and All-Class AAAA as a junior.

There isn’t a lot of data at the recruiting site profiles of Loheyde. Don’t know if he’s a top recruit or not — even the recruting sites need time to more accurately assess. This is still good, more from a PR and just to further pique the local high school interest in Pitt, at this point. There is still almost a year to actual signing day.