Pitt News seems to have made a regular feature of what former Pitt football players are doing in the NFL.

Scouts, Inc./ESPN.com has been going around the country looking at recruits in each state. They spent 2 articles on Pennsylvania for offense and defense (Insider Subs.). Unsurprisingly, Pitt commits were featured very prominently throughout the articles. This is what they had to say about recruiting this season.

Pennsylvania is a major recruiting ground for programs in the Northeast, Southeast and Midwest. A state of this size, with its history and tradition of turning out great players, is always going to be on recruiters’ radars. Although they must fight off competition from all over the country, Penn State and Pittsburgh have done a good job of keeping many of Pennsylvania’s brightest stars at home.

The 2006 recruiting class has gotten off to a fast start for the Pitt Panthers. Of the 17 early commitments, coach Dave Wannstedt and his staff have landed 13 from Pennsylvania. Two of those 13 are ESPN 150 members Nate Byham and Dorin Dickerson. Two other commitments include defensive tackle Jason Pinkston and linebacker Justin Hargrove, both of whom attend Baldwin High in Pittsburgh, Wannstedt’s alma mater. Other instate Pitt commits include teammates corner Aaron Smith and linebacker Dan Loheyde from Gateway High in Monroeville, defensive tackles Scott Corson (Johnston, Greater Johnston) and John Malecki (Murrysville, Franklin Regional), defensive end Ty Tkach (Slatington, Northern Lehigh), Greg Webster (Pittsburgh, Woodland Hills) and Nate Nix (Clairton, Thomas Jefferson), quarterback Kevan Smith and guard Eric Rodemoyer. So far, the Pitt staff has done a nice job of protecting its turf.

The other major program in Pennsylvania has just two instate commitments so far. Penn State has commitments from defensive tackles Tom McEowen (Langhorne, Neshaminy) and Abe Koroma (Hershey, Milton Hershey).

The out of state school that has really done well in Pennsylvania this year, is Notre Dame.