Not that Pitt players expect to hear their names called tonight. The new format starts tonight. First round begins around 7:30 pm. Friday night has rounds 2 and 3. Then on Saturday morning, the blow through of rounds 4-7.

Dorin Dickerson is expected to be picked sometime on Friday.

• Upside: Is extraordinarily versatile. Played wide receiver, running back, quarterback, defensive back and returned kicks to be heavily recruited out of high school. With 4.4 speed in the 40 and 43 1/2-inch vertical leap, will be a nightmare for linebackers to cover and powerful build makes him hard to bring down.

• Downside: It will be disconcerting to some that he underachieved for much of his college career and was a player seemingly without a position for so long. Blocking, route-running and ball security are all areas in need of improvement.

• Projected round: Third.

Dickerson has seen his stock rise since the season ended. He started out as being a pick that went as late as the 5th round, and now he has been projected as high as the 2nd round. He’s not seen as a traditional tight end, since he lacks the traditional size. Instead, they talk of him as an H-back type player. Someone that becomes a weapon when he gets into space.

The more traditional TE is Nate Byham.

Now, Byham’s pass-blocking skills are the primary reason he’s likely to be taken anywhere from the third to sixth round of the three-day NFL Draft, which begins Thursday night.

“The coaches put Dorin in position where he could really help the team,” Byham said, “and that ultimately made me become a better blocker because I focused on run-blocking more.”

So far, at least 26 teams have expressed interest in Byham, according to agent Chase Callahan.

“Nate is the kind of guy who can step in and play right away because of his blocking abilities. I think a team like Baltimore needs Nate to block the Lamar Woodleys and James Harrisons and help their run and passing game.

“The Jets want to run the ball 30 times a game, so Nate can come in and contribute right away,” Callahan said. “Several teams have a third-round grade, and others have Nate as a fourth- to sixth-round grade.”

That seems to be the rumor. That teams might have to grab Byham earlier than they originally thought.

Finally, the stock of Pittsburgh TE Nate Byham has quietly gone way up in recent weeks. Most scouts I’ve spoken with think he’s a guy who can play in the league 10 years as a No. 2 tight end. However, the teams that thought he was a safe late-round pick at the start of the postseason process now think they might need to take him a little higher than originally thought – in the middle rounds — in order to secure him on draft day.

About the only other Pitt player with the potential to be drafted is cornerback Aaron Berry. He never made Pitt fans forget Darrelle Revis, but I can’t help but think he also suffered because the defensive scheme Pitt ran called for the corners to play off more to prevent big plays, rather than tighter coverage.

Most of the other seniors from Pitt with NFL dreams will go the free agent route.

“Take a Mick Williams or Gus Mustakas for instance — any team that is running that Tampa defense, the 4-3, either of those two guys would fit as undersized, quick defensive linemen who’ve already been coached to play in that system.”

…

The same can be said about John Malecki, undersized to play guard but a better fit at center, Adam Gunn, a linebacker with special-teams ability) and wide receiver Oderick Turner.

One other name to listen for is quarterback Bill Stull, who said a number of teams already have contacted him about becoming a free agent if he is not drafted.

“I really hoped Billy would get in a couple of those all-star games because I know what he can do,” Wannstedt said.

One other name that will probably go the free agent way is center Robb Houser.

The Butte County native who helped Durham High reach the Division IV section football playoffs three straight seasons and Butte College lay the foundation for its famed 2008 JCGridiron.com national championship glory has apparently been concerned about other areas in his life lately.

“He has been text messaging me about this ghost inside his house in Pittsburgh, honestly,” said Allen Henman, one of Houser’s former prep teammates and Durham Elementary School classmates. “He and his roommate think they keep seeing something. They talk about it like it’s a pet.”

Er, okay. So he’s a bit distracted. Scott McKilloop thinks he has a chance.

“We ran a pro-style offense and defense at Pitt that translates into the NFL system,” said former Pittsburgh linebacker Scott McKillop, now a member of the San Francisco 49ers and a Panthers alumnus anxious to see if Houser will end up with an NFL opportunity.

“In Robb’s case, he knows what he can do (well) and can’t do,” McKillop said. “That’s a mark of a great player, working around their limitations and also working to improve at the same time.”

McKillop often competed against Houser up close in practice since their positions match up on the field. Recovering fast from a serious ankle injury during his first season at Pittsburgh was another impression Houser left on McKillop.

“He’s a tough player, he came back real quick,” McKillop said. “It shows how he can be depended on to come back in a pinch. That’s important (in the NFL).”

In one final bit of NFL-Pitt related news. I was sent a press release that Darrelle Revis has joined the Ocho Cinco News Network for draft coverage. No I am not making this up. Here’s the press release.

Darrelle Revis as a draft correspondent.

Motorola is the sponsor of OCNN. So Revis is at least having fun.

While Nate Byham was also invited to the combine — and I believe he will have a solid career in the NFL — Dorin Dickerson got most of the attention at the TE position at the combine. He raised his stock. His numbers impressed.

Pittsburgh’s Dorin Dickerson, at 226 pounds the lightest tight end at the NFL Scouting Combine, led the field with unofficial times of 4.40 and 4.43 seconds Saturday. NFL.com’s Bucky Brooks projects Dickerson, who played a variety of positions for the Panthers, as an H-back type of player in the NFL. Dickerson moves a little bit like current Jets TE Dustin Keller, who was here two years ago.

The projections still put him outside of the first couple rounds, but still possible (Insider subs).

The story of the day among the tight ends was the performance put on by Pittsburgh’s Dorin Dickerson (6-1?, 226), whose official 4.40 in the 40 illustrated the explosiveness, burst and separation skills that set him apart from the rest of the tight end class. Dickerson looked good all over the field, catching the ball well and performing well in all phases.

The excitement around Dickerson is tempered by his lack of size, however. He has long arms (34 inches) and big hands but still must find a niche with an offensive coordinator who can create a unique H-back role for Dickerson, one that will use his versatility to create mismatches. Overall, though, Dickerson solidified his third-round grade and is at least in the late-second round discussion.

Despite plenty of positive takes, there are those who are not so positive, because of his hips.

Pitt TE Dorin Dickerson ran a blazing 40 (unofficially 4.40 seconds) and produced a 43-inch vertical jump, both of which will likely improve his stock. When we evaluated him on film and at the Senior Bowl, however, he looked to be more of a straight-line athlete who does not show the fluidity in his hips, even as a tight end, to consistently gain separation against NFL linebackers.

I think I’m obliged to go with a “that’s what she said” comment there.

Remember LeSean McCoy didn’t just show up at Pitt and start. No, he shared with LaRod Stephens-Howling who was the starter. Of course, Howling got banged up early and opened things for McCoy to take the job.

Now, McCoy is with the Eagles to back-up and eventually take over from Brian Westbrook. Well, maybe not eventually. Westbrook has injury history and even as he was recovering from knee surgery, he has hurt his ankle and will need minor surgery on it. Westbrook will likely be out until at least the start of the regular season.

That has McCoy and Lorenzo Booker taking all the snaps in camp right now. McCoy is saying the right cliche.

“I’m not even thinking about that,” McCoy said. “[Westbrook’s] one of the best backs in the league. I’m here, actually, just to help him. I’m trying to get where he’s at. I’m still learning.”

He is all about the learning.

“I’m like a sponge,” McCoy said. “I want to soak up everything I can.”

Though most of his time in practice has been to work on pass blocking. To say nothing of just learning the playbook.

There is no question, though, that Eagle fans now see McCoy taking a bigger role earlier.

It also suddenly places the selection of McCoy in a different light. The emphasis pre-draft was on finding a complement to No. 36, but instead the rookie could find himself in position to make an immediate contribution, perhaps even as the starter. The two have a very similar skill set, so we can only hope McCoy is able to pick up the playbook and fill in right away if necessary.

Especially since no one has any expectations of usefulness from Lorenzo Booker. Other than Booker’s own delusions.

I don’t know if the 49ers quietly guarantee his 1st season with the team, in return, or if SF really do “love” him. I do think they would have a hard time cutting McKillop since he is the only player they have doing “Rookie Camp Diaries.”Plus he claimed the  top score of 176 among the rookies in a bowling night.

His latest diary includes a little love to Pitt’s strength and conditioning program.

Although I couldn’t run at first, I was riding the exercise bike and eventually I started working out again with my strength coaches at Pitt (my alma mater). What I did back home is very similar to the weight training we’ve been doing in the morning here. We lifted every morning at 6:30 to be exact. I’m happy I stuck with their weight program while I was home and I have to give them some recognition because they are some great coaches. They definitely helped me prepare for the lifting we’ve done out here.

Which is not too surprising. Buddy Morris has been doing it a long time, and he has been in charge of NFL programs (okay, it was the Browns, but it still counts).

There was an excellent puff piece on McKillop from last week. Sounds like he’s got a good agent counseling him on his money stuff. To say nothing of what his parents have probably tried to teach him.

“I bought a computer, but that’s about it so far,” said the former Pitt and Kiski Area star linebacker. “I’m not getting a car or anything like that. I am going to invest it in the bank.”

…

McKillop said the only thing guaranteed in his contract is his signing bonus. But he guarantees he will go all out every play. And he’ll earn his keep.

“I know I am very fortunate to get this opportunity,” he said. “It’s my job. Only I am putting on spikes, not dress shoes. Football is fun, but it’s a business, too. I want to invest properly and spend my money correctly, not go out and waste it.

“The average NFL career is 3.2 years, and the average player goes broke 80 percent of the time when he’s done playing.”

McKillop will get to play for one of the greatest linebackers of all-time in 49ers coach Mike Singletary, who already has become famous for his postgame rants. He may have to move to inside linebacker because the 49ers use a 3-4 scheme.

“Scott is exactly what you want, from an attitude and physical standpoint,” said McKillop’s agent, Dave Dunn.

Apparently, going to SF, also means trying to grow a beard.

Scott McKillop was one of the first draftees to sign his contract. In his second camp with the Niners he’s stood out for grabbing an interception off of Alex Smith.

Dropping into coverage, McKillop picked off a pass and returned it to the end zone.

It probably goes with out saying for those who do fantasy football, but do not select Alex Smith for your roster. Not only does he suck, but he’s actually running the Niners second team offense in camp. Shaun Hill has passed him.

Last week, Coach Wannstedt was in the Lancaster area for the rubber chicken circuit. That meant highlighting and plugging the local kids on the squad.

At a press conference prior to his serving as the guest speaker Tuesday night at the 11th Annual Manheim Touchdown Club Awards Banquet at the Lancaster Host Resort, Wannstedt said that the position of Pitt’s starting QB for the 2009 season will go to “who moves the team (in spring drills) and makes the fewest mistakes.”

Bostick, a junior, will compete with senior and returning starter Bill Stull, redshirt freshman Tino Sunseri and sophomore walk-on Andrew Janocko.

Wannstedt said he told Bostick recently that one thing he shouldn’t lack is self-confidence.

“We’re very proud of Pat and the success he’s had,” Wannstedt said. “It was an unbelievable situation (in Bostick’s freshman season). We were getting ready to open our season and I told Pat he would be the third quarterback. All I asked is that he learn our offense.

“First game of the season, we lose our starting quarterback. Within 14 days, things had changed. I said, ‘Pat, you’re our new starter, and we have no backup.’ ”

Bostick started eight games his freshman season and appeared in six games as a sophomore, including an historic four-overtime win over Notre Dame, the longest game in either team’s history.

Wannstedt also praised walk-on and Penn Manor grad Chas Alecxih for earning a scholarship and a spot on the depth chart at defensive tackle, and former Comets’ star Jordan Gibbs, who is competing for a tackle spot on the O-line.

And at the same time, everyone knows it is Bill Stull’s job to lose. The question continues.

Stull was happy to provide positive quotes on Derek Kinder to the Chicago Tribune.

Further proof of Kinder’s resurgence came during Pittsburgh’s Pro Day prior to the draft. Stull was a witness.

“Derek told us he was going to run in the 4.4s at the Pro Day, and we all kind of laughed,’’ Stull said. “Sure enough he ran in the 4.4s. I don’t think he even wore a knee brace.

“His hands have always been extremely good. He’s a competitor. When it comes down to it, he’s going to get it done. He’s just a great athlete and a great teammate. And I think he’s a steal for the Bears.’’

It’s not like you would expect something like, “he sucked and we are glad he’s gone.”

Back home in upstate NY, Kinder was there to throw out the first pitch… at a midget league game.

Kinder learned about performing under pressure as a 10-year-old, when much bigger hitters took their swings against his pitches. Kinder learned to keep his cool, and not back down while playing for the Actives and then St. Mary’s in the Midget League.

“It takes a strong young man to step out there and be in the spotlight,” Kinder said about Little Leaguers, especially the pitchers. “In football, you share the spotlight.”

Even now, at age 23 and about two weeks into what he hopes is a long career in the National Football League, Kinder said those early days in Little League helped lead him on a path to a professional athlete.

“The main thing I learned from Little League is just to have fun,” Kinder said before throwing out the first pitch Saturday during a season-opening celebration for about 200 players in the Midget League.

Kinder signed baseball caps, footballs, scrap paper — whatever the players pushed in front of him — before the season opener at the field behind Albion Town Hall.

His former coach Greg Bennett introduced Kinder to a crowd of several hundred people. Bennett called Kinder “a good role model” who epitomizes hard work and practice.

Nothing like going back home, I guess.

This week, Coach Wannstedt along with other coaches and administrators were down in Florida for Big East meetings

LeSean McCoy signs autographs at $30 a pop in at a mall outside of H-burg on Friday.

Josh Korb of Steel-Town memorabilia said by phone Wednesday afternoon that tickets remain on sale for all four players, although “I do anticipate at the very least that LeSean will sell out probably the day of the event. I expect him to sell out if no one else did.”

This lineup was arranged before the draft, and before anyone knew that McCoy would be an Eagle. Korb said he had heard rumblings that the Eagles were interested, but that kind of chatter doesn’t always pan out. But he was certainly happy to see McCoy go to a local team. “The only way I would have been happier is if he [were picked by the] Pittsburgh Steelers, but I knew that wasn’t going to happen.”

He’s selling out all right. Never quite got the desire to buy autographed memorabilia — let alone stand in line for it. But I don’t begrudge anyone making a buck off it if there’s a market.

Besides, who knows when he’ll actually sign his contract with the Eagles. He is being repped by Drew Rosenhaus, after all. And another Rosenhause client has already reached out to him — sort of.

McCoy acknowledged, too, that the leap from college to the National Football League already has provided some intense experiences.

He has a locker next to Eagles running back Brian Westbrook, whom he followed as a fan for years. Former Eagle Terrell Owens called McCoy about buying Owens’ house in Philadelphia.

Owens is still trying to sell his place? He was deactivated back in 2005. What? Has he refused to come down on price? Is the market for high-end homes that bad?

Meanwhile, Scott McKillop kept a rookie camp diary for the 49ers website (via Pitt Director of Media Relations, E.J. Borghetti’s Twit).

It was also great to finally get to work with coach Singletary. He was definitely intense and he always knew what he was talking about. I noticed that he was over with the linebackers probably more than the other groups during individual drills. It’s nice to have his input and coaching because he was a Hall of Fame linebacker himself. I definitely appreciate his coaching style because you can tell he’s trying to get the best out of you.

Now that rookie minicamp is over, I thought I did ok, but I know I can do much better. It was our first time really being exposed to the playbook, so I’m sort of happy with my play but not 100 percent behind it. I know I can do better. Once I get my nose in the playbook, I’ll be back working again to get better.

On Sunday, the last day of camp, we took a written test to see how much of the playbook we had absorbed.

He’s the latest to do so. According to the intro, Vernon Davis, Joe Staley and Kentwan Balmer did the diaries. All three are still on the team.

Derek Kinder also got through his Chicago Bears rookie camp without being cut.

Non-contact camps are designed for skill-position players to shine, and the three wide receivers the Bears selected in the draft last weekend didn’t disappoint. Third-rounder Juaquin Iglesias, fifth-rounder Johnny Knox and seventh-rounder Derek Kinder all impressed coaches.

“I thought they had three good days,” said offensive coordinator Ron Turner. “I was very pleased with all three of them. I thought they caught the ball very well, No. 1.

“Obviously they all have some work to do on their route-running, to run [routes] the way we run and all that and play the game at the speed it has to be played at here. That’s the thing we tried to get them to understand all week, is that the game speed’s going to be a little different than it was in college. We want them to play fast. But I was pleased with all of them; how they learned and what they did.”

Out of 24 plays in 7-on-7 drills Sunday, Iglesias caught eight passes, Kinder snared two and Knox hauled in one. Defensive highlights were provided by cornerback D.J. Moore, who caused an incompletion by stripping the ball away from George Smith; cornerback Derek Pegues, who broke up a pass intended for Kinder; and safety Al Afalava, who nearly had an interception after making a good break on the ball.

The greatest challenge for the rookies was stepping on the practice field for the first time Friday less than 24 hours after receiving their playbooks.

“It was pretty tough,” Kinder said. “But once you get to studying and you get to learn it a little bit, everything starts to click. These past three days we learned a lot and we’re going to grow.”

GM Jerry Angelo was pleased with the performance of his 3 rookie WRs. As was their OC, Ron Turner.

Not much on LaRod Stephens-Howling’s camp in Arizona other than he’s still got some hamstring issues.

Then there is Adam Graessle who may catch on with the Packers (via the Turk).

In three seasons as the Panthers’ punter, Graessle averaged 42.6 yards gross on 169 punts, ranking in the top 31 nationally all three seasons. He also was Pitt’s kickoff specialist.

It was enough to earn Graessle an invite to the 2007 scouting combine. But he was inconsistent at the combine, went undrafted and then failed to stick in tryouts with Buffalo and Detroit. He spent much of the past two years working out on his own in and around Columbus, Ohio, and working a temp job at the headquarters of the clothing label Abercrombie & Fitch.

About six months ago, Graessle hired agent Mark Mersel, who connected him with noted “kick doctor” Paul Assad. Graessle, 24, credits his work with Assad for cleaning up his technique and making him more consistent.

Shawn Slocum, who replaced the retired Mike Stock as Packers special-teams coordinator after last season, started talking with Graessle after watching his performance at a kicking combine last month in Arizona. There, according to Mersel, Graessle averaged 58 yards and 4.9 seconds of hang time, including some 70-yarders.

Coupled with a steady effort at the Packers’ rookie camp, Graessle earned himself a longer look in Green Bay, though there’s no guarantee he’ll be one of the two punters they take to training camp. He joined the Packers’ offseason strength and conditioning program on Monday.

“It’s real exciting,” Graessle said. “For two years, I’ve been working hard. I’m enjoying (getting signed), but really, in the moment, I’m just trying to do the best I can.”

Good for him. Considering how reliable and good he had been at Pitt, it was a surprise that he never made it right out of school.

Sorry about being off the last few days. From August through most of April I am seemingly directly connected to the computer at all times. That means lots of things get neglected until now.

Not that I’m missing a lot.

In Harrisburg, the mayor has declared May, “LeSean McCoy Month.”

May is now LeSean McCoy’s favorite month. Harrisburg Mayor Stephen R. Reed read a proclamation this afternoon that pronounced May “LeSean McCoy Month” in Harrisburg, after the former Bishop McDevitt High School football star was drafted by the NFL’s Philadelphia Eagles.

McCoy received the honor in a brief ceremony at City Hall. He stood with his father, Ron McCoy, and said his entry into the NFL has been like living a childhood dream.

Just imagine what would have happened if he had been drafted in the first round. I guess that’s one way to encourage McCoy to keep repping “717” in the eyeblack.

Staying in the 717, Coach Dave Wannstedt will be in Lancaster next Wednesday, May 12, as the featured speaker at the Manheim Touchdown Club banquet. It is the rubber chicken circuit time of the year for Coach Wannstedt and the rest of the Pitt coaching staff.

Just wondering. Would it be a good idea for Coach Wannstedt to join the coach Twittering? I’m not sure we want Twitter updates at halftime to say, “We need to get FASTER!!!”

As we all know, McCoy went with pick #53 to the Philadelphia Eagles. Sure enough, there are the standard cliches:

The Eagles were stunned McCoy, a first-round value in their eyes, was available with the 53rd pick.

Except, that they really weren’t according to Andy Reid.

Opening remarks:

“With the second pick, we took LeSean McCoy; a running back. We had an opportunity to bring him up here with the 30 players that we can bring up before the draft and visit with him. He’s a relatively local kid being from Harrisburg. He went to the same high school as Ricky Watters. We thought he had great quickness, very elusive in the open field, great vision inside the tackles. He catches the ball extremely well and we look forward to bringing him in here to learn this offense. He’s had a taste of it at the college level. He’ll give us a little depth at running back.”

On whether he could fit in as the No. 2 running back:

“We’ll see how it works out. We’ll see how he is and how he picks everything up.”

On whether he expected RB LeSean McCoy to be available this late:

“We were thinking somewhere mid-second round or high-second round. We were just a bit below that obviously. When we got to that point, I didn’t think teams were in need of running backs once we got down there.”

McCoy went within a few spots of where most mock drafts had him going.

Lots of different personal perspectives on McCoy. For Milford Academy, it was another player they had spend a year there and end up being drafted. Shonn Greene, Terrance Knighton, and Vaughn Martin also drafted went to Milford.

Mike McGlynn was drafted by the Eagles last year, he was asked about McCoy.

“(Knowshon) Moreno is up there and some of those other guys, but hey, (McCoy) is up there with pretty much the best of them at making big plays. I think it was a great pick for the Eagles.”

McGlynn is, admittedly, biased. He helped create space for McCoy when the two were teammates at Pittsburgh in 2007. Without an effective passing game, McGlynn said the Panthers put the ball in McCoy’s hands and let the kid’s natural talent take it from there.

“In the open field, he can make you look stupid,” McGlynn added. “He’d pull one move on a guy, and the guy is falling.”

The story also quotes a Delaware TE that played against him in high school.

McCoy used to clash against former University of Delaware tight end Robbie Agnone on the high school gridiron. Agnone’s Redland High School played annually against McCoy’s Bishop McDevitt, the same school that produced former Eagles running back Ricky Watters.

Yes, that would be the same Robbie Agnone that was originally a Panther in that cursed 2004 recruiting class. Agnone  just signed as a rookie free agent with the Washington Redskins.

McCoy’s old HS coach at Bishop-McDevitt is happy to see McCoy going to the Eagles.

“He has everything you need,” he said. “He has great vision. His acceleration out of his cuts is unbelievable. He has great hands and he’s a very good route runner. I’m shocked they didn’t split him out at Pitt because I know they practiced it. It might have been because of quarterback issues, I don’t know. But he can do it, like Westbrook.”

One of the things that McCoy absolutely, positively will have to be able to do is run between the tackles. It is a fair question, whether he can. Westbrook can do it – and when he can’t do it, he has this uncanny leaping ability near the goal line. If he were to get hurt, they would need McCoy to be able to do it, too – unless the thought would be fullback Leonard Weaver inside the 5-yard line.

Anyway, inside running?

“He’s an inside runner,” Weachter said. “I watched him last year and I asked him, ‘Shady, what’s this with bouncing out?’ He said that [Pitt coach Dave] Wannstedt got in his head about some longer runs, so he bounced more of them outside. But he’s an inside runner. You’ll see . . .

“The thing he needs to get better at is pass-protecting. But he is physical. He’s not afraid of contact. And I’ve talked to him about it. If he doesn’t pick it up, he’s not going to see the field and he knows it.”

To be fair, running inside behind Pitt’s O-line has not been a productive decision for most running backs.

The pass blocking is something Reid mentioned McCoy needs to improve. Brian Westbrook echoed those thoughts.

Going into the draft, McCoy critics questioned his blocking abilities.

Westbrook emphasized that the rookie will need to concentrate on that aspect if he wants to get on the field.

“The truth is, especially when I came into the league, and still true now, if you continue to get No. 5 hit,  you ain’t gonna play too much at all anyway. That’s just the bottom line,” he said.

If you examine Westbrook’s comments (or listen to the interview), they shouldn’t be viewed negatively. By all accounts, he’s one of the most-respected and well-liked guys in the locker room.

There should be little doubt that he’ll be a great mentor for McCoy.

McCoy acknowledged that the pass blocking will be something he needs to work at.

On McCoy’s ability to pass block and protect QB Donovan McNabb:

LM: “They definitely stressed [blocking ability] when I came in for my visit. Meeting with [head] coach [Andy] Reid we went over some things and meeting with [running backs] coach [Ted] Williams, that’s probably the biggest thing in my game that I need to improve on is my blocking. I know you can’t go out on the field without protection, so that’s something in my game that I can improve on. I’m a hard worker, I’m a hard worker and I’m going to get it done. I know that’s what I have to do to be able to get on the field. At Pitt I wasn’t really required to do it as much, being there for only two years I haven’t had a chance to do it as much, but here I will get the right coaching to get it done.”

On whether he was required to do mostly cut blocking in college:

LM: “The thing with my team is we had a lot of different ways of getting the ball out. Our passing game wasn’t where it needed to be, we had different schemes, so I did a lot of cut blocking.”

[Emphasis added.]

That’s just a touch of an understatement.

McCoy was happy to stay close to home and seeks advice from a former Eagles running back.

“It’s right down the street,” said McCoy, exaggerating just a bit about the distance between his hometown of Harrisburg and his new home away from home.

Actually, it’s about 100 miles down the street, most of it Pennsylvania Turnpike, but it’s a trip McCoy can’t wait to make after the Eagles used their second pick, 53rd overall, to select the record-setting running back out of Pittsburgh.

The 5-11, 204- pound McCoy was in for an extensive workout with the Eagles prior to the draft, and both sides liked what they took from the experience.

McCoy is an elusive runner who also catches the ball well out of the backfield, which makes head coach Andy Reid and his assistants happy. It’s also a location where McCoy can learn behind a Pro Bowl back in Brian Westbrook, and where another Bishop McDevitt alumnus had a memorable stop. McCoy talks frequently with Ricky Watters, and said the Pro Bowl back of the 1990s talks fondly of his time here.

“I know Ricky really well,” said McCoy. “I call him for advice. He’s kind of been everywhere and done everything that I want to do, both in college and in the pros. Also, Ricky had a nice career in Philadelphia, so I talk to Ricky a lot.”

Of course the close to home thing has a negative part. The  interview with McCoy’s old high school coach had the coach strike the ominous note of how McCoy sometimes has trouble saying “no” to people. Being so close to home — family and old friends — can be a big negative if he doesn’t do a better job of saying no.

Interesting to note that the Eagles first two picks — Maclin and McCoy — have had major surgeries. And that it has affected their outlook on going to the NFL.

For Maclin, it was a knee injury, a torn ACL, an injury described as “grotesque.” For McCoy, it was an ankle injury, a broken ankle, an injury so bad that it made his stoic father cry. Maclin’s happened in July of 2006, before his freshman year at Missouri. McCoy’s happened 10 months earlier in a high school game in Harrisburg.

Both are still 20 years old. They are the NFL’s version of trust-fund babies now, except that there seems to be little sense of entitlement.

They cannot afford entitlement. They know.

In all the years of listening to these guys, have you ever heard a 20-year-old say at his first real NFL press conference, “At my position, as a running back, you only get a certain amount of hits in this game and I always wanted to enjoy my time in the NFL?”

Guys who are 28 say that. Guys who are 32 say that. Kids do not say that on the day after they are drafted, but McCoy said it yesterday. That one sentence explained everything.

…

It is a terrible lesson, one that every football player learns at some point. Rarely, though, does it make such a profound impression on players so young. Yet here the Eagles are, with Maclin (the first-round wide receiver out of Missouri) and McCoy (the second-round running back out of Pittsburgh) both coming out of college after two competitive seasons, both yet to turn 21, both so clearly focused on today because of frightening injuries in the past.

McCoy’s parents said that the tipping point in their son’s decision to leave school early was that broken ankle. Maclin was not as clear, but you could hear the influence of that awful practice field knee injury in his words.

In the NFL Draft, the cliches are standard. Players drafted in the 1st round are generally the “top guy on our board” and/or “the guy we really wanted.” While in the 2nd round, they go to things like “we couldn’t believe he was still available,” or “we graded him as a 1st rounder.” The 7th round is “taking a flier.” All the other rounds are about getting the “sleeper” and “value” picks.

That is the feeling for 49ers fans after getting Scott McKillop in the 5th round.

Our initial reaction after giving McKillop’s credentials the quick eye test was there is nothing particularly impressive about this pick, but that changed after closer inspection and what we had to hear around the building today from Niners insiders and other analysts about what this scrappy guy brings to the table. He was ultra-productive at a big-time college program, and while that doesn’t always translate to NFL success for an inside linebacker, McKillop is a guy who can get to the football and seems to fit in with what the 49ers are trying to accomplish defensively. He’s a sell-out performer who can help on special teams and has potential to eventually be the guy that’s lining up regularly next to Patrick Willis in the middle of San Francisco’s 3-4 defense.

That seems to be the theme. The eventual replacement for Takeo Spikes after a year or so on special teams.

As mentioned in the last blog, he’s a tackling maniac who won’t wow anyone in practice, but he’s nearly 250 pounds and could be the perfect replacement for Takeo Spikes.

The cracker jack 49ers public relations staff just had McKillop on a conference. He sounded earnest and excited. McKillop was a special teams standout for the Panthers before becoming a starter at middle linebacker in their 4-3 defense.

Here’s the transcript from the conference call.

RE: Did you play much special teams at Pitt?

“Yes. Actually my first two years at the University of Pittsburgh I backed up H.B. Blades, who’s at the Washington Redskins now. So that was basically my niche in the team was playing kickoff, kickoff return, punt, punt return. Actually at Pitt, I’m our backup long-snapper.”
…
RE: This is obviously a 3-4 [defense]. What about the transition there? What do you expect?

“I’m looking forward to the challenge. I think that I’m a very smart player. I think that I can pick up well on new defenses and I’m looking forward to getting there as soon as possible, being a film rat and just trying to study and learn the defense and special teams as well. I’m really excited about that. That was the first thing that opened eyes here at the University of Pittsburgh was special teams: making plays and just trying to get my name recognized for helping out the team.”

RE: Where do you see yourself fitting in here as a rookie?

“I’m looking forward to making the team. Nothing is guaranteed. I’m looking forward to contributing on special teams. I know a lot of people say that they love special teams but I truly do love special teams. I didn’t play at all my first two years and all I was was special teams and that’s where I first made a name for myself. If they need some depth at any linebacker position, I’d be more than willing to help out. But there are a bunch of great linebackers that are already there. I’d just be willing to help them out [by] any means necessary.”

The 49er coach Mike Singletary spoke a bit about the pick.

RE: Earlier in the fifth round, you took [Scott] McKillop. Were you thinking [Nate] Davis possibly there?
“We were hoping he was there. When we did it that way, we looked at the linebacker situation and realized that [McKillop] had some real value as a long snapper as well. Something that we needed. The other thing – he would really help us on special teams. And, he’s a pretty decent linebacker as well. So felt very good about the fact that he was there. So we’re looking at two players that we really didn’t feel would be there at that particular pick.”
…
RE: Does [Scott] McKillop project to be a Ted linebacker? Is that the plan to have him play?

“Ted or Mike, it depends but I think he’s flexible. I think that he’s one of those guys that could do either. I know he’s a very bright guy and when you watch him play, he can play either Ted or Mike. We’ll see how it goes.”

RE: Will he challenge Jeff Ulbrich for a spot on the roster?
“He’s going to challenge everybody. When he comes in there’s competition everywhere I wouldn’t just say ‘Well, he’s going to challenge Jeff Ulbrich.’ We just want the best guys on the field so in my mind everybody out there, whether it’s Jeff Ulbrich or whomever it might be if we brought another linebacker in, it’s just a matter of how the numbers work out. But the competition has to be there and we’ll go from there.”

Good luck to Scott McKillop out in San Francisco.

Okay Eagles and 49ers fans, the Pitt store in its wisdom, has previously marked down the price of Pitt jerseys with the #25 and #40.  So you can grab that college jersey for LeSean McCoy and Scott McKillop (I refuse to link to the gold jerseys). Heck, for McCoy, you can grab on sale youth, infant and toddler jerseys.

There’s no #34 jerseys available for Cardinals fans who like the underdog.

LaRod Stephens-Howling was choked with emotion on Sunday as he spoke to Arizona reporters.

“It’s been a dream all my life,” Stephens-Howling, who is 5 feet 6, said of playing in the NFL. “I’ve been told so many times that I couldn’t do it because of my size. I can’t wait to come in and do whatever I can for the team.”

The Cardinals were intrigued by Stephens-Howling’s special-teams ability, both as a kick returner and in coverage.

Heck, count me among those who sees Chris Wells from Ohio State as injury-prone, so Stephens-Howling might get some opportunities.

They are thrilled in Johnstown about this.

Tony Penna, the athletic director at Johnstown High, was thrilled when he saw the news on television.

“I feel like a little kid,”?Penna said.?“He’s Johnstown’s boy. He belongs to the town. He’s just such a great kid.?I’ve always told people he’s the greatest human being I’ve ever met. He’s deserving of everything that he’s gotten.”

It wasn’t just Stephens-Howling’s athletic exploits that made him such a star at his alma mater.

“The school will be electrified (today). He’s its best diplomat,”?Penna said. “He was such a great example as an athlete at Johnstown. The academic people loved him. The athletic people loved him.?The administration loved him.

“He was the total package.?Besides his ability, he was a better man,”?Penna said.

It’s a common refrain when Stephens-Howling’s name comes up with those who know him.

And LSH returned the affection.

Stephens-Howling has talked at length about how proud he is that his signing with Pitt helped open the door for other local athletes to get noticed.

It worked, as a number of Johnstown-area players ended up with scholarships and almost a half-dozen local players ended up at Pitt.

“It’s just great to see that people are respecting the area,”?Stephens-Howling said. “It’s great for them to see that people here can play football.”

As always, Stephens-Howling was quick to point out that he’s thankful for the support he gets from the people in his hometown.

“I ?really appreciate everything that Johnstown has done,”?he said. “They never let me down. Even when?I was on the back burner at Pitt, they always supported me.”

Another fellow 7th rounder went to Chicago.

He likes Derek Kinder from Pitt. The coaching staff really liked him and he got a strong endorsement from Dave Wannstedt.

And yet, Chicago still drafted him. It might be in no small part because of realizing that Kinder was coming back from a brutal injury.

Kinder has his 2007 season come to an end before it began after his suffered a season-ending knee injury. He made a pre-draft visit to Halas Hall and ran in the 4.4s at his Pro Day.

The Bears people are actually talking up the pick at that point.

The wide receiver’s stock no doubt was affected by a right ACL tear, an injury that caused Kinder to miss the entire 2007 season. The Bears still did their homework, regardless, bringing Kinder in for a visit. Offensive coordinator Ron Turner picked the brain of ex-Bears coach Dave Wannstedt, now Pittsburgh’s head coach.

“Our coaches really liked him,” said general manager Jerry Angelo. “Ron talked to Dave Wannstedt quite a bit. Dave really said tremendous things about him. Knows our system, obviously. That played a part into it.”

The Bears view the 6-foot-1-inch, 210-pound Kinder as a big, physical receiver capable of competing for playing time. After a 57-catch, 847-yard season in ’06, Kinder was a semifinalist for the Biletnikoff Award as the nation’s top receiver.

“I was hoping if I was fortunate enough to get drafted that it would have been Chicago,” Kinder said.

Way to say the right thing. If Kinder hadn’t been drafted, he was probably going to sign as a free agent with Dallas.

The majority of mock drafts, for whatever they are worth, have lately shown LeSean McCoy slipping behind UConn’s Donald Brown and out of the the first round of the upcoming NFL Draft somewhere into the 2nd. Essentially, the 4th best running back in the draft.

1. Chris Wells, OSU
2. Knowshon Moreno, Georgia
3. Donald Brown, UConn
4. LeSean McCoy, Pitt
5. Shonn Greene, Iowa

Questions have arisen regarding his durability and size to be a feature back. Being sick before the combine and limited in what he could do, combined with a less than stellar pro day at Pitt have done damage to his stock.  At this point, a best case scenario would be a team trades up early in the second round to grab him.

So the question becomes whether he made a mistake by going into the NFL Draft this year? Would he have been better served by playing one more season at Pitt?

• DeMarco Murray, Oklahoma
• Jahvid Best, Cal
• Kendall Hunter, OK St.
• Noel Devine, WVU

These are some of the juniors this year that would have competed with McCoy as one of the top junior RBs in college for 2009. Odds are McCoy would have still been considered the 3d best or so RB in that group, and at risk of slipping. He might have stayed in the first round, but I really doubt he would have been a top-15 pick.

Running backs have lost some of their elite value in the NFL Draft. Teams are more willing to gamble on later round picks and even go with free agent signees. Some of it is that aside from a handful of elite backs, the difference seems smaller than ever. The other factor is the increased use of running back  committees. Not relying on just one back.

I have a hard time saying McCoy has made a mistake. Given the workload, injuries from high school and limited shelf life makes it a situation where going a little sooner is better than later.

Despite his impressive production, entering the draft as a sophomore (three years removed from high school) was still deemed a risk. But so is another year of taking hits with a heavy workload.

“This game, at our position, you’re only allowed a certain amount of hits and that’s it,” he said. “You’ve got to make sure you take enough hits and get out and go to the pros and do something you’ve always wanted to do since you were a little boy.”

Sorry for deadzone day. I had some major offline issues, including settling matters from a house fire from nearly three-years ago.

I have been dreading this point. When Spring Football would rear it’s head. I have to be honest. I’m just do not think I’m going to have the time for doing much other than link fests. Between all Pitt basketball and FanHouse responsibilities for the NCAA Tournament, it’s either family or football. Considering the wife makes more money than me, I need to stick with family.

Spring practice starts on Thursday. Wonder what the main subjects could be?

Dave Wannstedt has a substantial “to-do” list when Pitt starts spring football practice Thursday.

For openers, the Panthers need to find a replacement for middle linebacker Scott McKillop, the Big East defensive player of the year. And they’re looking for someone to carry the load at running back because LeSean McCoy is NFL bound and LaRod Stephens-Howling is gone.

Then there’s the matter of picking a starter from a three-way competition at quarterback under new offensive coordinator Frank Cignetti Jr., who replaces Matt Cavanaugh, now coaching quarterbacks for the New York Jets.

I’m not sure how much of a debate at QB. It’s really about the running back depth chart and MLB.

Fifth-year senior Steve Dell, a 6-foot-1, 225-pounder whose career has been hampered by knee problems, is the only returning player with experience at middle linebacker and will take the majority of first-team repetitions.

What gives Wannstedt confidence that Pitt can fill in for McKillop is the return of Adam Gunn, who was granted a sixth season by the NCAA, from a season-ending neck injury and fifth-year senior Shane Murray from a torn ACL. Although both players will be restricted from full-contact scrimmages this spring, they will move inside to add depth and experience.

“I’m kind of excited,” Wannstedt said, “to see how all of these guys compete.”

The same goes for tailback, where Pitt lost both its starter, McCoy, and top backup, LaRod Stephens-Howling. Redshirt sophomore Shariff Harris (6-1, 225) should open camp as the starter, but is expected to be pushed by redshirt freshman Chris Burns and January enrollee Dion Lewis, who complement his power game with their speed and cutback styles.

“I hope we have one guy who comes in and dominates,” Wannstedt said, “but I know we have two or three guys who can play.”

Pitt also has to replace its starter at fullback after the graduation of Conredge Collins, and redshirt sophomore Henry Hynoski is the frontrunner for that position with competition coming from converted tailback Kevin Collier. The Panthers will add incoming freshmen Kevin Adams, Jason Douglas, Raymond Graham and Jason Hendricks to the mix in the fall.

There will be more tomorrow, to be sure, but Pitt had its pro day today.

LeSean McCoy did fine, but nothing to make himself standout from the crowd of running backs.

LaRod Stephens-Howling showed good conditioning and had solid speed, but tweaked his hamstring. That limited his agility drills. He probably won’t get drafted, but he has great chances of catching on for special teams in returns.

In a pot porrui of the rest: Derek Kinder ran fine, Rashaad Duncan is actually going to graduate on time even as he trains and prepares, C.J. Davis is going to get drafted as a  Center, Scott McKillop expects to be a second-day draftee

Coach Wannstedt did a Q&A with Brian Bennett at ESPN.com. Most of the conversation centered around the offense.

Let’s talk about your quarterback situation. Is Bill Stull still your starter, or will there be an open competition this spring?

DW: Billy is going to be our starter. We went 9-3 in the regular season with Bill Stull. It was the best record that Pitt’s had since Dan Marino was here. So people have a tendency to lose sight of that a little bit, too, because of the bowl game. Now, did Billy play at a level that we need him to play at to win a championship? No. Can he get better? Yes. He understands that.

Pat Bostick is looking for an opportunity, Tino Sunseri is looking for an opportunity and we have Greg Cross on our team, he’s looking for an opportunity. So I think that with a new quarterback coach coming in, a new offensive coordinator, it’s going to create a real natural sense of urgency on offense in addition to the quarterback position, which I think will be healthy.

All three quarterbacks will get equal opportunities in practice and scrimmage situations and we’ll see how it unfolds. I think we know these kids well enough that we can expect someone to surface and we can hang our hat on someone and say, “OK, this is the way we’re going into the fall.”

So Stull is the starter, but the other three quarterbacks will get equal opportunities — to be the back-up? Whee.

I can’t say I’m really surprised by this. Coach Wannstedt is not going to open up the QB competition. Like a starter doesn’t lose his job to injury, a position doesn’t re-open just because the OC is new.

Wannstedt seems very high on Dan Mason, even suggesting he could make the two-deep as a freshman. Not too surprising, I suppose given the depth issues at linebacker.

He also talks a little about LeSean McCoy going pro. According to Mel Kiper (Insider subs), he sees McCoy falling to the start of the second round (but the 3d back taken).

No one in this group comes remotely close to the talent and depth we had at this spot last year. I expect only two running backs, Ohio State’s Chris “Beanie” Wells and Georgia’s Knowshon Moreno, to go off the board in the first round. They probably won’t be selected until the mid-to-late portion of that round.

Pitt’s LeSean McCoy has first-round ability but more than likely won’t come off the board until the second round. That’s the same scenario I see for Connecticut’s Donald Brown, who could end up being one of the more productive rookie running backs in the NFL because of his all-around skills and tremendous character.

He puts Conredge Collins at the top of the fullback list.

Although this position basically has been phased out in the NFL, I like several prospects, beginning with Pitt’s versatile Conredge Collins and LSU’s experienced and highly skilled lead blocker Quinn Johnson.

Over on defense, he sees Scott McKillop going sometime in day two.

Lots that I have neglected on the football side (and from a time crunch POV, I am absolutely dreading when spring practice begins as I hope the basketball team will be taking up most of my focus). I’m just going to take care of some things that are worth noting.

The combine has taken place. LeSean McCoy had limited impact/attention as he had the flu and did very little there except probably spread the virus.

The interview process is dead, long-live the ambush questions.

“I’m loving it,” Rutgers receiver Kenny Britt said at Lucas Oil Stadium. “They all come with their own crazy ideas.” The strangest question, Britt said, was, “If you die, what kind of animal would you like to come back as: a cat or a dog?”

Rey Maualuga, a linebacker from Southern California with long, thick, dark hair, said a coach had asked him if he would “flip out” if he were told to cut his hair.

Scott McKillop, a linebacker from Pittsburgh, said he was discussing his mother when a scout suddenly blurted, “Have you ever smoked marijuana?”

Blue! No, ye—–llllloooooooowwwwww!!!!!!!!!

Strangely, the article never told us what the answers given to these questions were.

Scott McKillop didn’t create a lot of buzz, but that wasn’t surprising. He didn’t hurt his status either.

C.J. Davis was there to be considered as a Center. Again, a very quiet time for Davis. That’s not a bad thing. Most of the time, the news is usually for those that hurt their status than the few that jumped.

On the flip side, is the recruiting for 2010. There was the junior day stuff, but most of it is behind pay firewalls of the recruiting sites or on the message boards.

Pitt has one early verbal as the sibling thing paid off. Derrick Burns — Redshirt freshman RB Chris Burns’ little brother — gave his verbal.

The 5-foot-10, 195-pound Burns gave a verbal commitment to Pitt, becoming its first recruit from the Class of 2010 less than two weeks after Signing Day.

“I feel pretty honored that they would accept me,” said Burns, who was recruited by running backs coach David Walker. “I was shocked that they called me so soon. I just stood there. I had no reaction. I didn’t expect them to offer me that soon. I didn’t know that they were going to offer at all.”

A three-year starter at fullback and inside linebacker for the PIAA Class AA champion Greyhounds, he projects as a tailback, safety or outside linebacker in college.

Call it a hunch, but I’m guessing the plans are to put him on defense.

Coach Wannstedt loves to stockpile running backs, though. He also offered a RB from Virginia.

Broad Run junior running back T.J. Peeler picked up his first scholarship offer from the University of Pittsburgh after attending Pitt’s Junior Day.

Peeler, a 6-foot, 175-pound versatile back, rushed for 1,145 yards and scored 18 touchdowns despite playing in just 11 games — he missed three due to a small bone chip in his elbow — helped lead the Spartans to a perfect 14-0 season and the Virginia AA Division 4 state championship, the school’s first ever football title. Under the radar until the Spartans started to make their playoff push, Peeler has also drawn interest from Maryland and several other D-I programs.

“The coaches were all nice and I just felt really comfortable there,” Peeler said. “They were showing me around the whole city, the school, facilities, everything was nice. I talked to Coach Dave Wannstedt and he was telling me he was really interested in me and liked my tape and I don’t know, I just felt really comfortable.”

Peeler also managed to create an anti-highlight reel moment that will be hard to ever live down. Now, to be fair, he lives in Virginia and there was snow on the field. Something that most Virginians don’t quite know how to handle. Still at least it wasn’t grandstanding. Just not being able to see where the endzone actually was.

So former Pitt player, former Pitt coach and father of a Pitt player getting lots of irrational hope pinned on him has re-upped with Nick Saban.

After several days of specula­tion, Saban finally confirmed the hiring of Carolina Panthers defensive line coach Sal Sunseri as well. Willis and Sunseri will replace inside linebackers coach Kevin Steele and outside linebackers coach Lance Thompson, but Saban did not specify which assistant will coach which position.

“I’m extremely happy to add a coach the caliber of Sal Sunse­ri to our staff,” Saban said. “From his playing days at Pitt, to coaching in college football and the NFL, Sal has been suc­cessful at every level of the game.”

This is Sunseri’s second stint with Saban. He coached line­backers at LSU in 2000 under Sa­ban. In making the announce­ment in 2000, Saban said Sunseri was an excellent re­cruiter.

“When you talk about college football tradition and national prestige, it doesn’t get any better than the University of Alaba­ma,” Sunseri said. “This is a championship program with a championship coach in Nick Sa­ban and I feel fortunate to be a part of that.”

Not sure if there was any actual speculation, but Sunseri, the elder swears that Tino isn’t going to transfer to join him.

Before that led to any speculation of whether Tino Sunseri would transfer to Alabama, I contacted the Sunseri family. Here was the response: “Tino is a Pitt Panther and will stay one.”

Glad that was cleared up.

Drew Rosenhaus will rep LeSean McCoy. Actually might be the right fit for McCoy. He needs a hard-nosed agent. McCoy has from all reports tended to be deferential to coaches and authority. Not good for negotiating a contract. Hey, at least it isn’t Scott Boras.

Another verbal earlier in the week. This time a defensive end from New Jersey, Bernardo Nunez. This one was expected for at least a week. He’s a solid 3-star recruit. Plus, he has upside (Insider subs).

He is a solid tackler who wraps up, but will drop his head some at times. He has the initial burst to get a good up-field charge in passing situations. He will use his hands to try and push a blocker by when he gets to quarterback depth. Does a good job of getting his hands up when he can not get to the quarterback. Displays the tools to be a disruptive pass rusher, but needs to keep working on developing an arsenal of pass rush moves. Nunez is a promising prospect. Displays good natural tools and flashes some good ability.

Broken record time, but I still wish Pitt would recruit a real center. So far efforts to convert young O-linemen have not yielded much more than frustration and spring and summer fumbled snaps.