The Pittsburgh area’s Western Pennsylvania Interscholastic Athletic League, better known as the WPIAL to those in the region, has long been known for producing talented football players. While demographic shifts and the decline of football across the Rust Belt has harmed the overall depth of talent coming out of the WPIAL as compared to the hey-day years of the 1980s and earlier, the league still consistently sends dozens of player to the Division I college football ranks annually.

There are currently 77 alumni of WPIAL schools playing college football across 22 of the 128 total teams of the FBS level, including 30 players combined at the in-state schools of Pitt, Penn State, and Temple. Here is my projection of what a team of the WPIAL’s best college football players for the 2016 season what would like, beginning with the offensive side of the football. The starting line-up will be broken down as follows: 1 quarterback, 2 running backs, 2 wide receivers, 1 tight end, 2 offensive tackles, 2 offensive guards, 1 offensive center, 2 defensive ends, 2 defensive tackles, 2 outside linebackers, 1 inside linebacker, and 4 defensive backs.

Starter: Thomas Woodson, Akron - Former Gateway Gator Thomas Woodson of Akron gets the nod as the WPIAL's top current college quarterback. Woodson has thrown for over 2,000 yards and 18 touchdowns while completing 60% of his passes this season for the Zips as a junior. The same arm talent that helped him lead Gateway in his high school career has helped him to standout in the MAC.

Back-Up: Perry Hills, Maryland - A product of Pittsburgh (Pa.) Central Catholic, Perry Hills has had a stellar senior season for the Maryland Terrapins. Hills is second to only Michigan's Wilson Speight in quarterback rating among Big Ten passers, completing over 67 percent of his passing attempts for 10 touchdowns and three interceptions. While he has been very efficient, Hills lags far behind Woodson in total yardage and touchdowns.

Other players at the position: Mack Leftwich, UTEP; JJ Cosentino, Florida State

Starters: Rushel Shell, West Virginia and Dorian Brown, Ohio University - There aren't as many running backs from the WPIAL in the college ranks as one would expect and it could be easy to see a youth movement overtake the position next year. West Virginia's Rushel Shell, a Pitt transfer from Hopewell, and Ohio U's Dorian Brown, a Baldwin grad, both lead their teams in rushing attempts for 2016. Shell has rushed 104 times for 504 yards and five touchdowns (he also has 94 receiving yards) while Brown has compiled 747 yards and four touchdowns on 126 attempts.

Back-Ups: Terry Swanson, Toledo and Damion Jones-Moore, Toledo - The resurgent Toledo Rockets have placed an emphasis on recruiting the WPIAL and a pair of teammates make the list at running back. Swanson (525 yards and three touchdowns) and Jones-Moore (235 yards at over 6 yards per carry) have been key to a Toledo rushing attack that ranks 29th in the nation in yardage.

Other players at the position: Cole Macek, Army; Shai McKenzie, Virginia Tech; Art Thompkins, Toledo; Ronnie Jones, Toledo; Miles Sanders, Penn State

Starters: Tre Tipton, Pitt and Corey Jones, Toledo - A freshman and a senior are the top two college receivers to have matriculated from the WPIAL ranks. Toledo's Corey Jones, a Penn Hills alum, has established himself as the unchallenged top receiver to emerge from the area, recording 53 receptions for 631 yards and five touchdowns as a slot receiver. Pitt's Tre Tipton has been a revelation in his first season, recording receptions in seven straight games for the Panthers while totaling 12 receptions for 142 yards and a touchdown on the year.

Back-Ups: Dontez Ford, Pitt and Robert Foster, Alabama - The ranks of productive player at wide receiver are thin in the WPIAL, but these two veterans have provided some value to their teams. Ford has caught 10 passes for 107 yards as a senior while Foster has nabbed five receptions for 45 yards. Injuries have hampered both players, but they hope to finish their seasons strong.

Other players at the position: Devin Wilson, Virginia Tech; Shafer Swann, Army; Ricky Rogers, West Virginiua; Danzell McKinley-Lewis, Toledo; Aaron Mathews, Pitt

Starter: Scott Orndoff, Pitt - An alumni of Seton-La Salle, the Pitt senior tight end has been a strong presence for the Panthers in 2016. Orndoff's notched 30 catches for 482 yards and four touchdowns. Those numbers include an impressive 74-yard score against Georgia Tech and a massive effort against Clemson that saw him haul in nine receptions for 128 yards and two touchdowns.

Back-Up: Jaymar Parrish, Pitt - Parrish is the only other WPIAL alumni at tight end who has touched the football in his college career, making him an easy choice for this list. Parrish, a Gateway product, has three receptions for 34 yards in 2016 as a hybrid tight end/fullback for the Panthers.

Other players at the position: Michael Kish, Akron; Patrick Anderson, Temple; Nate Swart, Toledo

Starters: Adam Bisnowaty, Pitt and Logan Dietz, Bowling Green - Adam Bisnowaty is a clear choice here at offensive tackle and would likely make this team at any point in recent history. Bisnowaty is an All-ACC caliber player, a multi-year starter at Pitt, and has turned into an NFL Draft product since coming out of Fox Chapel. Bowling Green's Logan Dietz, a former Central Catholic Viking, has carved out a starting role for the Falcons and played well this season.

Back-Ups: Brandon Ford, Pitt and Sterling Jenkins, Penn State - Despite neither of these players seeing the field in their careers at the college level, they are the only two other offensive tackles from the WPIAL on college football rosters.

Other players at the position: None.

Starters: Dorian Johnson, Pitt and Alex Bookser, Pitt - Both players are no-brainers to top this list of WPIAL alumni at guard. Dorian Johnson is an All-Conference and potentially All-American caliber player who has very much lived up to his potential coming out of Belle Vernon. Bookser is earlier in his career but has also excelled at Pitt, starting double-digit games for the Panthers as a redshirt sophomore out of Mt. Lebanon. Both will likely play on Sundays in some capacity in the future.

Back-Ups: Patrick Kugler, Michigan and Mike Grimm, Pitt - Patrick Kugler was the clear choice as the third offensive guard out of the WPIAL. While Kugler hasn't been the player many expected since coming out of North Allegheny, he's played in double-digit games for Michigan coming off of the bench. He would likely be the "sixth man" of this offensive line as needed. Grimm is an arbitrary choice, as no other WPIAL alumni has seen time on the field as an offensive guard.

Other players at the position: Jacob Buccigrossi, West Virginia; Sean Beadle, Ohio University

Starter: Ian Park, Northwestern - If Ian Park were healthy, the Upper St. Clair choice would be an obvious choice as the selection for center, despite spending some time at left guard as well. He has been out for the entire season at Northwestern, but he is still the only available selection as the only offensive center in college football from the Pittsburgh area currently. Park has started eight games in his career and may return for an extra year in 2017.

Back-Ups: None, there are no other centers from the WPIAL in the FBS.

Other players at the position: None.