The Best of the WPIAL: 30-26

The Best of the WPIAL is a feature series running through the most highly-rated players from the Western Pennsylvania Interscholastic Athletic League – or high school football in the greater Pittsburgh area for the uninitiated – in the Rivals.com era. Rivals began releasing lists of the nation’s 100 best prospects in 2002 and the Rivals250 followed that in 2006. This list contains only the top 40 players by high school ranking, not college or NFL production.

Western Pennsylvania has always been a cradle to some of football’s most outsized talents and personalities and many of them come within recent memory. You can read the introduction to the series here, and see numbers 40 through 36, and 35 through 31. Below continues the countdown with number 30

Damar Hamlin has yet to play a down at Pitt and he’s already being discussed by Panthers fan as one of the best players on the time. The safety (although he may play corner, if needed) from Pittsburgh Central Catholic has instant impact potential in the defensive secondary, which is why he was heavily recruited by Pitt, Penn State, Ohio State, Notre Dame, and others. Hamlin’s career has yet to begin, but after Pitt won a slugfest of a recruitment to secure the signature from this local standout, big things will be expected once he dons the uniform.

Shayne Hale came out of Monroeville (Pa.) Gateway right around the program’s peak under head coach Terry Smith, now an assistant at Penn State. A physically imposing linebacker at 6-foot-3 and 235 pounds at the high school ranks, Hale was recruited by Michigan, Ohio State, West Virginia, and Virginia before announcing a commitment to Pitt at the U.S. Army All-American game in San Antonio. He joined Gateway teammate Cam Saddler in his commitment. Hale spent five years at Pitt and never had the explosive career that some imagined, but he started six games as a defensive end in his senior year, totaling 36 tackles, three sacks, two fumble recoveries, a forced fumble, and nine-and-a-half TFLs. Hale has returned to Gateway as a defensive line coach, where he’s getting the band back together with fellow former Gators Mortty Ivy (West Virginia) and Dorian Bell (Ohio State/Duquesne).

David Adams is one of the youngest players on this list, but the 6-foot-2, 225-pound inside linebacker from Pittsburgh Central Catholic has already made a name for himself as a prep standout. Adams, a class of 2017 recruit, secured offers from Pitt, Penn State, Michigan, Florida, and many others before making a commitment to the Fighting Irish, joining teammate Kurt Hinish. Adams is an impressive inside linebacker prospect and his senior year for the Vikings will be one to watch.

Tyler Boyd, much like former Woodland Hills standout Rob Gronkowski, would be significantly farther ahead on this list if it was based on production at the next level. Boyd emerged from Clairton as a ready-made college receiver with offers from Tennessee, West Virginia, and others before he ultimately elected to go to Pitt. He found himself in the spotlight very quickly, putting up over 150 all-purpose yards against Florida State on national television in his first game as a true freshman. It only got better from there for Boyd, who shattered records at Pitt. He holds the marks as the Panthers’ career leader in receptions (254) and receiving yards (3,361) and fell just one catch shy of tying Larry Fitzgerald’s single-season receptions record. He also ranks second all-time at Pitt in all-purpose yards, behind only Tony Dorsett. The future is bright for Boyd, who will debut as a rookie for the Cincinnati Bengals alongside AJ Green.

Yet another linebacker on the list, Pittsburgh seems to be flush with them in recent years. Canon McMillan’s Mike Hull was a coveted 6-foot-1, 215-pound linebacker with impressive athleticism and offers from Penn State, Pitt, West Virginia, and Michigan. Hull ultimately chose to stay in his home state and play for the Nittany Lions, where he experienced some of the darkest days in the program’s history through the scandals and sanctions. Hull totaled 274 tackles, 20 tackles for a loss, and six and a half sacks over his Penn State career, earning a first-team All-Big Ten nod in 2014. He has spent time on and off of the Miami Dolphins practice squad since finishing his Penn State career.