The Best of the WPIAL: 40-36

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 find out which prospects just narrowly missed the cut. Below begins the Best of the WPIAL, starting with number 40.

Rob Gronkowski was this young man’s full name before he became the ball-spiking, touchdown-scoring, hard-partying machine that is today known simply as Gronk. Gronkowski is well on his way to being one of the greatest tight ends in NFL history with the New England Patriots. Gronk arrived with the Pats after picking Arizona for college over Ohio State, Clemson, and Syracuse – although local schools like Pitt and Penn State did recruit the Woodland Hills star. Gronkowski told Arizona fans way back in 2007 to “get ready for Rob G”, but he should have been telling the world at large. While Gronk is number 40 on this countdown, he may prove to be one of the greatest players to ever pass through western Pennsylvania by time it’s all said and done. Gronk has quickly racked up 5,555 yards and 65 touchdowns in just six seasons for the Patriots.

John Malecki was an offensive guard from Murrysville (Pa.) Franklin Regional High School, just outside of the 412 area code over in Westmoreland County. Pitt was the first offer for Malecki, and that was all it took. Malecki committed to Pitt almost a year before his National Signing Day, a rarity back in the earlier days of recruiting, and he never wavered from the Panthers. He was listed at defensive tackle, but eventually shifted to offensive guard, becoming a team captain and three-year starter for Pitt. Malecki hung on with NFL practice squads for a few years, even making one game with the active roster for the Pittsburgh Steelers. He now runs his own custom furniture business.

Dravon Henry, now known as Dravon Askew-Henry, was a major national recruit out of his storied high school program Aliquippa. Henry had picked up offers from Alabama, Florida State, Ohio State, Pitt, Penn State, and many others before selecting West Virginia. Pulling the elite safety from the Quips to the Mountaineers, and stealing Henry away from a Pitt pipeline, was a huge boon for WVU. Henry has started all 26 games of his college career and looks to do exactly the same for his junior season. It’s possible that Henry could be a three-and-out NFL Draft prospect if he continues this trend down in Morgantown.

Unfortunately for Thomas Ricketts, things never got off of the starting line in his college football career. A talented offensive lineman out of Wexford (Pa.) North Allegheny, a program known for producing them as of late, the four-star offensive tackle signed with Penn State in the class of 2010. However, immediately following the Sandusky scandal, Ricketts transferred back closer to home at Pitt. Ricketts was the victim of a shoulder injury at Pitt and eventually left the football program, although he remained a student.

Todd Thomas came to Pitt, like many before him, from nearby Beaver Falls (Pa.). Thomas was recruited by many of the usual suspects in western Pennsylvania – Pitt, Penn State, Ohio State, West Virginia, Michigan, and more – but eventually decided that staying home with the Panthers was the right fit for him. While Thomas was a highly regarded wide receiver at the high school level, he quickly packed weight and muscle onto his 6-foot-3, 200-pound frame and emerged as a linebacker. Thomas nearly left the Pitt program at one point, but hung on to make it to an undrafted free agent contract in the NFL with the Jacksonville Jaguars.