WPIAL’s Class of 2021 is filled with Power 5 talent such as Elliot Donald, Nahki Johnson, Derrick Davis, Donovan McMillon, Dorien Ford, Aaron Gunn, Josh Hough, Stephon Hall and Khalil Dinkins.
Talent level can sometimes be cyclical and that APPEARS to be the case for next year.
Rivals has released their Top 15 prospects for each state for the Class of 2022 and the WPIAL has been shutout. In something that is very unusual, no player from Western Pennsylvania is included on this list.
Here is the initial list of the Rivals Top 15 Prospects for 2022.
1) Enai White, 4-star LB, Imhotep Charter School (Philadelphia)
2) Keenan Nelson, Jr., 4-star CB, St. Joseph’s HS (Philadelphia )
3) Drew Shelton, 4-star OT, Downington West HS (Downington)
4) Nicholas Singleton, 4-star RB, Governor Mifflin Senior HS (Shillington)
5) Mehki Flowers, 4-star S, Steelton-Highspire HS (Steelton)
6) Ken Talley, 4-star Athlete, Northeast High School (Philadelphia)
7) Anthony Johnson, 4-star LB, Neumann-Goretti High School (Philadelphia)
8) Kevin Thomas, 4-star WR, Neumann-Goretti High School (Philadelphia)
9) Anthony Ivey, 4-star WR, Manheim Township HS (Lancaster)
10) Samuel Brown, 4-star Athlete, LaSalle High School (Wydmoor)
11) Abdul Carter, 4-star LB, LaSalle High School (Philadelphia)
12) Raleigh Collins, 3-star CB, Neumann-Goretti HS (Philadelphia)
13) Beau Pribula, 3-star QB, Central York High School (York)
14) Anthony Smith, 3-star DE, Shippensburg Area HS (Shippensburg)
15) Keon Wyle 3-star LB, Imhotep Charter (Philadelphia)
It sure looks as though Cory Sanders, Pitt’s Eastern Pennsylvania and WPIAL recruiter, will be spending plenty of time on the other side of the state.
The WPIAL not having prospects making this list will be short lived as Laurel Highlands Rodney Gallagher and Brashear’s Ta’Mere Robinson are already 4-star recruits and Top 100 National recruits in the Class of 2023.
The WPIAL typical year is more down than up. You can’t lose population for 3 plus decades and expect to remain at peak level.
Face it. Joe Namath is selling Medicare Supplemental coverage, Dan Marino turns 60 and every top prospect out of the WPIAL recruited by ND either flops or transfers. The cupboard has slim Pickens.