Both Tyler Boyd in 2013 and Jordan Whitehead in 2015 arrived at Pitt with high expectations as top-ranked high school recruits — and not just any high school recruits but WPIAL recruits.
K’Waun Williams arrived at Pitt from St. Joseph Regional in Montvale, New Jersey as a much less heralded recruit, ranking as the 1,326th recruit in the class of 2010, but all three made their impact on Wild Card Weekend this year.
Boyd and the Cincinnati Bengals opened Wild Card Weekend Saturday afternoon, and while Boyd wasn’t a huge yardage machine, he did secure a crucial touchdown — his first playoff touchdown — to help clinch the Bengals’ first playoff win since 1991.
Boyd finished with four catches for 26 yards a crucial first half touchdown.
Whitehead, unlike Boyd, isn’t a playoff newbie. He was a key player on the Tampa Bay Buccaneers’ Super Bowl run last season, and despite some injuries this season, he rose up as a force in the Bucs win over the Philadelphia Eagles.
In a 31-15 win over the Eagles, Whitehead chipped in six tackles (six solo) and two tackles for loss — along with a key early trend-setting tackle for loss.
The San Francisco 49ers escaped with a huge win over the Dallas Cowboys, and while Jimmy Garoppolo and the offense slumped in the second half, Williams didn’t.
A Dallas drive began deep inside its own territory, and on a second and 28 attempt, Dak Prescott’s pass attempt was read and cut off by Williams, resulting in a key 49ers’ interception. And 49ers’ star Deebo Samuel would score a rushing touchdown on San Francisco’s next offensive play.
Williams finished with two tackles, both solo, and his solo interception of Prescott changed the course of the game for the 49ers.
