Coach Dave Wannstedt announced his recruiting class yesterday, but for the first time in recent memory, Pitt is not considered to have the top crop in the Big East.

That doesn't mean the class isn't a good one. The Panthers signed some very highly regarded players and their class is ranked No. 47 by Rivals.com. It also is considered the fourth best in the Big East -- behind West Virginia, Rutgers and South Florida -- by a number of scouting services.

Pitt had one player who had made a verbal commitment, Allderdice defensive lineman Will Clarke, but fail to sign a letter of intent. He said he is still weighing his options.

The Panthers signed 20 players yesterday, so the class is a little bit smaller than usual, but four are considered "four-star" athletes by Rivals.com.

Wannstedt said the lack of scholarship numbers -- teams can sign up to 25 players in a given year -- combined with a down cycle among the senior class in Western Pennsylvania hurt the Panthers, but overall he was extremely pleased with the depth and versatility of his class.

"We only had 14 seniors and with LeSean McCoy leaving early [a 15th scholarship open up], so it's not a huge class," Wannstedt said. "Looking back, this is an outstanding class. It fills a lot of needs that we have. This year on our coaching staff, five of our nine assistants were new, and I thought they did a good job. We signed 20 players and 10 of them were from Pennsylvania and nine of those players were All-State players.

"Overall, I'm very pleased. I think we'll be able to fill the holes, build depth and venture out into other areas that will be better for us as the years go on."

Although Pitt didn't get the two players considered to be the top prospects in Western Pennsylvania -- Gateway's Corey Brown and Dorian Bell, who both signed with Ohio State -- Wannstedt still did a good job in the WPIAL.

The Panthers signed seven players from the WPIAL, including Beaver Falls receiver Todd Thomas and Penn Hills linebacker Dan Mason, who are among the top five prospects in the area.

Pitt also signed Thomas Jefferson tight end Brock DeCicco, who is ranked among the top 15 tight ends in the country, and two massive, athletic linemen in Aliquippa's Juantez Hollins (offensive tackle) and Steel Valley's Tyrone Ezell (defensive end).

One of the more intriguing players in the class is receiver Ed Tinker, who was a standout at Brashear but needed to shore up his academic resume and spent the past season at a prep school in North Carolina.

One area Pitt did extremely well in was New Jersey, which Wannstedt said was a point of emphasis. He has been looking to develop a presence in that state as well as Ohio and Maryland.

The Panthers signed five players from New Jersey, including highly touted running back Raymond Graham (Elizabeth), who is one of three backs who will have an opportunity to compete for the starting job left open by McCoy's departure.

"Looking at the map of the country, we look at the areas that are about a five-hour drive and it takes us into different areas," Wannstedt said. "Within those areas, I'm going to go out and speak at high schools and clinics. I'm going to try and get Pitt's name out there and cultivate those relationships.

"In New Jersey, we've had some great players in the past. They play good football there and it's a Big East area. It makes sense to go and recruit there. It's a change in a point of emphasis."