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Updated 8 hours ago
With the top seniors now signed, players in the Class of 2018 step into the spotlight. Here's a look at some of the top prospects for next year and beyond.
1. PHIL JURKOVEC, Pine-Richland
Twitter: @pjurkovec
6-foot-5, 200 pounds, quarterback
Jurkovec committed to Notre Dame in May. The four-star recruit was nationally ranked by Rivals.com as the third-best quarterback in his class. He held 16 scholarship offers when he picked the Irish, with Alabama, Clemson, Michigan State and Ohio State among them. The dual-threat passer threw for 2,560 yards and rushed for 1,250 as a sophomore, but a thumb injury limited him to six games as a junior. Rivals ranked him No. 55 overall.
2. KWANTEL RAINES, Aliquippa
Twitter: @KwantelRaines
6-foot-3, 190 pounds, defensive back
With Jurkovec already committed, Raines stands out as the prized recruit in the WPIAL. Another star defensive back from Aliquippa, Rivals ranks Raines as the 11th-best safety in the nation and prospect No. 129 overall. This month he announced scholarship offers from Rutgers and Maryland, adding to a list that counts around two dozen. Pitt, Penn State and West Virginia are among the schools after him, along with Michigan State and Wisconsin.
3. DEVIN DANIELSON, Thomas Jefferson
Twitter: @djdevin79
6-foot-3, 290 pounds, defensive line
Danielson added a Pitt offer Wednesday. He emerged as a dominant two-way lineman when Thomas Jefferson won the WPIAL Class 4A championship last fall. Danielson has around a dozen offers with West Virginia, Iowa State, UCLA and Virginia among them. He had 41 tackles, six sacks and two fumble recoveries as a junior.
4. MARCUS HOOKER, New Castle
Twitter: @marcushooker23
6-foot, 185 pounds, defensive back
Hooker's brother Malik just finished an All-American season at Ohio State, which has drawn more eyes to watch Marcus. Rivals ranks him as a four-star recruit and No. 182 overall nationally. He lists offers from West Virginia, Bowling Green, Buffalo, Cincinnati, Kent State, Temple and Toledo. A versatile athlete, Hooker scored 17 touchdowns as a junior.
5. JULIAN MAJOR, Penn Hills
Twitter: @Gboy_600
6-foot-2, 170 pounds, wide receiver
A wideout with excellent ball-skills, Major holds offers from ACC, Big 10, Big 12 and SEC schools. A three-star recruit, Rivals ranks him No. 61 nationally among wide receivers. Major made 31 receptions for 433 yards and seven touchdowns as a junior. He lists offers from Arkansas, Boston College, Iowa State, Kentucky and Wisconsin, among others.
6. JAMES GMITER, Bethel Park
Twitter: @Gmiter74
6-foot-4, 300 pounds, defensive line
Gmiter committed to West Virginia on Jan. 7. The Mountaineers were the first program to recruit the two-way lineman, but Wisconsin also offered him a scholarship before he made his decision. A three-star recruit, Rivals ranks Gmiter at No. 22 overall in the state.
7. BLAKE ZUBOVIC, Belle Vernon
Twitter: @blake_zubovic66
6-foot-6, 285 pounds, offensive line
Belle Vernon, which in recent years produced linemen Dorian Johnson (Pitt), Devin Hannan (Old Dominion) and Nick Sweitzer (Georgetown), has another Division I recruit at tackle. Zubovic received his first scholarships when Pitt and Maryland extended offers Tuesday. He was an all-conference offensive tackle in Class 4A as a junior.
8. JAKE KRADEL, Butler
Twitter: @JakeKradel
6-foot-4, 285 pounds, offensive line
A two-way lineman who earned all-conference honors for defense, Kradel lists five scholarship offers. His first came last summer from Syracuse, before N.C. State, Toledo, Bowling Green and Ohio joined his list. He had three sacks as a junior, and also showed his athleticism as Butler's punter.
9. T.J. BANKS, East Allegheny
Twitter: @Tj_15110
6-foot-5, 225 pounds, tight end
Banks, who already holds a Pitt offer, could play tight end or defensive end in college. A Rivals.com three-star recruit, he's ranked as the 17th-best tight end in the nation. Along with the Panthers, he has FBS offers from Maryland and Toledo.
10. DAVID GREEN, Central Catholic
Twitter: @TMT_Dave99
6-foot-2, 260 pounds, defensive line
A Rivals three-star recruit, Green could play defensive end or possibly outside linebacker. West Virginia, Iowa State, Rutgers and Syracuse are among the schools that have offered him. He tied for second on the team in sacks last season, but also had 33 carries and 362 yards as the team's fullback.
Three to watch in 2019
MJ Devonshire, Aliquippa
Twitter: @GoDumb_9
5-foot-10, 170 pounds, defensive back
Aliquippa could have another star cornerback. Devonshire announced his first two FBS scholarship offers on consecutive days, with West Virginia on Jan. 18 and Maryland the next day.
Corey Thomas, Central Catholic
Twitter: @CThom_7
6-foot-3, 180 pounds, defensive back
A wide receiver and safety with good size, Thomas earned WPIAL Class 6A all-conference honorable mention as a sophomore defensive back for state runner-up Central Catholic.
Jayvon Thrift, Norwin
Twitter: @JayvonThrift
5-foot-11, 180 pounds, defensive back
Thrift earned first-team all-conference honors as a sophomore safety in the WPIAL's largest classification (6A). He was second on the team in tackles, and had two forced fumbles, an interception and a sack.
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