Streak ends: NFL Draft includes no WPIAL players for 1st time since 1993

By: Chris Harlan
Sunday, April 27, 2025 | 12:44 AM

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A WPIAL streak that started more than three decades ago ended quietly Saturday.

For the first time in 32 years, no former WPIAL football players were selected in the NFL Draft. The last time that happened was 1993.

The streak got started when the San Francisco 49ers picked Ringgold’s Anthony Peterson in the fifth round of the 1994 draft. Freeport’s Eric Ravotti, Ford City’s Gus Frerotte, Mt. Lebanon’s Andre Hewitt and Mt. Pleasant’s Rob Holmberg were also chosen that year, and at least one WPIAL alum heard his name called every year since.

This year, however, there were none among the 257 players selected over the seven rounds.

The New York Jets did draft a player one generation removed from the WPIAL by selecting Mason Taylor in the second round Friday. His Pro Football Hall of Fame father, Jason Taylor, played football at Woodland Hills. But Mason Taylor grew up in Florida and attended St. Thomas Aquinas in Fort Lauderdale.

The WPIAL alumni ranked highest on predraft lists was Peters Township graduate Donovan McMillon, a safety who played college football at Florida and Pitt. He signed with the Cleveland Browns as an undrafted free agent Saturday.

The 31-year streak saw more than 80 players drafted from WPIAL schools.

The WPIAL’s highest draft pick since 1994 was North Hills’ LaVar Arrington, who went second overall in 2000 to Washington.

In all, the WPIAL had 19 former players selected in the first or second rounds in that span.

Aliquippa alone had three players go as first-rounders: Ty Law (No. 23 in 1995), Darrelle Revis (No. 14 in 2007) and Jon Baldwin (No. 26 in 2011). Penn Hills’ Aaron Donald (No. 13 in 2014) and New Castle’s Malik Hooker (No. 15 in 2017) also were first-round talents.

There were 13 second-round picks, including three from Woodland Hills: Miles Sanders (2019), Rob Gronkowski (2010) and Shawntae Spencer (2004).

Also drafted in the second round were North Allegheny’s Joey Porter Jr. (2023), Gateway’s Jaquan Brisker (2022), Shady Side Academy’s Skyy Moore (2022), Clairton’s Tyler Boyd (2016), Central Catholic’s Stefen Wisniewski (2011), Hopewell’s Paul Posluszny (2007), Upper St. Clair’s Sean Lee (2010), Aliquippa’s Charles Fisher (1999), Steel Valley’s Charlie Batch (1998) and McKeesport’s Mike Logan (1997).

WPIAL streak ends

Here’s a look at players from WPIAL schools selected in the NFL Draft since 1994.

2024

Daequan Hardy, Penn Hills

Round 6, Pick 219, Buffalo Bills

MJ Devonshire, Aliquippa

Round 7, Pick 229, Las Vegas Raiders

2023

Joey Porter Jr., North Allegheny

Round 2, Pick 32, Pittsburgh Steelers

Colby Sorsdal, Mt. Lebanon

Round 5, Pick 152, Detroit Lions

2022

Jaquan Brisker, Gateway

Round 2, Pick 48, Chicago Bears

Skyy Moore, Shady Side Academy

Round 2, Pick 54, Kansas City Chiefs

Rodney Thomas II, Central Catholic

Round 7, Pick 239, Indianapolis Colts

2021

Robert Hainsey, Gateway/IMG Academy

Round 3, Pick 95, Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Damar Hamlin, Central Catholic

Round 6, Pick 212, Buffalo Bills

2020

Kenny Robinson, Imani Christian

Round 5, Pick 152, Carolina Panthers

Khaleke Hudson, McKeesport

Round 5, Pick 162, Washington Football Team

Geno Stone, New Castle

Round 7, Pick 216, Baltimore Ravens

Ben DiNucci, Pine-Richland

Round 7, Pick 231, Dallas Cowboys

Dane Jackson, Cornell/Quaker Valley

Round 7, Pick 239, Buffalo Bills

2019

Miles Sanders, Woodland Hills

Round 2, Pick 53, Philadelphia Eagles

Chase Winovich, Thomas Jefferson

Round 3, Pick 77, New England Patriots

2018

Troy Apke, Mt. Lebanon

Round 4, Pick 109, Washington Redskins

Jordan Whitehead, Central Valley

Round 4, Pick 117, Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Justin Watson, South Fayette

Round 5, Pick 144, Tampa Bay Buccaneers

2017

Malik Hooker, New Castle

Round 1, Pick 15, Indianapolis Colts

James Conner, McDowell

Round 3, Pick 105, Pittsburgh Steelers

Dorian Johnson, Belle Vernon

Round 4, Pick 115, Arizona Cardinals

Montae Nicholson, Gateway

Round 4, Pick 123, Washington Redskins

Adam Bisnowaty, Fox Chapel

Round 6, Pick 200, New York Giants

Treyvon Hester, Penn Hills

Round 7, Pick 244, Oakland Raiders

Ejuan Price, Woodland Hills

Round 7, Pick 234, Los Angeles Rams

2016

Tyler Boyd, Clairton

Round 2, Pick 55, Cincinnati Bengals

Nick Kwiatkoski, Bethel Park

Round 4, Pick 113, Chicago Bears

Quinton Jefferson, Woodland Hills

Round 5, Pick 147, Seattle Seahawks

2015

Jesse James, South Allegheny

Round 5, Pick 160, Pittsburgh Steelers

2014

Aaron Donald, Penn Hills

Round 1, Pick 13, St. Louis Rams

Kaleb Ramsey, Laurel Highlands

Round 7, Pick 243, San Francisco 49ers

2013

Eric Kush, Chartiers Valley

Round 6, Pick 170, Kansas City Chiefs

2012

Gino Gradkowski, Seton LaSalle

Round 4, Pick 98, Baltimore Ravens

Toney Clemons, Valley

Round 7, Pick 231, Pittsburgh Steelers

2011

Jonathan Baldwin, Aliquippa

Round 1, Pick 26, Kansas City Chiefs

Stefen Wisniewski, Central Catholic

Round 2, Pick 48, Oakland Raiders

Terrelle Pryor, Jeannette

Round 3, Pick 1 (supplemental draft), Oakland Raiders

Jason Pinkston, Baldwin

Round 5, Pick 150, Cleveland Browns

Brandon Fusco, Seneca Valley

Round 6, Pick 172, Minnesota Vikings

Tommie Campbell, Aliquippa

Round 7, Pick 251, Tennessee Titans

2010

Rob Gronkowski, Woodland Hills

Round 2, Pick 42, New England Patriots

Sean Lee, Upper St. Clair

Round 2, Pick 55, Dallas Cowboys

Dorin Dickerson, West Allegheny

Round 7, Pick 227, Houston Texans

2009

Scott McKillop, Kiski Area

Round 5, Pick 146, San Francisco 49ers

Pat McAfee, Plum

Round 7, Pick 222, Indianapolis Colts

A.Q. Shipley, Moon

Round 7, Pick 226, Pittsburgh Steelers

2008

Justin King, Gateway

Round 4, Pick 101, St. Louis Rams

Ryan Mundy, Woodland Hills

Round 6, Pick 194, Pittsburgh Steelers

2007

Darrelle Revis, Aliquippa

Round 1, Pick 14, New York Jets

Paul Posluszny, Hopewell

Round 2, Pick 34, Buffalo Bills

Steve Breaston, Woodland Hills

Round 5, Pick 142, Arizona Cardinals

2006

Josh Lay, Aliquippa

Round 6, Pick 174, New Orleans Saints

Bruce Gradkowski, Seton LaSalle

Round 6, Pick 194, Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Tyler Reed, Thomas Jefferson

Round 6, Pick 200, Chicago Bears

2005

Justin Geisinger, Mt. Lebanon

Round 6, Pick 197, Tennessee Titans

Daven Holly, Clairton

Round 7, Pick 215, San Francisco 49ers

2004

Shawntae Spencer, Woodland Hills

Round 2, Pick 58, San Francisco 49ers

Jeff Dugan, Central Catholic

Round 7, Pick 220, Minnesota Vikings

2003

Steve Sciullo, Shaler

Round 4, Pick 122, Indianapolis Colts

Lance Nimmo, Laurel

Round 4, Pick 130, Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Reggie Wells, South Park

Round 6, Pick 177, Arizona Cardinals

2002

Jake Schifino, Penn Hills

Round 5, Pick 151, Tennessee Titans

Bob Slowikowski, Central Catholic

Round 6, Pick 211, Dallas Cowboys

2001

Will Peterson, Laurel Highlands

Round 3, Pick 78, New York Giants

Mike McMahon, North Allegheny

Round 5, Pick 149, Detroit Lions

2000

LaVar Arrington, North Hills

Round 1, Pick 2, Washington Redskins

Brandon Short, McKeesport

Round 4, Pick 105, New York Giants

Marc Bulger, Central Catholic

Round 6, Pick 168, New Orleans Saints

1999

Charles Fisher, Aliquippa

Round 2, Pick 33, Cincinnati Bengals

Eugene Baker, Shady Side Academy

Round 5, Pick 164, Atlanta Falcons

Eric King, North Allegheny

Round 7, Pick 220, Kansas City Chiefs

1998

Charlie Batch, Steel Valley

Round 2, Pick 60, Detroit Lions

1997

Mike Logan, McKeesport

Round 2, Pick 50, Jacksonville Jaguars

Jason Taylor, Woodland Hills

Round 3, Pick 73, Miami Dolphins

Damon Denson, Baldwin

Round 4, Pick 97, New England Patriots

1996

Tom Tumulty, Penn Hills

Round 6, Pick 178, Cincinnati Bengals

Mike Cawley, Mt. Lebanon

Round 6, Pick 205, Indianapolis Colts

1995

Ty Law, Aliquippa

Round 1, Pick 23, New England Patriots

Lorenzo Styles, Farrell

Round 3, Pick 77, Atlanta Falcons

Brian Gelzheiser, Baldwin

Round 6, Pick 187, Indianapolis Colts

1994

Anthony Peterson, Ringgold

Round 5, Pick 153, San Francisco 49ers

Eric Ravotti, Freeport

Round 6, Pick 180, Pittsburgh Steelers

Gus Frerotte, Ford City

Round 7, Pick 197, Washington Redskins

Andre Hewitt, Mt. Lebanon

Round 7, Pick 203, Cleveland Browns

Rob Holmberg, Mt. Pleasant

Round 7, Pick 217, Los Angeles Raiders

Chris Harlan is a TribLive reporter covering sports. He joined the Trib in 2009 after seven years as a reporter at the Beaver County Times. He can be reached at charlan@triblive.com.