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Three WPIAL Players Selected In NFL Draft


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April 27, 2009

Moon's Shipley Stays In Pittsburgh With Steelers. McKillop one of several Pitt Panthers heading to pros.


 

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The NFL Draft weekend is a whirlwind 48-hour period where teams wheel and deal, pundits banter back and forth, and agents become movers and shakers. It is also a magical time when the dreams of over 250 young men and their families come true.

 

This year three families in Western Pennsylvania celebrated the acquisition of their star in the draft. Scott McKillop, an All-American linebacker at Pitt who starred at Kiski Prep, was selected in the fifth round by the San Francisco 49ers, while Penn State All-American center and Moon Area native A.Q. Shipley was selected in the seventh round by his hometown Pittsburgh Steelers.

 

 Scott McKillop

 

Scott McKillop -- San Francisco Bound

 

Also selected was West Virginia kicker and Plum graduate Pat McAfee, who was taken in the seventh round by the Indianapolis Colts. He is one of three Mountaineers that were selected, joining quarterback Pat While (Miami Dolphins, second round) and cornerback Ellis Lankster (Buffalo Bills, seventh round).

 

Joining McKillop among the ranks of those drafted from Pitt are running backs LeSean McCoy (Philadelphia Eagles, second round) and LaRod Stephens-Howling (Arizona Cardinals, seventh round), and wide receiver Derek Kinder (Chicago Bears, seventh round). Other Penn State notables drafted were outside linebacker/defensive end Aaron Maybin (Buffalo Bills, first round), guard Rich Ohrnberger (New England Patriots, fourth round), and wide receivers Derrick Williams (Detroit Lions, third round) and Deon Butler (Seattle Seahawks, third round).

 

Shipley won the Rimington Trophy following the season as the nation's best center, and won first-team All-American honors as a senior. During his high school career, he was a selection to the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette's Fabulous 22 and played in the 2004 Big 33 Classic.

 

McKillop, like Shipley, was also a Fabulous 22 selection and Big 33 Classic representative in 2004. He was the 2007 and 2008 Big East Defensive Player of the Year, leading the nation with 12.58 tackles per game as a junior and finishing third in the nation his senior year.

 

Among those local players not drafted but have signed contracts as undrafted free agents are Pitt's Dave Brytus (punter, Baltimore Ravens) and C.J. Davis (guard, Carolina Panthers) from West Allegheny, Pitt long snapper and Blackhawk graduate Mark Estermeyer (Steelers), Butler native Tyrell Sales of Penn State (linebacker, Colts), and California University of PA's Kevin McCabe, a Pine-Richland graduate (quarterback, Steelers).


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