Hopewell running back Russel Shell has announced that he will play at Pitt, the Post-Gazette reports. This is quite the coup for the Panthers - Shell is considered one of the top running back prospects nationally, and a lot of the best programs in the country wanted him.
↵↵↵A 6-foot, 210-pound senior, Shell is ranked among the top five running backs in the country by scouting services and had scholarship offers from numerous schools, including Penn State, Florida, Oregon, Virginia Tech and North Carolina. But he had narrowed his choices to Pitt and Alabama, and it was no surprise that he chose Pitt.
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This is certainly a nice boost for Todd Graham's recruiting class. In fact, it's momentous - Panthers fans on Twitter are calling Friday "Russel Shell Day." Cardiac Hill posts a very detailed scouting report on Shell from ESPN:
↵↵↵Shell is one of the more complete and productive running back prospects this class has to offer. Demonstrates workhorse type attributes. Has a great blend of size, speed and power. Strong, compact and durable. Has every-down body composition for the college level ... Difficult to find big, backs who move the chains inside or out at the major college level but Shell should be one of them.
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That certainly sounds like something most teams can use.
↵The Post-Gazette notes that Shell plans to sign his letter of intent in February.