In an area that breeds and builds football talent, the Pittsburgh region was treated to many pleasant surprises during the third and final day of the 2020 NFL Draft.
Between the University of Pittsburgh and high schools across the WPIAL, it was a very successful and proud day for football in Pittsburgh and all of western Pennsylvania.
It all started in the fifth round, with the Washington Redskins. Under first-year head coach Ron Rivera, the Redskins selected linebacker Khaleke Hudson with the 162nd overall pick.
Hudson grew up in McKeesport and played his high-school ball for the Tigers. In college, Hudson took his talents to Ann Arbor to play for Jim Harbaugh and the Michigan Wolverines. The 22-year old played four seasons with the Wolverines.
In his senior campaign of 2019, the linebacker registered 1.5 sacks and blocked a kick. He also recorded 101 total tackles for the Wolverines, who went 9-4 under their fifth-year head coach.
In the seventh and final round, the Baltimore Ravens selected safety Geno Stone with the 219th overall pick.
Stone is a native of New Castle, where he played his high-school football. In college, he played three years for Kirk Ferentz and the Iowa Hawkeyes. During his junior season of 2019, Stone recorded one sack, three tackles for a loss, three forced fumbles (one fumble recovery) and one interception.
Twelve picks later, another local product came off the board, as the Dallas Cowboys selected quarterback Ben DiNucci with the 231st overall selection.
DiNucci, 23, grew up in Wexford and played his high-school ball at Pine-Richland. DiNucci redshirted with the Pittsburgh Panthers in 2015. Across 12 games in 2016 and 2017, the Wexford native threw for 1107 yards and six touchdowns, including a Pitt-high 228 yards in a loss vs Oklahoma State in September of 2017.
Following the 2017 season, DiNucci transferred to James Madison University, where he took over as the starting quarterback of the Dukes. In two seasons in Harrisonburg, DiNucci left his mark on the program.
He now finds himself tied for 4th in program history in both passing yards (5,716) and passing touchdowns (45). In the 2019 FCS Championship Game vs North Dakota State, DiNucci passed for 204 yards and two touchdowns, but also threw a game-deciding interception in the game's final minute to consequently give the Bison another championship.
Eight picks later, one of DiNucci's former Pitt teammates was drafted. The Buffalo Bills selected cornerback Dane Jackson, who shared the locker room with DiNucci from 2015-2017, with the 239th overall pick.
Jackson played his high-school ball at Cornell High School in Coraopolis. After a redshirt season in 2015, Jackson played four seasons for Pat Narduzzi's program. Across four seasons with the Panthers, Jackson registered four interceptions and 148 total tackles. In 2018, Jackson forced four fumbles, two of which he recovered.
Another Pine-Richland alumni found his way onto an NFL roster, as the Jacksonville Jaguars signed Army running back Connor Slomka as an undrafted free agent. Across four seasons with the Black Knights, Slomka rushed for 1,208 yards and 17 touchdowns (eight of those in 2019). During his senior campaign of 2019, Slomka notched a season-high in rushing yards with 92 in a tight loss to seventh-ranked Michigan, while recording a season-high three rushing touchdowns in a November victory over the Virginia Military Institute (FCS).
It took until the later rounds, but the Pittsburgh region was, once again, able to showcase their ability to breed and develop talent. Now, it is up to these men to make the region that build them proud.
Congratulations to Khaleke Hudson, Geno Stone, Ben DiNucci, Dane Jackson and Connor Slomka!
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