Ranking the top 20 Pitt football players of the 21st century ... what's your opinion?

The question raised over the weekend by veteran Pitt reporter Chris Peak was a good one, with an easy answer:

Where does Darrelle Revis fit among the top Pitt players of the 21st century?

Where does Darrelle Revis rank among the top Pitt players of the 21st century?

Competition includes:

Fitzgerald
Donald
McCoy
Pickett
Conner
Boyd
Addison
O'Neill
Kancey
Jones
Weaver
McKillop
Palko

— Chris Peak (@PantherLair) August 5, 2023

Revis became the 10th Panthers player inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame on Saturday. Pitt was tied for fifth place with Miami among schools with the most Hall of Famers, but Revis made 10 and a tie for fourth with Ohio State. USC and Notre Dame (14 each) and Michigan (11) are the top three.

Among Pitt players, Revis belongs among the top five that includes (arguably, I guess) Larry Fitzgerald, Aaron Donald, LeSean McCoy and Kenny Pickett. Rank them in any order, and you won’t be wrong.

The tougher question: How do you rank the top — let’s say 20 — Pitt players of the 21st century. You could carve five Mount Rushmores.

We’ll take a crack at putting them in the proper order. Evaluations were based on a player’s impact at Pitt and in the NFL because both time frames matter greatly.

20. Dorian Johnson: A valuable blocker and locker room leader who received All-American status in 2016.

19. Scott McKillop: An All-American, with 344 career tackles, including stopping WVU’s Steve Slaton on fourth-and-3 late in the fourth quarter of 13-9.

18. Dorin Dickerson: Outstanding athlete who played on both sides of the football, excelled at tight end.

17. Rashad Weaver: One of the smartest players recruited by Pat Narduzzi, he finished with 17 career sacks.

16. Patrick Jones: He was rated a two-star prospect in high school, but 22 career sacks and All-American honors validate the value of hard work.

15. Jabaal Sheard: Big East Defensive POY in 2010, with 14 1/2 TFLs, nine sacks and four forced fumbles.

14. Dion Lewis: His 2,860 rushing yards are third-best this century, and he played eight seasons in the NFL.

13. H.B. Blades: Big East Defensive Player of the Year in 2006 who finished with 433 career tackles, third all-time at Pitt.

12. Brian O’Neill: A converted tight end who is now a rich offensive tackle for the Vikings.

11. Tyler Palko: A quarterback with an insatiable will to win who threw for 8,330 yards and 66 touchdowns from 2004-06.

10. Antonio Bryant: Second all-time in receiving yards (3,061), with an average of 17.7 per catch.

9. Jordan Addison: A Vikings rookie, he played a starring role in an ACC championship, with the No. 2 yards-receiving season in Pitt history (1,593).

8. Calijah Kance: ACC Defensive POY and a first-round draft choice of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Kancey’s quickness and impact on ball carriers at the point of attack are elite.

7. Tyler Boyd: Check out these reception numbers from 2013-15: 85, 78, 91. Consistent greatness.

6. James Conner: An inspiration for his ability to overcome adversity but also productive (3,733 yards and 56 touchdowns).

5. LeSean McCoy: He carried heavy loads at Pitt, especially when he ran for 148 yards in the upset of WVU, and in the NFL (11,102).

4. Kenny Pickett: He’s only No. 4 because a Pro Football Hall of Famer and two locks for that distinction are ahead of him. Pickett is the reason Pitt won the 2021 ACC championship.

3. Darrelle Revis: He returned two interceptions for TDs in 2006, grabbed four others out of the air in ‘05 before his 11-year NFL career that resulted in 29 more picks and an HOF induction.

2. Aaron Donald: Tackling two players in one bear hug at Duke still ranks up there, but his three NFL Defensive POY awards and one Super Bowl victory aren’t bad, either.

1. Larry Fitzgerald: There were some passes out of his reach at Pitt but not many. His 17-year NFL career with one team included 1,432 receptions for 17,492 yards and 121 TDs.