By Chris Dokish

The Pitt basketball program has been a national power for almost a decade now, and that longevity near the top is showing itself on the recruiting trail as prospects no longer think of the Panthers as bottom-feeders. And in the entire Ben Howland/Jamie Dixon Era, no recruiting class has more pure ability and talent then the four-member group Jamie Dixon put together during the early signing period.

The main point man for the class was recruiter-extraordinaire Tom Herrion, Dixon's right hand man. Now that he is allowed to talk about each prospect, Herrion was gracious enough to share his thoughts on the newest Panthers.

Dante Taylor 6'9" Forward, National Christian Academy (Fort Washington, MD)

Herrion’s take: "Plays with tremendous energy and effort. Has developed his overall game and is able to now play both facing and with his back to the basket. A relentless and passionate rebounder on both ends. Elevated his play in the summer against elite competition. He knew for a long time he wanted to be a Panther."

Lamar Patterson 6'4" Wing, St. Benedict's Prep (Newark, NJ)

Herrion’s take: "A young senior and his body is beginning to take shape and develop. He is a very skilled and versatile perimeter player and will benefit greatly playing at St. Benedict's this year. An ankle injury limited his exposure this summer, but had a great spring before the injury. He has been a great ambassador of our program having committed so early."

J.J. Richardson 6'7" Post, Missouri City (TX) HS

Herrion’s take: "Truly someone who benefited from a great summer. He caught our eye as one of the harder playing kids we saw. He has a great work ethic and it has helped him to develop and expand his entire game. He has strength and toughness and is a very competitive player. He should have a terrific senior year on one of the best teams in Texas."

Talib Zanna 6'9" Forward, Bishop McNamara HS (Forestville, MD)

Herrion’s take:  "He just gets better and better all the time. Did not get much exposure this summer. He was adding some classes in summer school. An excellent athlete who can run the floor effortlessly and has worked hard on his ability to face the basket. He plays in one of the best high school conferences in the country. He has a ton of potential."

What Herrion doesn't say is how hard he and the Pitt staff worked to get their best class in over a decade. Richardson, for example, is one of the biggest sleepers in the nation who was hidden on one of the most loaded high school teams in the country after moving to Texas from Ohio. But Herrion found him at an AAU tournament and was enamored with his 6'7" 235 pound size, understanding of the game, and unparalleled effort. Herrion was so impressed with Richardson that he and Dixon drove through hurricane damage in Texas to seal the deal. Richardson averaged 6 points and 5 rebounds per game as a junior, but this season he will be more a focal point of the team, and his production is expected to rise sharply. The staff feels it's all about to come together for the combo forward. Richardson is also extremely mature for his age and that should benefit him greatly as he moves on to the college game.

While Richardson is similar to former Panther Chevy Troutman in the way he plays, there is no recent comparison for Taylor, who is generally considered a top 25 prospect in the ’09 class. The Pitt staff was recruiting Taylor's former teammate at National Christian Academy, 7'0" center Anthony McClain, who ended up at Cincinnati, but was blown away by the then-raw-but-physically-gifted Taylor. Jamie Dixon, as he is wont to be, was ahead of the curve on Taylor. He was targeted as somebody who would explode as a player over the summer, so the Panthers recruited him hard immediately, before other big time schools became involved. Their due diligence paid off when Taylor turned into a top 25 prospect. Herrion, ever the bulldog, never let up on Taylor, and his effort was rewarded when—citing longstanding loyalty—Taylor committed to the Panthers. Unless something drastic happens, expect Taylor to start as a freshman.

Lancaster native Lamar Patterson was one of the better players in Pennsylvania at J.P. McCaskey HS when Herrion once again became intrigued, this time by the wing's great passing, athleticism, defense and shooting. Not long after committing to Pitt, Patterson transferred to powerful St. Benedict's Prep in northern New Jersey. St. Benedict's, coached by Danny Hurley, is one of the best high school programs in the country, and both in practice and in games, the better competition should bring out the best in the highly undervalued Patterson. Expect him to see significant time for the Panthers as a freshman and if he develops as expected, look for him to have a good chance of starting as a sophomore. He is the full package with a very high ceiling.