Panthers Receiving Core

Scouting the Panthers: Wide Receivers/Tight ends
By: David Collier is a junior broadcast journalism major in the Meek School of Journalism and New Media at Ole Miss.
Email him at: dlcollie@go.olemiss.edu
Follow David on Twitter @DavidLCollier
Last week, we took a look at Pittsburgh quarterback Tino Sunseri, and the senior put up good numbers all year long throwing for 3,103 yards and just two interceptions.
Today, we’ll look at Sunseri’s targets that helped him lead the Panther offense to a 6-6 season and a matchup against Ole Miss in the BBVA Compass Bowl in Birmingham, Ala., on Saturday.
This is the sixth part of a seven-part series where I will break down each position for the Panthers every Monday, Wednesday and Friday leading up to the bowl game.
Wide Receivers
Sunseri’s favorite two targets are Mike Shanahan and Devin Street, who both sit atop the depth chart at wide receiver.
Shanahan, a 6-foot-5 wide receiver, 225-pounder, creates a matchup problem with his size and was named second team All-Big East this season. He started all 12 games this year, totaling 58 receptions on the season for 926 yards (16.0 avg.) and five touchdowns.
The senior ranks second in the Big East this season in receiving yards per game (77.2 avg.) and is fifth in school history with 155 career catches and ninth in receiving yards with 2,219.
Street leads the Panthers in receptions with 66 catches for 892 yards (13.5 avg.) and four touchdowns. He has started all 12 games this year and was also named second team All-Big East.
The 6-foot-4, 190-pound junior also ranks in the top three in the conference in receptions per game (5.5 avg.) and receiving yards per contest (74.3 avg.)
Cameron Saddler is the only backup with double-digit receptions. The 5-foot-7, 160-pound senior has played in 11 games, including two starts, has 16 receptions for 229 yards (14.3 avg.) and one touchdown this season.
Shanahan and Street can cause problems against a Ole Miss secondary that has had its problems this season, but the Rebels will be healthier than they’ve been all season there as well.
Tight ends
The Panthers also use three tight ends in senior Graham, freshman J.P. Holtz and sophomore Drew Carswell.
Holtz has received the most playing time, getting playing time in all 12 games, including nine starts. The 6-foot-4, 245-pound true freshman has 12 catches for 170 yards and three touchdowns this season.
Carswell has also added 12 receptions for 170 yards and three touchdowns in the 10 games he saw action, including four starts.
Graham is the veteran of the unit, but he saw limited action this season, playing in seven games with six starts due to injuries. This season, he has just seven catches for 61 yards.
The tight ends are used mostly to open up holes for the Pittsburgh running game, but they are comfortable throwing to any of these three guys that are in the game.
On Wednesday, we will take a look at Pittsburgh special teams.
Past Scouting the Panthers
Defensive Line/Linebackers
Secondary
Offensive Line
Quarterbacks
Running Backs