Bishop McDevitt wide receiver Salath Williams had more than 20 scholarship offers but as the recruiting process unfolded he realized the first one he received was the one which interested him the most.

That is why Williams announced yesterday he had made a verbal commitment to play at Pitt. Williams, who caught 49 passes for 899 yards and 11 touchdowns last season, chose the Panthers over Michigan, Michigan State, West Virginia, Purdue and Iowa.

While there were a number of reasons he chose the Panthers, Williams said the fact that they were the first to offer him a scholarship said a lot about how much they wanted him.

"They were recruiting me from the beginning and they showed from the beginning that they really wanted me to be a part of their program," Williams said. "I like the city, I like the surrounding area and I like the stadium a lot. I also like the fact that they run a pro-style offense because it means I'll have the chance to catch a lot of balls and a chance to get to the next level."

Williams, who is 6 feet 4, 180 pounds, said he had been pretty sure Pitt would be his choice all along; but it wasn't until a conversation Monday with former Pitt star LeSean McCoy -- also from Bishop McDevitt -- when he made up his mind. He also had a number of conversations with current Panthers cornerback and former Bishop McDevitt standout Aaron Berry.

"They were both breaking it down for me and told me how much they liked it and how it was a great place to play football," Williams said. "They both had great experiences there and I expect to as well."

Bishop McDevitt coach Jeff Weachter said Williams is a versatile athlete who will fit in well at Pitt.

"We have a great relationship with Pitt and with Dave Wannstedt and our players who go there all speak very highly of it," Weachter said.

Williams is the Panthers' fifth recruit from the class of 2010.