Former high school teammate believes Darrell Strong will become an impact player. Pitt sophomore linebacker H.B. Blades was not surprised when his former high school teammate, freshman Darrell Strong, switched from quarterback to tight end Monday at Panthers training camp. "He wants to play, and he wants to play now," Blades said. "He's a helluva an athlete. He has those long, long arms and those big hands. He's great at tight end. He's very strong, and he's very fast. He's going to cause problems for some defenses with his height and speed." Blades said Strong gave him problems when they went up against each other at Plantation High practices. "He can do all the things great players can do," Blades said. "You might be able to contain him for a while, but you can't stop him." Blades paused, before adding. "But I told him, it's going to be just like the old days now," Blades said. "I used to beat him up then, and I'm going to beat him up now at practice." Strong is one of the more intriguing prospects coach Walt Harris has had at Pitt in his eight years. The Ft. Lauderdale, Fla., native offers a rare blend of athleticism and size. Strong has a way to go before he receives significant playing time, particularly with veteran Erik Gill holding down the No. 1 spot, but he surely could be used in specialized situations, such as quick passes off of the line and fade routes in the end zone. Before Strong made the position switch, he showed some flare at quarterback. He once threw a pass 84 yards and claimed, at the start of training camp, he would one day hit the 100-yard plateau. "I really think I'll do it," said Strong, who also claimed to have broken the fingers of four different receivers over the years because he threw so hard. "This stuff just came natural to me." Pitt is hoping that will be the case at tight end.

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