DERONNIE PITTS

Blue Chip Report named DeRonnie Pitts an All-American and one of the top recruits in the nation in 1995. The 5-11, 195 pound Pitts was a wide receiver and defensive back as well as being the team’s place kicker and punt return specialist for three varsity seasons for the Trojans. He caught 21 passes for 401 yards and five TD’s and recorded 37 tackles and four interceptions his senior season. Pitts was named first team All State while  also being chosen to the state’s Dream Team. After landing first team All Conference honors as a defensive back his junior season, Pitts earned All-Conference accolades and named the Saginaw Valley League’s MVP his senior season. He also was named the Michigan Student-Athlete of the Year by the Detroit News. The National Honor Society member also played basketball and baseball and competed in track and field for the Trojans. Pitts received a scholarship to Stanford University and was red-shirted during the 1996 season. One year later he finished fourth on the team with 13 receptions for 195 yards (15.0 avg.) and one touchdown in eight games. The following season saw Pitts become Stanford’s go-to receiver with 74 catches for 1,012 yards and seven touchdowns – which all led the team. He became only the third receiver in school history to record at least 74 catches and only the fourth receiver at Stanford to gain over 1,000 receiving yards in a season. Pitts was the winner of the Deswarle-Eller Award as the team’s top sophomore and the Phil Moffat Award as the teams’ top offensive special teams’ player. In 1999, he was named second team All-Pac-10 after catching 58 passes for 853 yards and eight touchdowns. In his senior season Pitts caught 77 passes for 882 yards and eight TD’s while being selected All-Pac-10 while being named the team’s Most Valuable Player. He remains near the top of the school’s career receiving leaders. He is second in receptions (222), 100-yard games (10), receiving yards (2,942) and catches in a game (13 vs. Southern Cal). Pitts also is third in touchdown catches (24) and single-season receptions (77). His 3,463 all-purpose yards rank him ninth all-time. He played in one bowl game, the 2000 Rose Bowl against Wisconsin. The Badgers won 17-9 but Pitts caught six passes for 81 yards. After graduation he signed with the San Diego Chargers as a free agent and later played in NFL Europe for the F.C. Barcelona Dragons before injuries ended his career.