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Clint Session
Height: 6-0 | Weight: 235 | Position:OLB | College: Pittsburgh
 
Overview

The compactly built linebacker has played a variety of roles for the Panthers and excelled in whatever task the coaching staff asked from him. With his quickness and range, some pro teams were eyeing him as a potential strong safety candidate.

Session earned first-team All-Florida Class 5A honors at Blanche Ely High School. He added first-team All-Broward County Athletic Association (BCAA) and All-Broward County accolades and was named to the Sunshine Network's "All-Gridiron Team," which is comprised of high school players from the entire state of Florida.

The three-year starter at inside linebacker also played fullback in goal-line situations. As a senior, he compiled 138 tackles, seven sacks and 11 fumble recoveries, returning three for touchdowns. He led the team to the Florida 5A championship as a senior with a 14-1 record and the team achieved a 36-5 (.878) mark during Session's three years as a starter, advancing to the state playoffs each season and winning three regional championships and three district titles.

Session was selected to play in the Broward-Dade County All-Star Game. He was rated one of the nation's top 50 inside linebacker prospects and rated one of Florida's top 80 prospects by Rivals.com, adding Prep Star All-Southeast Region honors. He also lettered once in track-and-field and was an Honor Roll student.

Session was immediately thrust into the action at strong safety and outside linebacker in 2003 at Pittsburgh. He finished his first season with 39 tackles (29 solos), a sack and 7.5 stops for losses in 12 games, sitting out the Temple game with a slight concussion.

Session shifted to middle linebacker in 2004, starting all 12 games. He ranked second on the team with 91 tackles (46 solos), including an assisted sack and 7.5 stops behind the line of scrimmage. He also deflected six passes and intercepted two others.

Knee and shin problems limited Session to eight games of reserve action at strong-side outside linebacker in 2005. He managed a career-low 28 tackles (19 solos) with two stops behind the line of scrimmage and caused two fumbles.

As a senior, Session started all year at strong-side linebacker, earning All-Big East Conference honors. He finished second on the team with 101 tackles (161 solos), including a sack and 12 stops for losses. He tied for the national title with five forced fumbles and recovered another. He deflected a pass and intercepted another for a 78-yard touchdown return.

In 44 games at Pittsburgh, Session started 26 times. He recorded 259 tackles (161 solos) with 2.5 sacks for minus-21 yards and 29 stops for losses of 85 yards. He caused seven fumbles and recovered another. He batted away seven passes and intercepted three others for 114 yards in returns (38.0 avg) and one touchdown.

Analysis

Positives: Lacks ideal size, but compensates with excellent upper body strength … Can easily reroute tight ends with his hand strength … Has good straight-line speed and works well avoiding blocks … High intensity tackler with natural hip swerve in his pass drops … Has improved his ability to diagnose plays … Has a feel for the ball in run containment, zeroing in on the ball carrier and not letting anything stand in his way … His eyes are a telling feature, as he is quick to locate the ball and close … Has the strength to stack the run at the line of scrimmage and the lateral agility to fluidly slide across the line to make plays … Uses his hands well to shed and knows how to fend off blockers going for his feet … Very smooth crossing the field and fires out low coming out of his backpedal … Very comfortable dropping back to cover linebackers in the short-area passing game … Shows good instincts going up for the ball in flight … Disruptive blitzer who is at his best when asked to collapse the pocket, but needs to do a better job sealing the deal on the quarterback … Shows no hesitation in his forward charge, displaying an explosive closing burst.

Negatives: Has had problems in the past retaining information in the playbook … Not a natural pass thief, seeming more comfortable knocking down the pass rather than trying to intercept it … Has to develop better hand usage in order to fend off the downfield blocks (has good hand usage to reroute receivers, though) … Has had some injury problems that make some teams question his durability … Plays with good aggression, but will get a little reckless and out-run the play, struggling to recover … Played the strong-side, but his lack of height is a better fit at the weak-side.

Compares To: ANGELO CROWELL-Buffalo … Session struggled to make the change to strong-side linebacker in 2005, but settled in during the 2006 season. Look for him to move to weak-side linebacker or strong safety at the next level. He will need time to develop, but possesses great range, good quickness and above average strength.

Career Notes

Ranks 21st on the school's career record list with 259 tackles.

2006 Season

All-Big East Conference first-team selection by The NFL Draft Report … Started all year at strong-side outside linebacker … Recorded a career-high 101 tackles (67 solos), the second-best total on the team … Had a 7-yard sack and twelve stops for losses of 33 yards … Tied for the national title with five forced fumbles and recovered another … Had one pass deflection and returned an interception 78 yards for a touchdown.

2006 Game Analysis

Had a career-high 15 tackles at Connecticut … had nine tackles, two TFLs and a fumble recovery at USF … tied for the team lead with 10 tackles vs. Louisville and added two TFLs … had 10 stops with a TFL and forced fumble vs. Rutgers … had five stops, a seven-yard sack and a forced fumble at UCF … had seven tackles and a forced fumble at Syracuse … spearheaded Pitt's swarming defensive effort vs. Virginia with nine tackles, two TFLs and a 78-yard INT return for a TD … named Big East Defensive Player of the Week for his Virginia performance.

2005 Season

Shifted to strong-side linebacker, but appeared in just eight games as a reserve, as he struggled with knee and shin problems … Finished with 28 tackles (19 solos) and two stops for losses of 3 yards … Also caused two fumbles.

2005 Game Analysis

Had a season-high eight tackles at West Virginia … had six stops and a two-yard TFL vs. Connecticut … had four stops vs. both Louisville and Ohio … had three tackles and a forced fumble vs. South Florida … had two tackles and a forced fumble vs. Cincinnati.

2004 Season

Took over middle linebacker duties, starting all twelve games … Finished second on the team with 91 tackles (46 solos), including an assisted sack for minus 2 yards and 7.5 stops for losses of 17 yards … Deflected six passes and intercepted two others for 36 yards in returns.

2004 Game Analysis

Had a season and game-high 11 tackles with one TFL at South Florida … had a team-high 10 tackles with a sack assist vs. Nebraska … also had 10 tackles at Temple … finished with a team-high (tied) nine tackles with two TFLs at Notre Dame … tallied eight tackles, one TFL and two pass breakups vs. Boston College … finished with eight tackles and two pass breakups at Connecticut … had seven tackles with two TFLs vs. West Virginia … had his second career INT (26-yard return) and finished with six tackles vs. Syracuse … had four tackles, two passes defended and his first career INT vs. Ohio … earned the Ed Conway Award as one of the most improved players of spring drills.

2003 Season

Played in twelve games as a true freshman, recording 39 tackles (29 solos) with a 12-yard sack and 7.5 stops for losses of 32 yards … Missed only the Temple game due to a slight concussion.

2003 Game Analysis

Had a career-high 12 tackles at Texas A&M … played majority of the game vs. the Aggies, filling in for starter Lewis Moore, who was injured early in the contest … had five tackles, including 3.5 tackles for losses vs. Kent State … had four tackles with one sack for 12-yard loss vs. Ball State.

Injury Report

2003: Sat out the Temple game with a slight concussion.

2005: Missed the Notre Dame, Nebraska, Youngstown State and Rutgers contests with a knee sprain suffered in fall camp … Bothered the second half of the year by shin splints.

Agility Tests

Campus: 4.57 in the 40-yard dash … Bench pressed 225 pounds 36 times … 30.5-inch vertical leap … 9'6" broad jump … 4.15 20-yard shuttle.

High School

Attended Blanche Ely (Pompano Beach, Fla.) High School, playing football for head coach Steve Davis … Earned first-team All-Florida Class 5A honors … Added first-team All-Broward County Athletic Association (BCAA) and All-Broward County accolades and was named to the Sunshine Network's "All-Gridiron Team," which is comprised of high school players from the entire state of Florida … The three-year starter at inside linebacker also played fullback in goal-line situations … As a senior, he compiled 138 tackles, seven sacks and 11 fumble recoveries, returning three for touchdowns … Led the team to the Florida 5A championship as a senior with a 14-1 record, and the team achieved a 36-5 (.878) mark during Session's three years as a starter, advancing to the state playoffs each season and winning three regional championships and three district titles … Selected to play in the Broward-Dade County All-Star Game … Rated one of the nation's top 50 inside linebacker prospects and rated one of Florida's top 80 prospects by Rivals.com, adding Prep Star All-Southeast Region honors … Also lettered once in track-and-field and was an Honor Roll student.

Personal

Administration of Justice major … Son of Rosetta and Clinton Session, Sr … Born Clinton Bernard Session Jr. on 9/22/84 … Resides in Pompano Beach, Florida.