Pitt has been aggressive in playing the market for graduate transfers since the rules changed in order to allow players that have already graduated to transfer without having to sit out.
The latest to take that route to Pitt was former Hampton tackle Keldrick Wilson, who committed to Pitt on Saturday.
Wilson joins a group of largely productive players that have been graduate transfers to Pitt.
Here’s the list:
Max Browne, QB, USC: Played in six games and started in five after winning the starting job out of training camp. Suffered a season-ending injury after throwing for 997 yards on 96 of 135 passing, five touchdowns and two interceptions.
Matt Flanagan, TE, Rutgers: Started nine games in 2017, making 17 catches for 160 yards. Spent 2018-19 with the Washington Redskins.
Will Gragg, TE, Arkansas: Two-year contributor that made six starts and played in 26 games. Caught 19 passes for 146 yards from 2018-19.
Nakia Griffin-Stewart, TE, Rutgers: Made 12 starts and had 19 catches for 185 yards with one touchdown in 2019. Signed as UDFA with Minnesota Vikings.
Brandon Hodges, OT, Texas: Played in eight games and made three starts as a backup guard in 2017. Signed with Oakland Raiders as a UDFA.
Kylan Johnson, OLB, Florida: Started all 13 games for Pitt in 2019 and was a defensive force, making 54 tackles, 10.5 tackles for loss, 6.5 sacks, two forced fumbles and one fumble recovery. Signed as UDFA with Miami Dolphins.
Stefano Millin, OT, Kent State: Started all 14 games at left tackle in 2018 and was selected as a second-team All-ACC.
Nate Peterman, QB, Tennessee: Assumed the starting role mid-way into his first of two seasons and became the leader of the highest-scoring offense in program history in 2016. Finished No. 9 on Pitt’s all-time passing yards with 5,142 yards, despite starting just 24 games. Drafted by the Buffalo Bills in the fifth round of the 2017 NFL Draft, now with Las Vegas Raiders.
Mark Scarpinato, DT, Michigan State: Played in eight games as a reserve before suffering a season-ending injury. Finished with seven tackles and one-half of a tackle for loss.
Nolan Ulizio, OT, Michigan: Started all 13 games at right tackle in 2019.
In total, Pitt’s graduate transfers have started an average of 8.25 games per season, and that’s with two of them suffering season-ending injuries midway though. Five of the 10 have gone on to sign in the NFL.
Included in that group is Pitt’s best starting quarterback in well over a decade, a stellar linebacker in Johnson and several serviceable, if not star-level, linemen. With an opening at right tackle thanks to the graduation of Ulizio, Pitt is hoping Wilson can be another plug-and-play option on the line.
So we’ve gotten all these transfers which has resulted in mediocrity. Why not concentrate on development of what you have, I’m certain we could have had comparable, if not better results.
8.25 starts per guy is mediocrity? Average freshman probably ends up at less than half that.
Mediocrity would be a generous term for this list. Peterman & Johnson were by far the best of the bunch with Millin & Hodges being solid contributors. The rest are just a bunch of guys and their “8.5 starts” were because we had nobody else…especially the lousy TE group.
not refering to individuals, rather team results; and impact over time.
That’s always the plan. They’d much rather (for multiple reasons) use kids they already have. The problem is sometimes they feel kids aren’t ready to take on the role. When you don’t recruit like Alabama, Georgia, even Penn State (to a certain degree) these things are going to happen due to depth. Pitt’s not alone. Even the top programs experience this (Jalen Hurts to OK). The only real issue I see is on the O-line which seems to be an ongoing trend. To me, this seems like maybe we are having trouble developing kids. I understand this (outside of QB)… Read more »
True, and they are the 2 positions we have failed. PC developed a great line in his recruiting and even uptil last year some of his kids we’re in the mix.
Well, when life gives you lemons, you need to make lemonade . Until his injury sabotaged his career, Jerry Drake was that developing player.
Ulizio was awful last year ,i would have rather them take there lumps with an underclassmen who would’ve had a year experience under his belt