Pitt has been linked with a couple of transfer quarterbacks in the “free agency” transfer portal this winter, but it appears that the links between one of them are starting to burn a bit brighter.
USC transfer Kedon Slovis had already been linked with Pitt due to his relationship with Pitt women’s soccer player Kate McKay, but another factor — a potentially lucrative factor — has been uncovered by HailToPitt on Twitter.
Slovis signed a name, image and likeness deal with American Eagle back in September, partnering with the clothing brand as a featured student-athlete with a national marketing campaign. And the American Eagle headquarters? Just so happens to be in Pittsburgh’s SouthSide Works complex — just down the street from Pitt’s football facilities on the south side.
Of course, this is a lot of speculation, but with a credible link to Pitt as McKay has spent the past couple of seasons as a student-athlete and a credible link to Pittsburgh as an American Eagle partner, Slovis does have opportunities galore in Pittsburgh without even mentioning the football aspect.
With Kenny Pickett on the way out, and a group of largely inexperienced quarterbacks led by Nick Patti still on the roster, Slovis would have the opportunity to compete for the starting spot on an offense that returns a lot of talented playmakers — including the Biletnikoff Award winner in Jordan Addison.
While Slovis’s time at USC ended on a sour note, ceding the starting role to Jaxson Dart, he did have success while in SoCal. Slovis excelled early, passing for 3,502 yards and 30 touchdowns as a freshman in 2019. He played well in USC’s Covid-shortened 2020 season, throwing for 1,921 yards and 17 touchdowns, but he lost the starting spot as a junior this season.
With 7,576 passing yards and 58 touchdowns in 27 games at USC, Slovis flashed his gun-slinging abilities and production as a first team All-Pac 12 quarterback. But his drawbacks come in large part from his inability to offer much on the ground.
A change of scenery could be just what Slovis needs to reignite his NFL draft stock, and Pitt would offer a chance to succeed a future first round draft pick who just boosted his own draft stock immeasurably this season. Although Slovis will be in high demand throughout the cycle, Pitt appears to be a potential landing spot.
Did Slovis really cede the Starting QB job ? I see several injury reports on his lower leg starting on the week prior to the UCLA game. Where he didn’t even practice. As he didn’t for the BYU game and didn’t even dress for the season ender against Cal.
Slovis is from Arizona, and will most likely transfer to one of the two Arizona schools.
I Stand Corrected!
But you said it with such conviction, as if you know what you’re talking about. Now everyone knows that you don’t.