The offensive line room at Pitt is bolstered by a couple of sixth-year veterans, the second season in a row in which Pitt’s offensive line has benefited from such moves, but the coaching staff is always looking to add young linemen with a lot of upside.
Dave Borbely and the coaching staff found their guy in the form of Jackson Brown. A 6-foot-6, 305-pound interior offensive lineman from California, the son of former Pitt Panther Tony Brown, announced his decision to transfer to Pitt Thursday afternoon via Twitter.
Brown, who originally held Pitt in his top six ahead of his commitment in the class of 2022, even making an official visit to Pittsburgh, will have four seasons of eligibility remaining.
“It’s in my blood,” Brown wrote on Twitter. “#H2P #RIPDAD”
Brown, who was a three-star lineman in the class of 2022, with a top six of Pitt, California, Colorado, Virginia, Cincinnati and Arizona, played in just one game during his true freshman season with the Golden Bears.
He entered the transfer portal on April 27, and the process moved quickly to ensure that he wound up choosing Pitt the second time around.
And now he will be able to complete basically a full collegiate career in Pittsburgh, immediately arriving as a versatile lineman who should be able to compete for playing time at either guard spot.
Of course, Brown has a history with Pittsburgh considering his father was a lineman himself at Pitt in the 1980s, but his visit to Pitt the first time around likely made his decision even easier.
“I loved it,” Brown told PSN in June of 2021. “That was my first time being out in Pittsburgh and seeing everything. I didn’t realize how green everything is there. I also didn’t know that the Steelers are right next to them and getting a chance to see them practice in person. It was just amazing to see that and everything within their facilities. The campus is within the city, and I loved it and loved everything about the visit.
“The dorms that the players have, they’re crazy. They’re all brand new and we went into some of them, they were awesome. Also, the strength staff that Pitt has. Coach Stacc is great. I like how he works, and you can tell he knows what he’s doing. The nutritionists that Pitt has are great and they’ll really be able to build me up if I go there. Everything really, I just loved it all.”
Pitt’s starting offensive line entering the summer appears to be locked in, with Branson Taylor, Ryan Jacoby, Jake Kradel, Blake Zubovic and Matt Goncalves taking first team reps throughout the spring, but Brown should be able to join a young, talented second unit that features the likes of Ryan Baer, Terrence Enos, Terrence Moore, BJ Williams and more.
