Pitt FB Recruiting
Pitt Extends Offer to Middle Tennessee State Star Linebacker
Pitt has lost quite a bit of production and leadership from the linebacking corps already this offseason, either through the transfer portal or exhausting eligibility, and the coaching staff is in the midst of finding players who can help fill that void.
One of those players identified is Middle Tennessee State linebacker Sam Brumfield III. Brumfield, a 5-foot-11, 226-pounder from Pearl, Ms., picked up an offer from Ryan Manalac Friday afternoon.
Pitt joined the likes of Baylor, UTSA, Wake Forest, Virginia Tech, Cal, North Texas, Tulsa, Memphis, Arizona State, Georgia Southern and Houston to extend an offer since Brumfield entered the portal this week.
Blessed to receive an offer from the University of Pittsburgh! @Coach_Manalac pic.twitter.com/kLqB4GR0c3
— Sam Brumfield lll (@sambrumfield33) December 1, 2023
Brumfield led Middle Tennessee State with 82 tackles (46 solo) in 2023, adding 6.5 tackles for loss, 3.5 sacks and three forced fumbles. And he was impactful in getting after opposing quarterbacks, racking up a team-high 24 pressures and 17 hurries.
He was a very strong run defender, according to PFF, with a low 9.9% miss tackle rate and 35 run stops — and a forced fumble. But coverage is not his forte.
He played 547 snaps in 2023, his first season at MTSU, after arriving as a transfer from Northwest Mississippi Community College. Brumfield was highly successful at Northwest Mississippi, recording 218 tackles (102 solo), 20.5 tackles for loss, 12.5 sacks, three forced fumbles and a recovery and a pass breakup.
Brumfield has two seasons of eligibility remaining due to the COVID-19 season, after three seasons at Northwest Mississippi and one at MTSU, and he would fit into the Pitt system as a potential Mike or Money linebacker — which is certainly what Pitt needs at this point in the offseason.
Pitt has lost Shayne Simon, Bangally Kamara and Brandon George already this offseason, and as it stands before National Signing Day, there are just six scholarship linebackers on the roster.
There isn’t a true Mike linebacker currently on the roster, and while Brumfield isn’t a true Mike either, he’s the type of experienced, run-stuffing linebacker that would fit in at either position in the defense.
Brumfield is the second Middle Tennessee State defender that Pitt has offered this week, after head coach Rick Stockstill was fired, joining defensive lineman Marley Cook.
