Pitt FB Recruiting
Pitt Targeting Wide Receivers Heavily in the Transfer Portal
The wide receiving corps under Tiquan Underwood has been somewhat of a rollercoaster.
I mean, he lost Biletnikoff Award winner Jordan Addison not long after taking the job. It was a tough debut season, one in which Jared Wayne broke out and left himself, and his unit finally hit its stride down the stretch last season — led by a resurgent Bub Means.
Well, Means is gone now, and it appears that Underwood is once again looking to revamp the room.
Pitt has lost Bub Means and Addison Copeland III, who decided to enter the transfer portal himself, and there’s a slim group of proven returners in 2024. Konata Mumpfield and Daejon Reynolds have legitimate experience, Kenny Johnson showed extreme promise as a true freshman and that’s the extent of proven talent.
Izzy Polk caught a few balls as a true freshman, and Zion Fowler-El and Lamar Seymore have received a ton of hype since arriving. Jake McConnachie and Che Nwabuko are also in the mix.
Underwood has extended offers to a number of wide receivers already in the transfer portal, so let’s take a look.
Pittsburgh Panthers wide receiver Konata Mumpfield (9) November 4, 2023 David Hague/PSN
Tyrell Henry — junior wideout from Michigan State
Henry, a 6-foot, 175-pound wideout from Roseville, Mich., was a highly sought-after recruit out of the Detroit area who decided to stay home in-state in East Lansing.
He’s picked up offers from Western Kentucky, Pitt, Marshall, BC, Miami (Oh.), Wisconsin and Minnesota since entering the transfer portal on Dec. 4, and he should once again be in high demand.
As a sophomore in 2023, Henry racked up 24 receptions for 195 yards (8.1 yards per reception) and three touchdowns — serving as a kick and punt returner, who returned 12 kicks for 206 yards (17.2 yards per return) and 13 punts for 89 yards (6.8 yards per return).
Abdur-Rahmaan Yaseen — graduate wideout from Purdue
Yaseen, a 6-foot-2, 200-pound graduate transfer wideout from Southfield, Mich., entered the portal the day it opened on Dec. 1 with a degree in hand.
He’s received offers from Minnesota, Ball State, South Carolina, Eastern Michigan, Michigan State, Pitt, Washington State, Vanderbilt, Mississippi State, ECU, Bowling Green, Liberty and USF since then.
Yaseen put together a stellar season for Purdue last season, racking up 25 receptions for 329 yards (13.2 yards per reception) in just six games. He lined up almost exclusively out wide last season, too.
According to Pro Football Focus, Yaseen averaged a depth of target of 12.2 yards, and he made the most of his opportunities with a strong 1.47 yards per route run last season. He dropped just two passes and converted 19 first downs.
TJ Sheffield — graduate wideout from Purdue
Sheffield, a 5-foot-11, 190-pound graduate transfer originally from Thompson’s Station, Tenn., left Purdue after three productive seasons.
Sheffield has received offers from Western Michigan, Middle Tennessee State, Michigan State, Pitt, Georgia Southern, ECU, UConn and Western Kentucky since entering the transfer portal last month.
Sheffield was the Boilermakers’ second-leading wide receiver in 2023, racking up 32 receptions for 381 yards (11.9 yards per reception) and two touchdowns. He was effective as a slot receiver, taking nearly all of his snaps in the slot, and he converted 3-of-6 contested catch opportunities and only dropped one ball.
He was most effective in the short and intermediate passing game, converting 24-of-32 target between 0 and 19 yards downfield for 295 yards and a touchdown.
Diante Vines — senior wideout from Iowa
Diante Vines, a 6-foot, 198-pound wideout from Danbury, Conn., entered the transfer portal on Monday, and Pitt immediately jumped into the fray for the oft-injured receiver.
Pitt was the first school to officially extend an offer to Vines, who will have two more seasons of eligibility at his next destination.
Vines was a starting wideout for the Hawkeyes in 2023, missing a handful of games due to injury, and in the games he played, he racked up 12 receptions for 134 yards (11.1 yards per reception) and a touchdown.
He caught 12 of his 24 targets in 2023, an even 50% catch rate, and he operated out wide in the vast majority of his snaps (84%). He had an average depth of target of 13 yards, serving as a deep ball target, but a three-drop performance against Michigan State weighs down his stats.
Marlyn Johnson — graduate wideout from Buffalo
Marlyn Johnson, a 6-foot-4, 200-pound graduate transfer wide receiver from Buffalo, picked up an offer from Underwood and Pitt Wednesday. He was originally a recruit in the class of 2019, with the Panthers in the mix back then, too.
Johnson hit the portal Tuesday, and Pitt was the first school to extend an offer — followed quickly by FAU.
He recorded a career-high 40 receptions for 494 yards (12.4 yards per reception) and four touchdowns last season, converting 57.4% of his team-high 68 targets. According to PFF, he caught 6-of-12 contested catch opportunities and dropped just three balls.
He did most of his damage in the intermediate passing game for Buffalo, especially as an underneath route runner — with an average depth of target at just about 10 yards.
Quentrell Harris — junior wide receiver from Kent State
Harris, a 6-foot-1, 187-pound junior from La Grange, Ill., is coming off a very solid season at Kent State, and Pitt certainly wasn’t the only school to pounce once he hit the portal this month.
He’s received offers from West Virginia, East Carolina, Vanderbilt, Pitt, Michigan State, USF, Minnesota, San Diego State and Marshall since entering the portal — with the Panthers being the first.
Harris caught 26 passes for 400 yards (15.4 yards per reception) and a touchdown in 2023 — improving upon a 12-catch true freshman campaign.
He took 447 snaps in 2023, according to PFF, and he caught 59.1% of his 44 targets. Harris lined up out wide almost exclusively, 93.6% of his snaps, and he served as a deep threat in a somewhat weak Kent State passing offense. Of his 44 targets, 16 came on passes over 20 yards downfield — and he turned those into six receptions for 209 yards and a touchdown.
Robert Lewis — redshirt senior wideout from Georgia Southern
Lewis, a 5-foot-11, 185-pound native of Covington, Ga., put together a couple of successful seasons in the Sun Belt.
He’s picked up offers from Indiana, Liberty, Cincinnati, Auburn, Pitt, West Virginia, Mississippi State, Western Kentuck and East Carolina since entering the transfer portal.
He racked up 92 receptions over the last two seasons, playing behind current Louisville star Jamari Thrash in 2022, before breaking out in 2023. He racked up 61 receptions for 618 yards (10.1 yards per reception) and four touchdowns last season — hitting the 1,000-yard mark in his collegiate career.
Dymere Miller — graduate wideout from Monmouth
Miller, a 6-foot, 180-pound graduate transfer from Coatesville, Pa., entered the transfer portal coming off one of the most productive seasons in all of college football.
He’s received offers from Texas Tech, Pitt, ECU, North Texas, UAB, UConn, Rutgers and FAU since entering the portal last month.
Miller racked up 90 receptions for 1,293 yards — which led FCS football — and nine touchdowns. He finished his Monmouth career with 168 receptions for 2,387 yards (14.2 yards per reception) and 17 touchdowns.
He’s not a direct comparison to Bub Means, as he lined up primarily in the slot and Means lined up primarily out wide, but the ability to stretch the field is there, nonetheless.
it’s one thing to target WRs and another for them to sign on. maybe 1 actually comes on board and most likely, not until the OC is announced. in any case, not sure why the push isn’t on o-line and some defensive positions ….
Definitely both lines need some new blood.
This team needs major Coaching changes. Only Partridge is a good recruiter. They can’t keep any major WPIAL stars. Hopefully the AD is involved in hiring the OC. Narduzzi is a joke on hiring quality Coaches. Need quality Coaches that can really recruit. Young dynamic Coaches.
Yes, you’re correct,The o.c. decision should have been made already. It has to be easier to recruit an offensive player if the recruit knows who the coordinator is.
MAY be, the real reason he is struggling is that hair do he wears.