Pitt FB Recruiting
Pitt Extends Offer to Experienced, All-SoCon Transfer Offensive Lineman
Pearson Toomey entered the transfer portal Wednesday afternoon, and by the time Thursday rolled around, right at midnight, he held eight offers.
Toomey — a 6-foot-3, 295-pound redshirt senior offensive lineman from Jacksonville Beach, Fla. — starred at Furman over the last few seasons, and Pitt is one of a handful of schools interested in his services.
He’s picked up offers from USF, Texas A&M, Charlotte, Pitt, Michigan State, South Carolina, Georgia State and Tulane since entering the portal.
The FCS All-American will be a highly sought-after recruit this offseason.
Thankful to have an offer from the University of Pittsburgh! @Pitt_FB pic.twitter.com/qvvWkTJ41p
— Pearson Toomey #75 (@pearson_toomey) December 13, 2023
Toomey was a two-star recruit out of Bolles High School in the class of 2019, choosing Furman over the service academies, and he’s started each of the past three seasons for the Paladins.
He emerged as the Paladins’ starting right tackle in 2021, a role he held once again in 2022 to the tune of first-team All-SoCon honors, and he broke out as one of the top tackles in the FCS last season.
Toomey recorded 744 offensive snaps last season, starting all 11 games he played at left tackle, and according to PFF, he allowed 10 pressures, six hurries and three sacks.
Toomey is one of the most experienced options on the market, with well over 2,000 offensive snaps under his belt, and he will have one season of eligibility remaining at his next location.
Pitt worked through a double-digit number of offensive line combinations in 2023, to varying degrees of success, but it’s clear that, for all of the problems offensively, the offensive line play wasn’t good enough.
Jake Kradel and Blake Zubovic, mainstays on the offensive line over the last two seasons, have exhausted their eligibility, and preseason starters Matt Goncalves and Ryan Jacoby have split their decisions — with Goncalves leaving for the NFL and Jacoby choosing to return.
Branson Taylor and Ryan Baer started just about every game at left and right tackle, respectively, after Goncalves went down with an injury, and there’s potential there. Terrence Moore is coming back as the starting center, and BJ Williams and Jason Collier Jr. will return as two of the more experienced interior options as it stands.
Melton is a potential fit on the offensive line, but he’s one of a handful of offers that the Pitt coaching staff has extended since the portal opened on Dec. 4.
For all your college football transfer portal needs, check out the Portal Report and their Transfer Portal Tracker.
