Pitt FB Recruiting
Report: Pitt Hosting Former Ohio Star Linebacker on Official Visit
The busy week for Pitt football is well underway, and there’s a former Ohio linebacker currently on the South Side.
Ohio transfer linebacker Keye Thompson is currently on an official visit in Pittsburgh, PantherLair’s Chris Peak reported. Thompson picked up an offer from the Panthers last month after entering the transfer portal.
He picked up offers from Pitt, Kent State and Louisana Tech since entering the portal on Dec. 9.
Thompson — a 6-foot-1, 240-pounder from Baberton High in Ohio — was an All-MAC linebacker in 2023, coming off a season in which he racked up 94 tackles (42 solo), 10 tackles for loss, 1.5 sacks, one interception, three pass breakups and a forced fumble with three recoveries in 13 starts.
According to PFF, he racked up 17 pressures, 12 hurries and three quarterback hits as a pass rusher, and he recorded a team-high 40 run stops.
Thompson originally committed to Ohio as a two-star recruit in the class of 2018, and as he battled injuries early in his career, it took time to truly break out. He redshirted as a freshman in 2018, played all 13 games in 2019 and played in just two games in 2020 before missing the entire 2021 season.
He broke out in 2022 as a third-team All-MAC linebacker, leading the Bobcats in tackles, and he was even better in 2023 as he earned first-team All-MAC honors.
Pitt has lost a handful of linebacker starters from last season, including Shayne Simon and Bangally Kamara, and there’s a void at Mike linebacker in particular.
Brandon George decided to return to Pitt after initially entering the transfer portal himself, but there’s still a major need for a veteran Mike linebacker like Thompson. He fits exactly what Pitt needs in the linebacking corps.
Jordan Bass, Braylan Lovelace, Kyle Louis and Rasheem Biles all saw the field last season, with Bass and Louis even earning a start in 2023, and all four of them should compete for snaps in 2024. The youth at Star and Money is intriguing next season and beyond, but all four are better suited outside — at least for now.
Thompson would be a key stop-gap in the 2024 season, one with the potential to put together a strong season in Pittsburgh. He would have one season of eligibility remaining.
For all your college football transfer portal needs, check out the Portal Report and their Transfer Portal Tracker.
