Pitt FB Recruiting

Pitt 4-Star OL Signee Tabbed as Instant Impact Recruit

Published

2 months ago

February 26, 2024

Caleb Holmes was a massive recruiting win for the Pitt coaching staff over the summer, locking in a potential cornerstone on the offensive line for seasons to come, and some think that Holmes will be able to contribute sooner rather than later.

247Sports’ Chris Hummer released a list of true freshmen he believes could play right away in 2024, and he included Holmes. Here’s his rationale:

Pitt football recruiting coverage sponsored by

RM LAW, P.C. is a boutique litigation law firm with a national practice dedicated to protecting shareholders’ interests and promoting improved corporate governance practices.

“As BJ Williams showed a year ago, there’s an immediate path to the field available for the right player along Pitt’s O-line. And there isn’t a more talented prospect in the Panthers’ 2024 class than Holmes. A four-year starter at Fairburn (Ga.) Creekside, Holmes arrives at Pittsburgh with plenty of experience and pedigree. There’s playing time up for grabs, too, given that two of the four players who rotated at guard last year (Jake Kradel and Blake Zubovic) have run out of eligibility. The Pittsburgh offensive line struggled greatly in 2023. Holmes is the type of talent who could help upgrade that unit right away.”

The All-Impact Team: College football's 2024 recruits who could play right away. 🏈

(✍️: @chris_hummer)

MORE: https://t.co/rR2cNC9RqL pic.twitter.com/NtlArdoymV

— 247Sports (@247Sports) February 26, 2024

Holmes — a 6-foot-3, 300-pound four-star interior offensive lineman from Creekside High in Georgia — committed to Pitt over the summer following his official visit, picking Pitt over offers from Auburn, Cincinnati, Florida State, Georgia Tech, James Madison, LSU, Louisville, Marshall, Maryland, Memphis, Mississippi State, Missouri, Oklahoma, Tennessee and UCF.

He took a lot of inspiration from former Creekside teammate BJ Williams, yes, the same BJ Williams who started a handful of games as a true freshman himself last season, and the pair will be reunited this summer.

Pat Narduzzi was very happy to reunite the two again. And he’s very happy to bring a good person who loves to play football to Pittsburgh, too.

“This is one of those guys that you sat with him and you’re like, ‘This dude loves football.’ And you hear about it all season when we’re trying to get a hold of him,” Narduzzi said on National Signing Day. “We’re allowed to talk to him on the phone and all that, but you can’t ever get a hold of him because he’s at practice, he’s watching tape, he’s with his team. He’s always doing something for football. When you talk to him, it’s all about football. He doesn’t want to talk about anything else except football.

“So, we appreciate his love for the sport. The other thing that hit me when I was on his home visit was when I said, ‘Hey, okay, football, I get it. What else do you love?’ And he said, ‘Coach, I love to go out and help other people.’ … I’m like, that’s the first thing he said. I’m like, this is the kind of guy that we want here in Pittsburgh. That’s not just worried about himself but worried about others.”

Holmes will be arriving over the summer, so he’ll be a little bit behind the 8-ball when it comes to learning the new offense and adapting to college life, but he should still work his way into the mix for one of the two starting guard spots.

Terrence Moore is returning at center, and Pitt should feel pretty good about that, but there isn’t a set rotation on either side of him. Ryan Jacoby is back, one season removed from entering summer camp as a starter before suffering a camp injury, and BJ Williams and Jason Collier Jr. helped fill that void — to varying degrees of success. Lyndon Cooper arrived from North Carolina State this offseason and should be in the mix, too.

It remains to be seen whether Holmes will make an instant impact or not, but he will certainly be in the mix — especially if injuries pop up again.