Nahki Johnson has spent his entire playing career in Pittsburgh, but he’s going to finish elsewhere.
Johnson — a 6-foot-2, 280-pound rising senior defensive tackle from West Mifflin, Pa. — announced that he will enter the transfer portal when it opens on Dec. 9.
He will graduate this winter, after four seasons with the program and finish his career somewhere else.
https://twitter.com/nahkijohnson/status/1862197214551986220?s=46&t=yUpsQa50yBHulun6ci1DZw
Johnson played in 11 games this season, recording 14 tackles (two solo), a tackle for loss and a pass breakup. He made the switch from defensive end to defensive tackle during the offseason.
He’s finished his Pitt career with 23 tackles (six solo), 2.5 tackles for loss, a sack and a pass breakup in 28 games.
Johnson served as a rotational piece on the defensive line, receiving a handful of starts alongside Sean FitzSimmons and Nick James. He’s received praise from the coaching staff over the years but hasn’t been able to find consistent playing time on the line.
FitzSimmons, James and Isaiah Neal are set to return next season, and Francis Brewu and Jahsear Whittington are in line for an increase in snaps next season.
Johnson is the first Pitt player to announce his intentions to enter the portal this season, but he certainly won’t be the last.
It’s going to be a busy period for the Pitt coaching staff.
The recruiting class with Johnson, Donald, and Ford was supposed to make the D Line strong for years but it actually set that position group back immensely.
The wpial is a far cry from the glory days. Very few elite players come out of this area now. Donald was never a real prospect he only was recruited heavily because of his name. The coach staff has no clue how to identify talent especially on offense. To the people that say what about the few players in each class that exceed their three star rankings the fact is the majority of the twenty three stars we bring in each yr don’t blossom into stars most don’t pan out to be better than average players at best if people… Read more »
Marty,
Please let the staff know how to identify talent . . . especially on offense. This will be a big help moving forward.
yes, the offered Donald to keep Aaron happy
WRONG!!! Everyone wanted him. He was a consensus 4 star in HS.
Just the beginning of what happens after a total team meltdown…
Dude has been a disappointment. Bye!
Not every recruit pans out. At least he stuck in there, and switched positions to try and help the team. He got his degree, now wants to go elsewhere to try and get paid. Good for him!
Cmon man whose going to pay him did you look at his dismal stats
With this new revenue sharing arrangement someone will
Another example of a 4 star WPIAL player = 2.75 star Fl player.
H2P!!!
Best wishes Nahki …thanks for being a student-athlete at Pitt.
Who blames the kid?
Come to Florida Gators.
Recruit WPIAL, recruit WPIAL!!!
The problem with recruiting the WPIAL top athletes is the 4 stars think they are 5 stars and want treated like royalty. Other 4 stars around the country are surrounded by other 4 and 5 stars and don’t seem to be as entitled.
H2P!!!
Exactly look at Derrick Davis kid had offers all over thought he was real good goes to the sec to play for lsu. He ended transferring wasn’t good enough comes here and still stinks. Shane Hale played at gateway years ago he was a 5 star recruit and he was soft as butter in high school stunk at Pitt half these recruiting services are as clueless as our coaches. Wpial 5 stars are like Florida or Texas 3 stars
Devonshire is another example. Wade at PSU and P Ford were a 4.5 – 5 stars too. Hale was a “sure thing” coming out of HS.
I think speed is lacking in PA and they are too slow for the next level.
H2P!!!
problem is if they are good and catholic they go to ND. If good and not, they go to PSU, OSU, UM or down south
95% of WPIAL guy wash out.
True but it’s also like a lot of people have said: These guys think there better than the other High School Players but there not. The best players in the state of Pennsylvania come from Philadelphia not Western PA and that is a fact as those guys are much better but nobody in Western Pa has the guts to say that but me.
Not sure why he couldn’t finish the season and then transfer. I don’t get that. But he never panned out and won’t be missed.
because the early bird gets the best transfer location. Why stay around for some awful bowl game
Just an ongoing recruiting disaster for Pitt football. Will be a huge exodus of current Pitt players transferring at the end of this “downfall” of another season. Narduzzi and staff cannot recruit nor coach, Pitt higher ups will not “pay” enough for recruiting sought after players. Until Narduzzi and his staff are replaced, and the administration is willing to pay ( and be able to compete financially with the better programs), this will never change.
Please. It’s obvious you know nothing of pitt football or pitt athletics.
You all realize in a recruiting class of say 20 players Six or seven become first or second String maybe less in some years it’s a numbers game and every school no matter how they recruit plays the game
Bunch of boo birds, this squad is +3 Wins north of what they were projected and close on two more. Are y’all upset if we sit 9-2 and have beat UVA and Clemson but blowout losses to SMU and UL? Several young men injured “proving it” and an angry mob wanting to oust Broyles watchlist guy mid-season.
… internet tough, y’all would not say what you type and enter to his 6’4” 270-lb face in fear of a punch to mouth. He is graduating and grabbing a possible payment.