Pitt FB Recruiting
Pitt Offers Veteran WPIAL Product in Transfer Portal
Since the spring portal has opened on Wednesday, the Pitt coaching staff has retained everyone on the defensive side of the ball so far, but it’s not stopping them from contacting available defensive players.
Pitt has offered Pittsburgh native and Ohio graduate transfer defensive lineman Bralen Henderson, he announced Wednesday on X.
Pitt Football Offered‼️ pic.twitter.com/wtezA6zHmb
— Bralen Henderson (@bhendo81) April 16, 2025
Henderson, who stands at 6-2, 280 pounds, graduated from Central Catholic High School in 2021 and has spent the past four years at Ohio University.
The defensive tackle entered the portal with one year of eligibility left and has picked up offers from Pitt, California, Vanderbilt, New Mexico, Middle Tennessee, UTEP, FAU and Western Kentucky
In 2024, Henderson played in 14 games, recorded 26 tackles (14 solo), two tackles for loss and a sack for an Ohio team that claimed its first Mid-American Conference title since 1968.
The year prior as a redshirt sophomore, Henderson totaled 21 tackles (eight solo), two tackles for loss and one sack. During his first two seasons, he played in limited action in six games.
As a senior at Central Catholic, he compiled 40 tackles, 14 tackles for loss, 13 sacks, two forced fumbles, seven hurries and four passes defended. He picked Ohio over other offers from Brown, Princeton, Lehigh, Army, Navy and others.
Henderson is not the first transfer defensive linemen Pitt has showed interest in. According to a report from Allen Trieu of 247Sports, Pitt is interested in Western Michigan defensive tackle Mason Nelson.
Pitt currently has five defensive tackles that all could see serious time in 2025 in Nick James, Sean FitzSimmons, Francis Brewu, Isaiah Neal and Jahsear Whittington.
If the Panthers land Henderson, they could move him to the outside where there is more open competition on the edge behind returning starter Jimmy Scott. Transfers Blaine Spires, Joey Zelinsky and Jaeden Moore, along with Nate Temple and Maverick Gracio are pushing for time.
