Pitt FB Recruiting
Pitt 2026 Targets: Linebacker Recruits to Know
Pitt football has a linebacker unit that has developed within the program from high school recruits to standout playmakers with All-American Kyle Louis, Rasheem Biles and Braylan Lovelace as top examples.
Several other young linebackers wait in the wings and will see serious playing time in 2025. For the future, Pitt secured two more in the 2025 class with Justin Thompson and Emmanuel Taylor, along with one commitment so far in the 2026 cycle with three-star outside linebacker Marcus Jennings.
The Panthers and linebackers coach Ryan Manalac have a lot to sell when it comes to recruiting linebackers not only with the play on the field, but recent NFL talent with Brandon George signing with the Kansas City Chiefs and SirVocea Dennis going in the fifth round to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the 2023 NFL Draft.
Pitt is certainly looking to add another linebacker or two to go alongside Jennings in the 2026 class, so here are a handful of names Pittsburgh Sports Now are monitoring.
Markel Dabney — Three-star out of Huguenot High School in Richmond, Va.
Pitt has continued to show growing interest in Dabney after Manalac paid an in-home visit to the 6-foot-1, 210-pound recruit last week. Dabney was in Pittsburgh for a junior day visit in January and he will return for an official visit from June 5-7.
Thank you @Coach_Manalac @Pitt_FB for the great home visit! pic.twitter.com/M9giaPvBui
— Markel “Kel” Dabney (@JustKallMeKel) May 1, 2025
The Panthers are in strong positioning to land Dabney as he has them in his top five schools, along with Michigan, Penn State, Virginia Tech and SMU. He recently had an official visit at SMU from May 2-4 and will be at Virginia Tech as well from May 30-June 1.
ESPN rates Dabney as a three-star recruit, the 10th inside linebacker in the country and 12th player in Virginia.
Colsen Gatten — Three-star out of Central Catholic High School in Pittsburgh, Pa.
Gatten is a key prospect for Pitt as the program looks to keep the local talent home. Gatten has a long list of offers and is a Penn State legacy recruit, but the Panthers have been standing out to him and his family.
He visited for a spring practice at the beginning of April and received an in-depth look at how Manalac and the defensive coaches run things and the overall development has impressed.
While on the visit, he scheduled a future official visit for June 5-7. He holds additional offers from Tennessee, Penn State, Oklahoma, Texas A&M, Kentucky, Wisconsin, Maryland, Michigan, Notre Dame, Syracuse, Michigan State, West Virginia, Duke, SMU, Wake Forest, Virginia Tech, Purdue, Cincinnati, Louisville, Indiana, Cal, Boston College, Arizona and others.
Reilarean Phillips — Three-star out of Alief Elsik High School in Houston, Texas
Phillips will also be on campus for an official visit in June from the 12-14. Defensive coordinator Randy Bates paid him a visit in January a few weeks after the Panthers offered. He told PSN in February that Pitt is a heavy favorite to land him and he has a strong relationship with Bates.
The 6-foot-1/2, 190-pound talent holds additional offers from Ole Miss, Kansas State, Arizona State, Oklahoma State, Baylor, Washington State, Boston College, Houston, SMU, Tulsa, UTEP, UNLV and others.
Desmond Johnson — Three-star out of Miami Northwestern in Florida
Johnson is another linebacker that is lined up to take an official visit as he will be on campus from June 19-21. Pitt offered Johnson back in early January.
Former Panther and NFL defensive tackle Calijah Kancey is a Miami Northwestern product, so the staff is looking to continue that pipeline.
The 6-1, 200-pounder holds additional offers from Michigan, Florida State, N.C. State, Wake Forest, Georgia Tech, UCF and others.
Charles Belser — Three-star out of Imhotep Institute in Philadelphia, Pa.
Pitt recently landed an Imhotep prospect in Jahsear Whittington in the 2024 class and area recruiter Cory Sanders is looking to add another in Belser.
Sanders offered the 6-foot-2, 215-pound talent back in early January and the Panthers have maintained weekly contact with Belser. Now, the two will look to line up an official visit.
Belser holds offers from Pitt, Notre Dame, Penn State, Indiana, Florida State, N.C. State, UCLA, Michigan State, Maryland Syracuse, Virginia Tech, Duke, UCF, Wake Forest, UConn and others.
Brian Stovall — Three-star out of Cass Technical in Detroit, Mich.
Teammates with Jennings, Stovall has a high interest in Pitt and is a top option for him. However, Manalac and the Pitt staff still want to see more from Stovall when it comes to the way he moves and his fit in the Pitt defense.
He was in town for a spring visit and the Pitt staff has shown indications that they will visit for a workout this month.
Along with Pitt, Michigan State, Toledo and Indiana are top schools amongst his recruitment. Additional offers include Kentucky, Colorado State, Central Michigan, Bowling Green, Akron, Western Michigan, Buffalo and UMass. He is looking to set up an official visit at Pitt, but for now, he’ll be at Toledo from June 13-15.
Maurice Barnes — Three-star out of Bishop McDevitt High School in Harrisburg, Pa.
Another in-state player, Barnes was in town back in January for a junior day visit. Other than that, his recruitment has been rather quiet, but he has mounted up some pretty solid offers.
Notre Dame, Penn State, Michigan, Colorado, West Virginia, Maryland, Duke, Virginia Tech, Rutgers, Syracuse, Boston College are among some of the 6-2, 195-pound talent’s other offers.
