Pitt Spring Portal Reflections: Retaining Top Talent; Impact of Additions, Losses

The college football spring portal is a completely different beast than the window that comes directly after the season.

Many programs understand and can stomach losing talent after the season comes to a close. Pitt lost 17 scholarship players with two key projected starters departing in defensive end Sincere Edwards and cornerback Ryland Gandy. It happens, and programs can easily rebound with an abundance of prospects available.

However, the spring portal brings a lot more unknown. Teams have growingly come to accept the fact that they will lose a key player or two, no matter how hard they push to keep them.

When it comes to a program like Pitt, top pieces are targeted by other, bigger schools that can throw NIL money around looking to fill their gaps after spring. Players who rise from the depths, but still don’t see a clear path to the field, often hop in the portal looking for better opportunities. It often leaves programs scrambling to find replacements, and sometimes it’s too late.

Pitt had at least two important players this spring that teams were actively trying to “poach.”

Wide receiver Kenny Johnson, who projects as the No. 1 receiver on the team, was the most notable piece discussed. Pittsburgh Sports Now learned that Penn State and another unnamed ACC school attempted to lure Johnson with nearly $1 million NIL payments.

Another player that was targeted by Penn State and others was Francis Brewu, who was coming off his first collegiate season in which he was named to PFF’s All-American freshman team. A source told PSN that Brewu immediately shutdown any rumors that he was potentially leaving the program.

In Johnson’s case, he met with head coach Pat Narduzzi roughly a week after the portal opened. The meeting, along with a renegotiated Alliance 412 deal kept him in Pittsburgh.

Pitt wide receiver Kenny Johnson during spring practice on March 13, 2025 — Ed Thompson / PSN.

The ability to fend off other, higher-end programs from poaching top players for one is a testament to the work the collective has done, but also speaks on the Pitt staff’s ability to retain players.

Nowadays, retaining top players has become increasingly more important than recruiting those out of the portal, and, to a certain extent, high school recruiting.

Specifically, retaining someone like Johnson was critical because, let’s be honest, there were not many available players that would have stepped in as a top receiving option and not a lot of proven commodities on the Pitt roster that would’ve slotted in as the No. 1 on the outside.

Pitt is all too familiar with players like defensive end Dayon Hayes, linebacker Solomon DeShields and wide receiver Jordan Addison hitting the road for “greener pastures” during the spring portal.

For once, Pitt held onto every projected starter after spring camp, including quarterback Eli Holstein, running back Desmond Reid, Johnson and everyone in between.

On the flip end, the Panthers did lose seven scholarship players to the spring portal. The biggest name out of that group was quarterback Julian Dugger, who was expected to be the No. 2 behind Holstein come fall.

It’s a double-edged sword when it comes to Dugger. The Penn Hills product showed promise and his ability to compete in Kade Bell’s offense. He’s athletic and has the arm talent to develop into a starter one day. However, with the addition of Cole Gonzales and play of true freshman Mason Heintschel, Dugger’s path to the field started to become murky, so it was a business decision for Dugger to head to Washington State.

Former Pitt quarterback Julian Dugger during spring practice on April 3, 2025 — Ed Thompson / PSN.

Other than Dugger, offensive lineman Terrence Enos Jr. was another transfer that would have made some sort of impact in the fall as a depth piece with five starts and 18 games played over the past two seasons. Florida transfer Andy Jean was figured to see some action in the receiver room as well.

The rest of the outgoing group was made up of young redshirt freshmen and a tight end that was working back from a serious injury.

Overall, Pitt did an excellent job at keeping players in the program following spring that will make an every day impact on the field in 2025.

As for the additions. During the winter period, Pitt brought in a crop of transfers that will play key roles this season: three viable starters on the offensive line, two receivers that fit into the top six, a trio of lengthy defensive ends for a position in need of increased production and a few others that will see the field.

Following spring, Pitt has added three transfers thus far in Gonzales, tight end Justin Holmes and defensive back Zion Ferguson.

The biggest win out of this group is Gonzales. He has extended experience in a Kade Bell, Kerwin Bell offense with 23 career starts to his name and plenty of production, albeit on an FCS level — look how Desmond Reid translated to the Power Four. He’ll make things interesting in the quarterback room and brings welcomed competition. He’s on the smaller side at 6-foot, but it wouldn’t be all that surprising if Gonzales sees the field this season between injuries and potential poor play from starter Eli Holstein.

In the short-term, you take the Dugger swap for Gonzales. But in the long-run, Dugger could have had a future in the Pitt offense.

Ferguson brings a lot of young potential to the cornerback room as a former four-star recruit. However, he will be a developmental piece this year. Holmes is one that was brought in just to fill out some depth, using him in blocking scenarios and more often than not on special teams.

Pitt did not land a splash player in the spring portal and if there is another addition, if any, it would be more on the minimal side.

Did Pitt need to add a big-time piece in the spring? No, but it would’ve only strengthened the roster.

Hykeem Williams passed on Pitt again. He hasn’t lived up to his pre-college billing as a five-star recruit, but still has the tools to be an effective receiver. That would’ve been a strong addition nonetheless.

The offensive line certainly could have used more help. You can never have too much depth at offensive line, and if history repeats itself, Pitt will need it.

Overall, Pitt added three scholarship pieces during the spring portal, while seven exited. Between player retention, who left and who arrived, here is Pittsburgh Sports Now‘s spring portal grade for Pitt.

Grade: B-