Pitt FB Recruiting
Breaking Down the 2026 Pitt Offensive Recruiting Class Ahead of Official Visits
Pitt football’s 2026 recruiting class is in for big change this weekend as the program hosts its first crew of official visitors.
Commitments are expected to roll in as Pitt typically sees its classes take off in June. As of now, the Panthers have five commitments in the 2026 cycle.
Three of those recruits come on the offensive side of the ball — quarterback Angelo Renda and wide receivers Dylan Wester and Demetrice McCray — as that trio will be on campus this weekend for their official visits.
Let’s take a look at how the 2026 class stands on offense heading into the first official visitor weekend.
QB Angelo Renda
What better way to kick off a recruiting class by landing the quarterback of the future? Renda became the foundational piece of the 2026 class as the first verbal pledge back on Jan. 22.
Renda selected Pitt over SMU, UTSA and Jacksonville State and since his commitment, he has added Tulsa to that offer sheet.
The three-star prospect is an under-the-radar find for the Panthers from the talent rich state of Texas. He put together an excellent junior season at Southlake Carroll, completing 257-of-360 passes (72%) for 3,901 yards and 40 touchdowns. He added versatility on the ground with 95 carries for 667 yards and 14 scores as he earned the 4-6A District MVP.
The 6-foot, 180-pound quarterback is rated as a three-star prospect by each of the major recruiting services. The highest quarterback ranking comes from ESPN as the 47th signal caller in the cycle.
Like many quarterbacks, Renda is taking on the task as lead recruiter for the class and will have plenty of work in front of him with a cast of 20-plus recruits expected on campus from June 5-7.
Dylan Wester
Wester’s commitment came during an extended unofficial visit in Pittsburgh back in March. The wide receiver from Booker High School in Sarasota, Fla. cited the relationships he built with offensive coordinator Kade Bell and JJ Laster as one of the top reasons he committed, along with the fit into the offense.
At the time of his commitment, Wester picked the Panthers over other offers from Buffalo, Delaware, East Carolina, Florida Atlantic, Liberty, Marshall, N.C. State, Toledo, South Florida and Wake Forest. Since then, he has added offers from Purdue, Sacramento State and Alabama State.
The Pitt coaching staff has continued to make Wester feel like a priority with Laster spending time with him during an in-home visit in May.
Last season as a junior, the 5-foot-10, 160-pound wide out caught 37 passes for 675 yards and six touchdowns, while accumulating over 1,000 all-purpose yards.
Rivals ranks Wester as the No. 17 slot receiver in the class.
Demetrice McCray
McCray is arguably the biggest recruiting win for the Panthers across their five commitments in the class so far in terms of competition when landing the prospect.
The three-star talent out of The First Academy in Orlando, Fla. selected Pitt over Power Four offers from Ole Miss, Mississippi State, Louisville, West Virginia, UCF, N.C. State and Purdue.
In eight games played last season, McCray pulled in 36 receptions for 894 yards and nine touchdowns. He’s a versatile receiver that can line up inside as a slot guy or be a speedy outside threat.
On3, 247Sports and Rivals all rate him as a three-star talent with On3 ranking him as the 150th overall receiver in the class.
What’s Next for Pitt Football’s Offensive Class?
Bell and the rest of the offensive assistants have their work cut out for them over the next few weeks. It’s not unusual for the Panthers to only have three commitments thus far on offense as official visits will give way to some fresh commitments.
Running back is a prime focus during the first weekend of official visits with top target and four-star talent Damon Ferguson set to visit, along with three-star Christian Lawrence.
Pitt is looking to add some dynamic players to fill out its skill positions both at running back and possibly two more receivers with several options visiting Pitt in four-star Larry Miles, four-star Jaydon Dunbar and three-star Jeffar Jean-Noel. Even if Pitt does not land a receiver this weekend, there are a few more slated to visit in the coming weeks.
As far as tight end, Pitt has a few candidates on its board, but only two, as of now, are scheduled for officials: Three-star Wyatt Villareal from Celina, Texas during June 5-7 and Florida three-star Adam Land from June 12-14. Pitt will most likely only take one tight end once again.
When it comes to the offensive line, Pitt is seeking prospects that fit the mold for an up-tempo offense and have a handful of targets expected to visit this weekend: Three-star Mike van der Oord, three-star Landry Brede and Nicholas Howard.
How Did Pitt Football’s 2025 Offensive Class Shape Up Position-by-Position?
Quarterback: 1 — Mason Heintschel
Running back: 3 — Ja’Kyrian Turner, Jaylin Brown, Synkwan Smith
Wide receiver: 3 — Bryce Yates, Cam Sapp, Tony Kinsler
Tight end: 1 — Max Hunt
Offensive lineman: 4 — Shep Turk, Akram Elnagmi, Torian Chester, Jordan Fields
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