Cruce Brookins Ready to Become Household Name in College Football | Pitt All 105

Pitt All 105 is a Pittsburgh Sports Now series profiling each member of the Pitt 2025 training camp roster. In order to prepare for Pitt football’s 2025 season, PSN is breaking down every player on the roster in alphabetical order. Next up is safety Cruce Brookins.

Every time Pitt takes the field for spring or fall camp, talk of safety Cruce Brookins seemingly comes up naturally.

Since he stepped on campus after a strong high school career at Steel Valley, Brookins has opened eyes. Between his playmaking ability by forcing turnovers or his physical presence, Brookins has made a name for himself within the program early in his career.

Flashes of that came as a redshirt freshman in 2024 when he began to make an on-field impact at strong safety, which included his first-career interception against West Virginia in the Backyard Brawl.

During spring camp of 2025, Brookins once again flew around the field, forcing turnovers and collecting takeaway stickers.

“I feel like always doing my job, being in the right position. Knowing what the coverage is, knowing what we’re trying to do and why we’re doing it and being in the right spot at the right time,” Brookins said in late March.

While he’s still on the younger side, he feels his biggest improvement through the offseason has been his further understanding of the defense.

“I feel like just my knowledge of the game. I feel like I know a lot more just learning from Donovan. I feel like he taught me a lot by playing that boundary spot. Just learning from him, watching film on him, learning how he went and processed things on the field. It’s been good,” Brookins said.

While everyone knows what Brookins can do inside those walls at the UPMC Rooney Sports Complex, Brookins is ready to make himself a household name across college football.

Pitt safety Cruce Brookins. April 10, 2025 — Ed Thompson / PSN

Height: 6-foot-2
Weight: 200 pounds
Hometown: Pittsburgh, Pa.

2024 season: After preserving a redshirt in 2023, Brookins saw a big increase in playing time in 12 games during the 2024 campaign. He was a piece of Pitt’s special teams unit and was also a primary reserve at strong safety.

Stats: Brookins totaled 35 tackles, two interceptions and two pass breakups. He had a career-high six tackles and an interception against Toledo in the GameAbove Sports Bowl.

Camp outlook: Brookins is primed for another strong camp, but this one will be of greater importance as he looks to step into a starting role at safety.

Projected role: Brookins is in for a big season as a projected starter at safety, alongside Javon McIntyre. During the spring game, Brookins slotted in at free safety with McIntyre sliding over to strong safety with the departure of McMillon. It will be interesting to see if that remains the same heading into fall camp.

As Brookins continues to learn the defense, he looks to continue his playmaking ways as a ball hawking safety. He also looks to be a step ahead this season in reading the quarterback all while being a physical tackler for the Panthers.

A true breakout season is in store for Brookins as he looks to continue the long line of successful Pitt safeties. The sky is truly the limit for the redshirt sophomore whether that’s an All-ACC season or better.

A quote about Brookins: “Cruce is a playmaker, let’s just be serious,” Bates said at the end of spring practice. “He looks bigger every time I see him. He’s got probably the most [takeaway] stickers on his helmet. I will say to you this, he’s got to take that to the fall. If he does that, who knows how far he’ll go because he’s got that potential. He’s still a fairly young guy. That’s the exciting thing with Cruce. Cruce had a good spring. I think he’s even more knowledgeable about the defense.”