Pitt Misses on 2026 LB Target Again After Official Visit

Pitt football had another opportunity to land a longtime linebacker target in the 2026 class.

Three-star Markel Dabney took a surprise official visit during the weekend of June 19-21 to Pitt all while still committed to SMU. Entering the weekend, it was expected that he would flip his commitment to either Michigan or Pitt.

As is the case once again, Pitt has missed out on Dabney as he committed to Michigan Friday evening.

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Dabney — a 6-foot-1, 210-pound linebacker out of Huguenot High School in Virginia — took an official visit to Michigan the weekend prior to Pitt and the Panthers just could not do enough to pull in the talented prospect.

BREAKING: Class of 2026 LB Markel Dabney has Flipped his Commitment from SMU to Michigan, he tells me for @on3recruits

The 6’1 210 LB from Richmond, VA had been Committed to the Mustangs since May 13

“We just getting started, let’s work #GoBlue”https://t.co/fWnvyhtBC3 pic.twitter.com/Qf8evOjqnw

— Hayes Fawcett (@Hayesfawcett3) June 27, 2025

It’s the second time that Dabney passed on the Panthers after committing to SMU back on May 13. At the time, he selected to Mustangs over top five finalists in Pitt, Penn State, Michigan and Virginia Tech.

Pitt was the first Division I offer for Dabney coming all the way back in October of 2021 and linebackers coach Ryan Manalac has pushed for the longtime recruit over the years. Dabney was in Pittsburgh for a junior day visit in January and then Manalac spent time with him during an in-home visit earlier in the spring.

On3 rates Dabney as a three-star prospect, the No. 53 linebacker and the 18th-ranked Virginia prospect.

As a junior, he starred on both sides of the ball at Huguenot. He hauled in 45 receptions for 1,001 yards and 13 touchdowns, along with 71 tackles, 11 tackles for loss, four sacks, two interceptions returned for touchdowns, two pass breakups, four forced fumbles and a fumble recovery.

It’s not the biggest loss for Pitt as the Panthers have stacked up a relatively nice linebacker group for the 2026 class with three-star Marcus Jennings, three-star Isaiah Simmons and three-star Desmond Johnson.