Inside The Panthers

Bills, Saints Interested in Pitt Safety

One safety was a top performer at the Pitt Panthers' recent Pro Day and is getting noticed by NFL recruits.
Nov 16, 2024; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA; Clemson Tigers wide receiver Bryant Wesco Jr. (12) makes a catch against Pittsburgh Panthers defensive back Donovan McMillon (3) during the second quarter at Acrisure Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images
Nov 16, 2024; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA; Clemson Tigers wide receiver Bryant Wesco Jr. (12) makes a catch against Pittsburgh Panthers defensive back Donovan McMillon (3) during the second quarter at Acrisure Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images | Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images

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Among the top performers at the Pitt Panthers Pro Day on Wednesday was Donovan McMillon.

All things considered, this shouldn't have been surprising to anyone who has followed his young career.

Out of Peter Township High School, a tall, long, aggressive safety with a serious background in wrestling, McMillon was a Top 150-ranked recruit via 247Sports Composite rankings. Florida, Georgia, LSU, Miami, Michigan, Notre Dame, Oklahoma, Ole Miss, Oregon, Penn State, Tennessee, and Texas A&M represented only a fraction of the staggering 50 scholarship offers he received.

After spending two seasons with the Florida Gators, McMillon was an immediate and consistent big-time producer for the Panthers after arriving in 2023 through the transfer portal.

Throughout 2023 and 2024 as a starting safety, McMillon put together 220 total tackles, two tackles for loss, an interception, nine pass breakups, and two forced fumbles.

After logging an impressive 4.47-second 40-yard dash with 21 reps of 225 pounds on the bench press and a 35-inch vertical jump among other notable testing numbers, according to Ryan Fowler, an NFL and college football analyst with The Draft Network, McMillon connected with NFL teams before and after Pitt's Pro Day.

Fowler's X post read: "The Pitt program just pumps out elite athletes every single cycle. Excellent Pro Day for SAF Donovan McMillon (6’1”, 203) who will attend Bills local day & has met with the defensive staff of New Orleans."

McMillon was likely quite disappointed that he wasn't invited to the NFL Combine while teammates tight end Gavin Bartholomew and Konata Mumpfield took part in the event.

However, it seems McMillon may earn his way into a draft selection through his impressive performance this week in front of scouts from all 32 NFL programs.

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Kevin Sinclair
KEVIN SINCLAIR

Kevin Sinclair writes coverage of the Pitt Panthers along with the Baltimore Ravens, the New England Patriots, the Pittsburgh Steelers, and the Tennessee Titans for On SI. Previously, he was a recruiting reporter and managing editor at Irish Illustrated, the privately-owned Notre Dame site within the 247Sports Network, for over seven-and-a-half years. Kevin studied multimedia journalism and has been a sports writer for nearly a decade.