Every Pitt Player Drafted Under Pat Narduzzi

PITTSBURGH -- Pat Narduzzi has caught the ire of Pitt Football fans nearly since he began head coach of the team ahead of the 2015 season, but has undeniably been an elite developer of high level talent since he began coaching the team 10 seasons ago. With that in mind, and with the NFL Draft less than a week away, a review of Pitt's draft picks is in order.

2016: Tyler Boyd – WR, Cincinnati Bengals

Boyd is easily one of the most successful Pitt alum to play in the NFL, and would likely slide in as the second best NFL wide receiver to come out of the school. The Pitt all-time college receiving yards leader has 6,390 yards and 34 touchdowns across 8 complete seasons in the NFL.

2017: James Conner – RB, Pittsburgh Steelers, Dorian Johnson – G, Arizona Cardinals, Nathan Peterman – QB, Buffalo Bills, Adam Bisnowaty – T, New York Giants, Ejuan Price – LB, Los Angeles Rams

Nov 19, 2016; Pittsburgh, PA, USA; Pittsburgh Panthers running back James Conner (24) rushes the ball against Duke Blue Devils safety Deondre Singleton (33) during the third quarter at Heinz Field. PITT won 56-14. Mandatory Credit: Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images | Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images

The 2017 class also features another top tier talent with James Conner putting himself firmly in third in terms of running back production in the NFL out of Pitt behind Curtis Martin and Tony Dorsett. Peterman stuck around the league for a while as a backup, and is best known for his rookie year game where he threw five interceptions for the Bills against the Los Angeles Chargers.

Johnson and Bisnowaty stuck around for a bit, and Price appeared in one NFL game in 2017.

2018: Brian O’Neill – T, Minnesota Vikings, Jordan Whitehead – DB, Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Avonte Maddox – DB, Philadelphia Eagles

One of the more well-rounded drafts of the Narduzzi era came in 2018, as O'Neill has stayed with the Vikings since, and received Pro Bowl honors in 2021 and 2024. Maddox and Whitehead have both continued to play in the NFL, mostly as second options in the secondary for various teams.

2019: Qadree Ollison – RB, Atlanta Falcons

Ollison's NFL career lasted 24 games across five seasons, in which he started 0 games. He accumulated 5 touchdowns on 158 yards, all of which coming in his first three professional seasons with the Falcons. After two other short stints, Ollison played his last NFL snaps in 2023.

2020: Dane Jackson – DB, Buffalo Bills

Jackson's first three seasons were a mixture of highs and lows, with him accumulating 113 tackles and three interceptions. He was then seldomly used in 2023 and not retained, and signed with the Panthers for a lackluster 2024 season. He re-signed with the Bills for 2025, appearing in two games and is currently a free agent.

2021: Patrick Jones II – DE, Minnesota Vikings, Rashad Weaver – LB, Tennessee Titans, Jason Pinnock – DB, New York Jets, Jaylen Twyman – DT, Minnesota Vikings, Damar Hamlin – DB, Buffalo Bills, Jimmy Morrissey – C, Las Vegas Raiders

The 2021 draft was the largest class from Narduzzi to that point, and features mostly backups. Jones is the standout from the class, and will enter his second year on his second team in the Carolina Panthers in 2026, following a season-ending back injury in 2025. Weaver and Twyman are no longer in the NFL, and Pinnock and Morrissey are both backups at their positions.

Damar Hamlin is the most notable player from the class, due to the injury he suffered during Monday Night Football in 2023. He will be on the Bills in 2026.

2022: Kenny Pickett – QB, Pittsburgh Steelers, Damarri Mathis – DB, Denver Broncos

The 2022 class is the most controversial of Narduzzi's tenure, as former Heisman Finalist Kenny Pickett was selected by the hometown Steelers in the first round, and certainly did not pan out as he was expected to.

Mathis spent three seasons with the Broncos before signing with the Panthers in 2025, and suffering a torn ACL that kept him off the field for the entire season.

2023: Calijah Kancey – DE, Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Carter Warren – T, New York Jets, Israel Abanikanda – RB, New York Jets, SirVocea Dennis – LB, Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Erick Hallett – DB, Jacksonville Jaguars, Brandon Hill – DB, Houston Texans

The 2023 class, despite having six players get selected, has only one consistent talent in Calijah Kancey, who was taken by the Buccaneers in the first round. His teammate in Dennis is the second most productive player to come out of this class, as Warren, Hallett and Abanikanda have not been able to land consistently on a roster. Hill appeared in two games for the Texans in 2023, both on special teams.

2024: Matt Goncalves – T, Indianapolis Colts, Bub Means – WR, New Orleans Saints, M. J. Devonshire – DB, Las Vegas Raiders

The 2024 class certainly has a "too early to tell" designation on it, with encouraging results from Matt Goncalves in both his first two seasons. Means had a good second half in 2024, but spent all of 2025 out with an injury just as he was expected to have an elevated role. Devonshire has moved through multiple practice squads, and has not made his NFL debut.

2025: Branson Taylor – T, Los Angeles Chargers, Gavin Bartholomew – TE, Minnesota Vikings, Konata Mumpfield – WR, Los Angeles Rams

Taylor was waived as part of final roster cuts ahead of the 2025 season, and Bartholomew injured his back during training camp, which kept him out the entire season. Mumpfield found himself as a regular contributor on the Rams, notching his first NFL touchdown in his seventh career game.

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