NFL Greats Mentor M.J. Devonshire During Draft Process
PITTSBURGH -- After deliberating about his future, one former Pitt Panthers defensive back ultimately decided to enter the NFL Draft instead of returning to the program for one last hurrah.
M.J. Devonshire, during his media availability at the NFL Combine in Indianapolis, Indiana, told reporters that he initially intended to enter the draft after the 2022 season but ended up returning to Pitt because he believed he had room for improvement. This time around, though, Devonshire trusted his gut and is now well on his way to realizing his dream of playing at the next level.
"I wanted to last year, but I felt like there was just a little bit more improvement I wanted to build on," Devonshire said. "Coming out of this season, I feel like I’m ready. Coach Duzz told me to take a lot of time to just sit and think and trust wherever my gut tells me to go. Ultimately, it’s been my dream for a long time, and I didn’t know how much more patient I could be.”
Devonshire played a total of 38 games at Pitt after transferring from Kentucky ahead of the 2021 season. He recorded a total of 84 tackles, eight interceptions and 30 passes defended as a Panther before accepting invites to both the East-West Shrine Bowl and the combine as part of the draft process.
Devonshire played in all 12 of the Panthers' games in 2023 and was named to the All-ACC second team after finishing the year with 10 passes defended and four interceptions, both of which tied for the third-highest mark in the conference.
Before making his decision, Devonshire enlisted the help of two NFL Hall of Fame defensive backs in Ty Law and Darrelle Revis, both of whom attended Aliquippa High School, much like Devonshire, and have acted as mentors for him throughout his career thus far.
"I talked to Ty, I talked to Darrelle and was like, 'What influenced y'all in your decision?'" Devonshire said. "They was like, ‘When you feel ready, you’ll feel like you know,’ and they didn’t really tell me what they felt to know they were ready. Obviously, them guys, they came in being first round picks, so it was like they knew it was time. But for me, I felt like it's my time, so let's do it."
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