Pitt's Best Returning Players for 2026

The NCAA transfer portal has officially closed as of Jan. 17. This doesn't mean the Pitt Panthers are done adding players who are already in the portal, but it does mean that any player who hasn't entered their name into the portal is sticking with their current team for next season.

Pitt lost a lot of talent to the portal, no doubt about it. But, the Panthers have been trying to make up for it with transfer additions of their own. More importantly, the team has several reliable players from this past season returning for 2026.

Offense

The biggest name to return is true freshman quarterback Mason Heintschel. Heintschel announced he was returning on social media on Jan. 15, the day before the portal closed. There have been some worries about him transferring dating all the way back to the middle of the football season, along with some recent unconfirmed rumors about bigger programs giving him huge offers. But, Heintschel is sticking with the only Power Four team to give him an offer out of high school.

Heintschel's first start was against Boston College in the fifth game of the season. While he hasn't been perfect every game since then, he's also put on record-breaking performances and led the team to six wins as a starter.

Running back Ja'Kiyran "Boosie" Turner is another true freshman set to return next season. While Pitt's star running back Desmond Reid was dealing with injuries for half of the season, Turner was able to make a name for himself. His best game came against Georgia Tech, where he rushed for 201 yards and put the game away with a 56-yard touchdown run.

Pitt's wide reciever room has definitely taken a hit during the last month. Luckily, redshirt junior Cataurus "Blue" Hicks seems to be returning for next year. Hicks, originally a transfer from Louisville, had 422 receiving yards and four touchdowns on the season. He had two games with over 100 receiving yards.

Several offensive linemen are also returning for the 2026 season. Keith Gouveia, Ryan Baer, and BJ Williams all look to return.

Pitt quarterback Mason Heintsche — Nov 15, 2025; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA; Pittsburgh Panthers quarterback Mason Heintschel (6) runs the ball against the Notre Dame Fighting Irish during the first quarter at Acrisure Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images | Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images

Defense

Losing the linebacker duo of Rasheem Biles and Kyle Louis will definitely be hard to make up for on the defensive end. But, Pitt does have options. Starting linebacker Braylan Lovelace, who has been at Pitt since his freshman year in 2023, seems to be returning for for his senior season.

Lovelace started 12 games and was Honorable Mention All-ACC. He had 76 tackles and two interceptions on the year. One of those interceptions turned into a 100-yard pick-six. Linebacker Cameron Lindsey is also set to return. Lindsey was big in the win over Syracuse, when Pitt was playing without both Biles and Louis.

Pitt also lost a couple of key players on the defensive line, but they do have some starters returning. Defensive tackle Sean FitzSimmons, who started in every game he was healthy for, announced he was returning soon after the portal opened. Starting defensive tackle Nick James also seems to be returning.

A spot that looks nice for Pitt is their cornerback room. After entering the transfer portal, true freshman cornerback Shawn Lee Jr. announced he was actually returning for another year. Lee was an On3 All-American who allowed the lowest number of opposing receptions and yards on the team.

As the transfer portal causes Pitt to lose and gain players, having returning players who already have chemsitry with each other and the coaches is what is important for winning.

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