Pitt Signing Day Tracker: 2026 Early Signees

PITTSBURGH — Today is the day that the top recruits around the country will fulfill their commitments and sign their national letters of intent to join the Pitt Panthers in 2026.

That's right, today is Early National Signing Day.

This live tracker will be the one-stop shop for all information regarding Pitt's incoming 2026 recruiting class. Everything from basic information on each recruit to analyzing how this class will impact the Panthers in 2026 and beyond.

The ratings and rankings for the individual recruits were sourced from the 247Sports Composite, and all other information has been gathered from the Composite, the Rivals Industry Rankings, ESPN and other sources.

Player Name	Position	Height/Weight	High School	Hometown	247Sports Composite (Natl./Pos./St.)	Rivals Industry	ESPN
Marcus Jennings	LB	6'2"/205	Cass Technical	Southfield, Mich.	★★★★ No. 657/56/12	★★★ No. 675/65/14	★★★ No. 100/20
Lincoln Hoke	DL	6'2"/260	North Allegheny	Sewickley, Pa.	★★★ No. 1263/133/37	★★★ No. 1233/121/36	★★★ No. 65/17
Demetrice McCray	WR	6'0"/185	The First Academy	Clermont, Fla.	★★★ No. 1151/168/122	★★★ No. 1134/171/125	★★★ No. 182/157
Isaiah Simmons	LB/DL	6'0"/210	Maury	Norfolk, Va.	★★★★ No. 448/35/11	★★★ No. 454/36/11	★★★ No. 30/11
Reston Lehman	LB/DL	6'4"/230	Peters Township	McMurray, Pa.	★★★★ No. 421/32/12	★★★ No. 442/32/11	★★★★ No. 209/17/7
Dylan Wester	WR/ATH	5'9"/165	Booker	Palmetto, Fla.	★★★ No. 1151/83/122	★★★ No. 1147/177/126	★★★ No. 165/147
John Curran	OL	6’3”/305	Pine-Richland	Gibsonia, Pa.	★★★ No. 1820/140/54	★★★ No. 1747/160/46	★★★ No. 128/51
Joshua Pittman	LB/DL	6’3”/225	King’s Fork	Suffolk, Va.	★★★ No. 899/76/24	★★★ No. 910/81/24	★★★ No. 72/17
Isaac Patterson	S	6’0”/185	Westerville-South	Westerville, Ohio	★★★ No. 1151/103/53	★★★ No. 1158/111/54	★★★ No. 112/59
Michael van der Oord	OT	6'7"/285	St. Ignatius	Westlake, Ohio	★★★ No. 1820/140/54	★★★ No. 1719/129/95	★★★ No. 167/99
Kentrail McRae	CB	6'2"/170	Clearwater	Clearwater, Fla.	★★★ No. 1051/86/112	★★★ No. 1069/103/118	★★★ No. 64/99
Damon Ferguson Jr.	RB	5’11/200	Milford Mill Academy	Gwynn Oak, Md.	★★★★ No. 245/18/6	★★★★ No. 215/15/6	★★★★ No. 254/13/7
Rodney Dunbar	WR	6'5"/190	Thomas Country Central	Thomasville, Ga.	★★★ No. 572/79/62	★★★ No. 589/87/64	★★★ No. 63/52
Nicholas Howard	OT	6'5"/305	Pearland	Pearland, Texas	★★★★ No. 432/41/57	★★★ No. 452/36/57	★★★ No. 69/82
Desmond Johnson	LB	6'1"/195	Northwestern	Miami, Fla.	★★★ No. 1263/111/140	★★★ No. 1231/112/140	★★★ No. 23/84
Da'Ron Barksdale	CB	5'10"/195	Steel Valley	Pittsburgh, Pa.	★★★ No. 858/70/23	★★★ No. 869/79/25	★★★ No. 110/32
Angelo Renda	QB	6'0"/180	Southlake Carroll	Southlake, Texas	★★★ No. 1705/91/245	★★★ No. 1647/97/234	★★★ No. 60/214
Tony Forney	S	6'1"/190	Kell	Decatur, Ga.	★★★ No. 900/80/93	★★★ No. 922/89/93	★★★ No. 70/102
Corey Dailey	QB	6'6"/195	Seguin	Seguin, Texas	★★★ No. 572/32/75	★★★ No. 573/33/77	★★★ No. 48/169
Wyatt Villarreal	WR/TE	6'5"/230	Celina	Celina, Texas	★★★ No. 1854/102/264	★★★ No. 1785/110/242	★★★ No. 62/216
Bryan Hamilton	WR	5'11"/165	Gaither	Tampa, Fla.	★★★ No. 179/123	★★★ No. 1173/184/132	★★★ No. 150/140

Position-by-Position Breakdown

Pitt heavily targeted linebackers and wide receivers in this cycle, with four wideouts and five additions to the defense's second level. This is likely due to the state of each position group.

Kenny Johnson and Cataurus "Blue" Hick are eligible for the NFL Draft, along with Raphael "Poppi" Williams and Deuce Spann, who are both out of eligibility. Losing those four would obviously be a huge hit to the room's depth.

The big three linebackers of Kyle Louis, Rasheem Biles and Braylan Lovelace are also draft-eligible after this season. Luke DelGaudio, Nick Lapi and Drew Foster will for sure be gone due to graduation.

This still leaves plenty of depth players like Cameron Lindsey, Abe Ibrahim, along with Jeremiah Marcelin and Jayden Bonsu, who both suffered season-ending injuries. But there would be a void of top-tier talent if even one of those three starters decides to declare, something a four-star talent, like two of the incoming freshmen, could solve quickly.

There's a chance that all three starting receivers and linebackers leave, and there's a chance that only a couple leave. But adding several freshmen in both areas affords Pitt some flexibility on the depth chart.

The Panthers lightly recruited running back, tight end, and the defensive line. Damon Ferguson was the lone running back addition, while Lincoln Hoke was the only true defensive lineman and Wyatt Villarreal is the one tight end, but is also listed as a receiver.

Pitt will lose only Desmond Reid and Jalynn Williams in the backfield due to graduation, leaving seven active running backs on the roster. Justin Holmes and Jake Overman will also be gone after this season, leaving five tight ends remaining. And Blaine Spires, Nate Temple and Joey Zelinsky will not be on the defensive line, leaving well over 10 players remaining on the defensive front.

Offense

Damon Ferguson is not only the headline recruit on the offense, but he’s the headline recruit of the entire class.

Ferguson is a classic multi-sport all-around athlete. He has totaled over 3,000 total yards and nearly 40 touchdowns in three high school seasons, but also the Maryland 3A North Region 200-meter and 400-meter champion in track as a junior.

Decatur's Gavin Solito (3) tackles Milford Mill's Damon Ferguson (5) Friday, Nov. 24, 2023, in the 2A State Semifinal in Berlin, Maryland. Decatur defeated Milford Mill 35-34. | Lauren Roberts/Salisbury Daily Times / USA TODAY NETWORK

Pitt also landed two quarterbacks in Corey Dailey and Angelo Renda. Dailey, the higher-rated of the two, passed for just over 9,000 yards, 100 touchdowns and just 22 interceptions in his high school career. He has also shown the ability to run with his slim 6-foot-6 and 195-pound frame, rushing for 871 yards and 41 touchdowns in four seasons.

Like Dailey, Renda has also posted impressive numbers. His nearly 8,200 passing yards, 524 completions and 86 touchdowns are all more than former five-star and Texas Longhorns quarterback Quinn Ewers when he attended Southlake Carroll. His play also placed him on a national award watch list and even caught the eye of former Dallas Cowboys All-Pro wide receiver Dez Bryant.

Defense

Pitt has three linebackers at the top of the class. WPIAL four-star Reston Lehman, four-star Isaiah Simmons and three-star Marcus Jennings are all top 60 linebackers in the nation and top 15 players from their respective states. Lehman, Simmons and Joshua Pittman are all versatile, too, playing both linebacker and on the defensive line.

The Panthers have also added several defensive backs, including a local in Steel Valley safety Da’Ron Barksdale. Isaac Patterson and Kentrail McRae Jr. make up the other two additions.

There will be an opportunity for some freshmen to step up this upcoming season, with starting corners Rashad Battle and Tamon Lynum leaving, same with safeties Kavir Baines-Marquez and Javon McIntyre.

This season, Shawn Lee Jr. and Josh Gurrier were two freshman defensive backs who were able to break into the two-deep to begin the season and play meaningful snaps throughout the year.

Top Commitments in the Class

Ferguson, Lehman, Howard and Simmons are the top four-stars in Pitt’s 2026 class, and each one’s athletic prowess goes beyond football.

Ferguson is a lightning-quick back that was clocked at running a 10.74-second 100-meter dash this spring but also has the stamina to run a 21.32-second 200-meter and a 47.76-second 400-meter dash. Additionally, Ferguson has recorded a long jump of 21’5.5.”

Lehman has practically lived in the backfield during his four years at Peterson Township. He has 12.5 sacks, over 15 tackles for a loss, forced seven fumbles and five interceptions. Lehman is a former hockey player and also played lacrosse and threw javelin.

Howard is another multi-sport athlete, but as an offensive tackle. At 6-foot-6, 285 pounds, he recorded discus throws of 152’4” and 137’6” as a junior. He also posted shot put throws of 34’2.5.”

Finally, Simmons is the second linebacker at the top of the list and a speedy one at that. His track time rivals Ferguson’s, with an 11.00-second in the 100 and a 22.64-second 200-meter dash.

Marcus Jennings, LB — Cass Technical, Michigan

6'2" | 205 lbs
Star Rating: ★★★ | Position Rank: No. 56
Notable Offers: Michigan, Toledo, Eastern Michigan

Jennings has a solid frame for a young linebacker at 6-foot, 200 pounds. He runs a verified 4.58-second 40-yard dash and an 11.02-second 100-meter dash.

He also played safety at Cass Technical and has shown the ability to match up with skill position players in coverage. He chose Pitt over a late offer from Michigan.

Enrollment Status: Early Enrollee

Lincoln Hoke, DL — North Allegheny, Pennsylvania

6'2" | 260 lbs
Star Rating: ★★★ | Position Rank: No. 133
Notable Offers: Kent State, Akron, Toledo

Hoke tallied 80 tackles and 12 for also for North Allegheny. He is also the son of former Pittsburgh Steeler Chris Hoke.

Enrollment Status: Early Enrollee

Demetrice McCray, WR — The First Academy, Florida

6'0" | 185 lbs
Star Rating: ★★★ | Position Rank: No. 168
Notable Offers: North Carolina, UCF, Ole Miss

McCray posted 943 all-purpose yards this season and accumulated 1,339 receiving yards on 65 grabs and 13 touchdowns in 18 games over his high school career.

He is also a tri-sport athlete, who averaged 10.3 points and 3.4 rebounds per game in basketball and ran an 11.87 100-meter dash.

Enrollment Status: Early Enrollee

Isaiah Simmons, LB — Maury, Virginia

6’0" | 210 lbs
Star Rating: ★★★★ | Position Rank: No. 35
Notable Offers: Duke, Old Dominion

Simmons is an uber-athletic linebacker who could like play all three positions for Pitt. Although his best fit would probably be at Kyle Louis' star linebacker position.

Enrollment Status: Early Enrollee

Reston Lehman, LB — Peters Township, Pennsylvania

6'4" | 230 lbs
Star Rating: ★★★★ | Position Rank: No. 32
Notable Offers: Penn State, Rutgers, Iowa

Lehman is the top WPIAL player in Pitt's 2026 class. He recorded 8.5 sacks, forced two fumbles and two interceptions this season.

This was a big get for the Panthers, Lehman chose over the likes of Penn State, Rutgers and Iowa.

Enrollment Status: Early Enrollee

Dylan Wester, ATH — Booker, Florida

5'9" | 165 lbs
Star Rating: ★★★| Position Rank: No. 82
Notable Offers: USF, Florida Atlantic

Wester is a speedster on the gridiron, who totaled 1,864 receiving yards and 19 touchdowns in his high school career.

In 2025, Wester posted 43 receptions for 756 yards and 12 scores, along with 15 carries for 55 yards and a touchdown.

Enrollment Status: Early Enrollee

John Curran, IOL — Pine-Richland, Pennsylvania

6'3" | 305 lbs
Star Rating: ★★★ | Position Rank: No. 140
Notable Offers: Buffalo, Bowling Green

Curran has shown to be a great run blocker, at 6-foot-3 and 305 pounds. He helped lead Pine-Richland to becoming the 2025 WPIAL 5A runner-up.

He also earned all-state recognition in 2024 when the Rams won the WPIAL 5A championship.

Enrollment Status: Early Enrollee

Joshua Pittman, LB — King's Fork, Virginia

6'3" | 225 lbs
Star Rating: ★★★ | Position Rank: No. 76
Notable Offers: USF, Virginia Tech, Michigan State

Although Pittman was a linebacker/edge rusher, he'll likely play defensive end at Pitt. He'll have a considerable advantage with a 79-inch wingspan, paired with his 6-foot-3 frame.

Enrollment Status: Early Enrollee

Isaac Patterson, S — Westerville South, Ohio

6'0" | 185 lbs
Star Rating: ★★★ | Position Rank: No. 103
Notable Offers: Toldedo, Bowling Green

Patterson played both safety and outside linebacker in high school, totaling 100 tackles in the last two years. He also added five pass breakups, three tackles for a loss, one forced fumble and a fumble recovery.

On offense, Patterson tallied 1,407 all-purpose yards and nine touchdowns in his final two seasons.

Enrollment Status: Early Enrollee

Michael van der Oord, OT — St. Ignatius, Ohio

6'7" | 285 lbs
Star Rating: ★★★ | Position Rank: No. 151
Notable Offers: Toledo, Western Michigan

Van der Oord is the largest offensive lineman Pitt has signed this cycle, standing at a towering 6-foot-7 and 285 pounds. As a junior, he was a key contributor to a St. Ignatius rushing game that averaged 171.8 yards per game.

Enrollment Status: Summer Enrollee

Kentrail McRae Jr., CB — Clearwater, Florida

6'2" | 170 lbs
Star Rating: ★★★ | Position Rank: No. 86
Notable Offers: USF, Florida Atlantic, FIU

McRae had 14 solo tackles, nine pass breakups and five interceptions this past season. He returned two of those picks for a touchdown.

Enrollment Status: Early Enrollee

Damon Ferguson, RB — Milford Mill Academy, Maryland

5'11" | 200 lbs
Star Rating: ★★★★ | Position Rank: No. 18
Notable Offers: Minnesota, Indiana, Michigan State

Ferguson recently had 11 carries for 122 yards and a touchdown in Milford Mill's playoff loss to Linganore last week. He finished his senior year with 855 rushing yards at 10.1 yards per carry, 12 touchdowns and helped lead his team to a 10-1 record.

This is a player who could make an immediate impact in Pitt's offense next season.

Enrollment Status: Summer Enrollee

Rodney Dunbar, WR — Thomas County Central, Georgia

6'5" | 190 lbs
Star Rating: ★★★ | Position Rank: No. 79
Notable Offers: Kansas State, Georgia, Duke

Dunbar stands at a towering 6-foot-5. He hauled in 21 receptions for 390 yards and six touchdowns in his senior season.

Enrollment Status: Summer Enrollee

Nicholas Howard, OT — Pearland, Texas

6'5" | 305 lbs
Star Rating: ★★★★ | Position Rank: No. 41
Notable Offers: Houston, Texas State, Arizona

It’s a win anytime that a team can find an athletic offensive tackle, and Pitt might have just that with Howard.

Howard helped lead Pearland to its sixth-ever 11-win season since 1949.

Enrollment Status: Summer Enrollee

Desmond Johnson, LB — Northwestern, Florida

6'1" | 195 lbs
Star Rating: ★★★ | Position Rank: No. 110
Notable Offers: Florida State, SMU, Michigan

Johnson may be slightly undersized for a linebacker, but he's been able to cut his teeth as a coverage linebacker and is another recruit that could fit well at Louis' star position if he can add some weight.

He recorded 83 tackles, seven sacks, three interceptions and two forced fumbles in 10 games this season.

Enrollment Status: Early Enrollee

Da'Ron Barksdale, CB — Steel Valley, Pennsylvania

5'10" | 195 lbs
Star Rating: ★★★ | Position Rank: No. 70
Notable Offers: West Virginia, UNLV

Barksdale is another standout WPIAL player. He starred as a two-way player at Steel Valley, totaling 44 tackles, four interceptions, one returned for a touchdown, five pass breakups and a sack, along with 2,659 total yards and 36 touchdowns in his career.

Steel Valley had nine wins this past year and finished as a WPIAL runner-up at the 2A level. Current Pitt safety Cruce Brookins is also a Steel Valley alumnus.

Enrollment Status: Early Enrollee

Angelo Renda, QB — Southlake Carroll, Texas

6'0" | 180 lbs
Star Rating: ★★★ | Position Rank: No. 91
Notable Offers: SMU, UTSA, Jacksonville State

Renda has led Southlake Carroll to the quarterfinals of the 6A D2 Texas Football State Championships with an undefeated 13-0 record in the regular season and has become the No. 1 team in Texas.

He has recorded 3,749 passing yards, 39 touchdowns and just seven interceptions, while completing 76% of his passes this season.

Enrollment Status: Early Enrollee

Tony Forney, S — Kell, Georgia

6'1" | 190 lbs
Star Rating: ★★★ | Position Rank: No. 80
Notable Offers: Missouri. Wisconsin, Georgia

Forney is the first flip of the day for the Panthers. He originally committed to Missouri on July 7, but made a last-second flip to join the Panthers.

He recorded 51 total tackles, six pass deflections and one pick in 2025 and finished his career at Kell with 81 tackles, three interceptions and seven pass breakups in 25 games.

Enrollment Status: Early Enrollee

Corey Dailey, QB — Seguin, Texas

6'6" | 195 lbs
Star Rating: ★★★ | Position Rank: No. 32
Notable Offers: Texas State, Tulane

Dailey named the District 12-5A Offensive MVP this season and is a 2026 Navy All-American Bowl invitee. He also played basketball, where he averaged 22.2 points per game and was a baseball star, batting .490 with a 1.21 ERA.

Kade Bell and the Panthers have officially landed both quarterbacks in this year's cycle.

Enrollment Status: Early Enrollee

Wyatt Villarreal, WR — Celina, Texas

6'5" | 230 lbs
Star Rating: ★★★ | Position Rank: No. 103
Notable Offers: Arizona, Cal

Villarreal caught 46 passes for 601 yards and three touchdowns in his senior season. He has proven to be both a large target for quarterbacks and an imposing blocker.

Enrollment Status: Early Enrollee

Bryan Hamilton, WR — Gaither, Florida

5'11" | 165 lbs
Star Rating: ★★★ | Position Rank: No. 168
Notable Offers:

Hamilton is Pitt's last commit to sign to the 2026 class.

He caught 42 passes for 700 yards and eight touchdowns this season. He totaled 92 career catches, 1,518 receiving yards and 16 touchdowns.

Enrollment Status: Summer Enrollee

Recruiting Surprises, Flips & Misses

Pitt's signing day was going according to plan until a pleasant surprise occurred around 9 a.m. Three-star safety Toney Forney out of Decatur, Ga., flipped last second from Missouri to the Panthers.

As of 11 a.m. Bryan Hamilton became Pitt's final commitment to sign to the 2026 class. There was a bit of a gap between Villarreal's signing at 9:10 a.m. and Hamilton's. That should be the final addition for this early signing day period, barring any surprises.

The big disappointing miss from Pitt was letting four-star Fort Cherry safety/athlete Matt Sieg flip from one rival to another. He was committed to Penn State for over a year and signed with West Virginia.

Historical Context & Class Ranking

This 2026 class for Pitt is on par with the recent classes. The 2023 class was ranked 52nd, the 2024 class was ranked 41st and the 2025 class was 53rd in the Composite rankings. The 2026 class is ranked 43rd in the nation.

This class also added 20 recruits, with the average being 21.0 recruits added in the last three seasons. This is also the most four-star Pitt has signed in the last four cycles, with four.

In comparison to the ACC, the 2026 class finished ninth out of 17 in the conference, while the 2025 class finished 11th, the 2024 class finished ninth and the 2023 class finished eighth.

This is, however, the most points a Pitt class has earned in the last four cycles, with 207.85 points. It’s very near the previous years as the average has been 202.45 points. For comparison, the average points from the No. 1 recruiting class since 2023 is 314.80 points.

Recruiting Year	National Rank (247Sports Composite)	ACC Rank	Average Player Rating	Four-Star Recruits	Total Signees
2026	No. 40	No. 9	87.38	4	21
2025	No. 53	No. 11	86.62	1	22
2024	No. 41	No. 9	86.37	1	22
2023	No. 52	No. 8	86.66	1	19

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