Pitt Secures First Summer Official Visit With 3-Star OL

PITTSBURGH — The Pitt Panthers have locked up their first summer official visit with 2027 three-star offensive lineman Noah Nixon out of Buford High School in Georgia, he announced on Feb. 10.

Nixon's visit is scheduled for May 28-30. According to Nixon's X profile, the only other trip he has planned for the spring is an unofficial visit to Illinois on March 27.

ATL ✈️ PITT 5/28-5/30 🔵🟡🐆 pic.twitter.com/dnzE6wl4ZZ
— Noah C Nixon (2027) (@noahclarknixon) February 10, 2026

Nixon stands at 6-foot-3, 295 pounds and plays on the interior of the offensive line. ESPN rates Nixon as a three-star prospect, while 247Sports and Rivals do not have a star designation for Nixon yet.

Nixon's high school, Buford, is the No. 1 team in the nation, according to MaxPreps. The Wolves went 15-0 last season and won the Class 6A state title. Nixon was part of Buford's offensive line that led the way for 2,938 rushing yards at 6.6 yards per carry, 195.9 yards per game and 45 total touchdowns.

Buford was the home to several recent stars, including Georgia safety KJ Bolden, Georgia Tech transfer running back Justice Haynes, former Alabama and Texas wide receiver Isaiah Bond, and now-Oregon quarterback Dylan Raiola.

Pitt Continues to Target OL

This is the second bit of recruiting news concerning an offensive lineman for Pitt in the last few days. On Feb. 9, 2027 Ohio three-star offensive lineman Reed Gerken listed Pitt among his top 10 schools.

Pitt must continue to target offensive linemen in recruiting. In 2025, Pitt's line, which consisted of three transfers to begin the year, struggled in pass protection. The Panthers ranked 132nd out of 136 FBS teams in sacks allowed, with 44, and ranked 117th in tackles for loss allowed, with 80.

True freshman quarterback Mason Heintschel was pressured 150 times, according to Pro Football Focus, and was the seventh-most sacked FBS quarterback with only nine games played.

Pittsburgh Panthers quarterback Mason Heintschel (6) prepares to fire the ball downfield while being pressured by Notre Dame Fighting Irish linebacker Kyngstonn Viliamu-Asa (27) during the first half at Acrisure Stadium in Pittsburgh, PA on November 15, 2025. | Michael Longo / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Pitt turned to the portal again to try to replace Jeff Persi at left tackle and Lyndon Cooper at center by signing tackle Netinho Olivieri from Penn and interior offensive lineman Keylen Davis from Akron.

The problem after 2026 is that both Olivieri and Davis, plus starters Ryan Baer, BJ Williams, Kendall Stanley and Keith Gouveia, will be out of eligibility, leaving Ryan Carretta as the lone lineman with starting experience eligible to return for 2027.

If the current depth linemen can't step into starting roles or transfer away, Pitt will need to utilize the portal once again and patch together a front five, leaving the onus on the Class of 2026 and 2027 recruits to rebuild the line internally.

Pitt has four commits to its 2027 recruiting class, with the lone lineman being three-star Colin Urrea from Naples, Fla.

The best way to develop an offensive line is through high school recruiting. Pitt must continue to push that front and only use the transfer portal to supplement depth.

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