Inside The Panthers

Pitt Flips Commit From ACC Rival

The Pitt Panthers have managed to secure a commitment from a 2026 linebacker committed to a conference rival.
Karl Ludwig|
Pitt Football Flips Virginia Tech Commit in 2026 3-Star Linebacker Joshua Pittman
Pitt Football Flips Virginia Tech Commit in 2026 3-Star Linebacker Joshua Pittman | Courtesy of Pitt Athletics

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Pittsburgh Panthers

PITTSBURGH - With Virginia Tech firing its head coach early in the season, it opened the door for Pat Narduzzi and the Pitt Panthers to swoop in for a recruit.

Narduzzi announced a "Pat Signal" tonight, and it's quickly been revealed to be former Virginia Tech commit Joshua Pittman. Pittman — a 6-foot-3, 210-pound three-star athlete from King's Fork in Suffolk, Va. — had been committed to Virginia Tech since April.

Pittman holds offers from Charlotte, Coastal Carolina, Delaware, Duke, East Carolina, Indiana, JMU, Liberty, Michigan State, North Carolina, Old Dominion, Syracuse, Temple, USF, Virginia Tech, Wake Forest and West Virginia.

Pitt initially offered Pittman in March, but he committed to Virginia Tech not long after, and the coaching staff didn't have a chance to roll out the red carpet. That changed when the Hokies fired head coach Brent Pry in September.

The Panthers jumped back into the fray, hosting him on a visit during the weekend of Oct. 25, where he got to see Pitt knock off North Carolina State.

What Pittman Brings to Pitt

Pittman is a long, athletic linebacker, perhaps a bit taller than the linebackers coach Ryan Manalac has recruited in recent seasons, but his fit in the defense is apparent.

He's extremely lengthy, boasting a 79-inch wingspan, and his speed and aggression on the field allows him to play all across the defense.

247Sports rates him as the 74th-ranked linebacker and 22nd-ranked recruit from Virginia while Rivals rates him as the 62nd-ranked linebacker and 28th-ranked recruit from Virginia.

Pitt now has 21 commitments in the class of 2026, and it's loaded with four linebackers.

Pittman joins a group that includes three-star Isaiah Simmons (Norfolk, Va.), three-star Marcus Jennings (Detroit, Mich.) and three-star Desmond Johnson (Miami, Fla.). It's a group full of athlete that embody the "Sharks" mentality that the defense has embraced.

With Kyle Louis and Rasheem Biles possibly headed to the NFL next season, the linebacking corps could be in flux.

Braylan Lovelace is slated to return, a multi-year starter with the intelligence and athleticism to play any of three linebacker spots, and Cam Lindsey is getting an increased workload as the unit has dealt with injuries this season.

Jeremiah Marcelin was in line for a major role this season before his season-ending injury in the preseason, and Jayden Bonsu, Davin Brewton and Emmanuel Taylor are also in the mix. Pittman is now part of an intriguing group that will look to continue the recent success, and do it quickly.

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Karl Ludwig
KARL LUDWIG

Karl Ludwig is a Pittsburgh Panthers on SI sportswriter. He has spent the past three years covering the Pitt Panthers for a couple of platforms. While he did not attend Pitt, he grew up in the Pittsburgh area, attending North Allegheny Senior High School and Slippery Rock University. As a student at SRU, he served as the sports editor of SRU’s student-run newspaper, The Rocket, and provided award-winning coverage in football, men’s and women’s basketball, men’s and women’s soccer. It was at SRU that his love for sports journalism blossomed. Karl spent three seasons as the Pitt football beat writer for Pittsburgh Sports Now, following time as an intern for the Sports Now Network. His most recent coverage of the University was for Pitt Sports News of the On3/Rivals network. He’s also contributed to Athlon Sports and SB Nation’s Behind the Steel Curtain.

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