Pitt Lands Western Carolina Transfer WR

PITTSBURGH — The Pitt Panthers have landed their second commitment from the transfer portal.

Western Carolina transfer receiver Malik Knight has committed to Pitt, according toCBS Sports Matt Zenitz.

Knight stands at 6-foot-2, 185 pounds and will have one year of eligibility remaining. He tallied 47 catches, 774 yards and seven touchdowns in 2025.

Pittsburgh has landed a commitment from Western Carolina wide receiver Malik Knight, his agents @david_benzaken and @IanGrutman tell me and @chris_hummer.

Posted 47 catches, 774 yards and seven touchdowns this season. pic.twitter.com/7qBe2uIbDO
— Matt Zenitz (@mzenitz) January 7, 2026

The first transfer Pitt landed was Penn offensive tackle Netinho Olivieri on Jan. 4. Olivieri was a three-year starter, earned first-team All-Ivy honors and was named an Associated Press All-American Honorable Mention.

Knight at Western Carolina

Pitt offensive coordinator Kade Bell was in the same position with the Catamounts the first two seasons Knight was with the program. Knight appeared in four games and redshirted as a freshman, then did not appear in a game in 2023.

Knight saw his first stretch of consistent playing time as a redshirt sophomore in 2024, where he played in all 12 games, recording 23 catches for 392 yards and one touchdown.

The most recent former Western Carolina wideout to play under Bell and transfer to Pitt was Raphael "Poppi" Williams, who led the Panthers in receiving this past season with 51 catches for 701 yards and seven touchdowns.

Sep 6, 2025; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA; Pittsburgh Panthers wide receiver Raphael Williams Jr. (5) runs after catch against Central Michigan Chippewas linebacker Dakota Cochran (1) during the first quarter at Acrisure Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images | Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images

William has declared for the NFL Draft and had 208 career catches for 2,744 yards and 28 touchdowns in four seasons in Bell's offense.

Pitt 2026 WR Room

The wide receivers could have used some help from the transfer portal and got exactly that.

Along with Williams, Kenny Johnson has entered the transfer portal and has reportedly committed to Texas Tech. Johnson and Williams were the Panthers' two leading receivers and combined for 99 catches for 1,396 and 12 touchdowns.

It looks like the only other starting receiver from the 2025 season set to return is Cataurus "Blue" Hicks, who had 24 catches for 422 yards, four touchdowns and led the starters with 17.6 yards per reception.

Pitt also had rising sophomore receiver Bryce Yates, who totaled 11 catches for 202 yards, one touchdown and averaged 18.4 yards per reception, and Censere Lee, who had just five catches for 86 yards, but spent most of the season recovering from a knee injury he suffered towards the end of the 2024 season.

Additionally, Pitt has redshirt freshman Tyreek Robinson, true freshmen Tony Kinsler and Cam Samp, walk-ons Caden Smith, Benny Haselrig, Amah Agwu and Jake Sassic, and incoming freshmen Rodney Dunbar, Demetrice McCray, Dylan Wester and Bryan Hamilton.

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