Pitt Ranked Among Worst ACC Transfer Portal Classes

The Pitt Panthers have downgraded their roster, and the national media have noticed.

Dec 27, 2025; Annapolis, MD, USA; Pittsburgh Panthers head coach Pat Narduzzi reacts during the second half of the Military Bowl against the East Carolina Pirates at Navy-Marine Corps Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Tommy Gilligan-Imagn Images | Tommy Gilligan-Imagn Images

PITTSBURGH — The Pitt Panthers brought in their second-largest transfer portal class to date with 16 new additions, but in the recruiting rankings, it's the lowest-rated class the program has ever signed.

Pitt had the formidable task of trying to replace top talent like Rasheem Biles and Kyle Louis, but only managed to add five players from the Power 4 ranks, with one being a starter in 2025. The rest of the players were either backups at their previous Power 4 programs or played at the Group of Five or FCS levels.

In the recruiting rankings, 247Sports had Pitt placed at 74th in the nation and 16th in the ACC, while On3 had the Panthers at 67th nationally and dead last in the ACC at 17th.

On paper, it just wasn't a very good portal class, and Manny Navarro of The Athletic concurs.

The Athletic released its grades for each transfer portal class in the ACC, and Pitt was ranked among the worst.

Pitt Receives a "D" Grade

Dec 27, 2025; Annapolis, MD, USA; Pittsburgh Panthers quarterback Mason Heintschel (6) looks to the sidelines during the first quarter of the Military Bowl against the East Carolina Pirates at Navy-Marine Corps Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Tommy Gilligan-Imagn Images | Tommy Gilligan-Imagn Images

In The Athletic's list of grades, "D-" is the lowest, and Pitt was not very far off with a "D" grade.

The other schools to receive a "D" grade were Clemson, Duke, Florida State, North Carolina and Stanford. Pitt had the second-best record of that list of schools, only behind Duke, which had its starting quarterback and wide receiver poached by Miami.

Navarro noted that after the Panthers finished 8-5 last season, they added 16 players and lost 21 to the transfer portal. Of the players added, they total 10,641 career snaps, compared to the 9,794 career snaps lost through departing players. Navarro also listed some of the top players Pitt added, which include Elijah Lagg, Keylen Davis, Alex Sanford, DeMarco Ward and Raion Strader.

"Pat Narduzzi brought in six former starters via the portal, but five come from FCS or G6 schools," Navarro wrote. "Sanford (46 tackles, 3.5 TFLs) and Ward (63 tackles, three TFLs) were productive last season, but replacing Rasheem Biles (Texas) and NFL-bound Kyle Louis will not be easy. Strader, the MAC Cornerback of the Year at Miami (Ohio) in 2024, didn’t start a game last year at Auburn. In addition to Biles, the Panthers lost three other starters who signed with P4 schools."

There's no doubt that Pitt's roster has taken a step down talent-wise, too.

Along with the key transfer losses of Biles, Kenny Johnson, Trey Butkowski, Lyndon Cooper, Malachi Thomas, Francis Brewu and Jahsear Whittington, the Panthers also lost Louis, Desmond Reid, Raphael "Poppi" Williams, Kavir Bains-Marquez, Javon McIntyre, Rashad Battle, Tamon Lynum and Justin Holmes either to eligibility or the NFL Draft.

The good news for Pitt in 2026 is that it has a pretty reasonable schedule. Only four of the 12 teams Pitt will face next season had a winning record in 2025 — Miami, Georgia Tech, Louisville, Cal — and one team went .500 — Miami (Ohio).

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