Predicting Pitt's New Star LB After Kyle Louis Gets Drafted

PITTSBURGH -- The NFL Draft has arrived, and with that Pitt's name adorned the stage for the selection of their star player.

Kyle Louis, who occupied the "Star" linebacker position in his time at Pitt, was selected with the No. 138 pick of the 2026 NFL Draft to the Miami Dolphins.

So what happens at linebacker now?

Rasheem Biles, who was set to be the successor to Louis, entered the portal and will start at Texas. With that being the case, Pitt looks like they will lean on redshirt sophomore linebacker Cameron Lindsey to fill the void left by Louis' departure.

Lindsey was one of the most notable recruits to come out of WPIAL in recent seasons, and was a three star prospect with a hefty offer list. With offers from Penn State, West Virginia, Maryland and Cincinnati, Pitt had their work cut out for them when it came to landing the young talent.

Yet, after an announcement in his hometown school Aliquippa's theater, Lindsey became the 5th highest recruit in the 2024 class for the Panthers. Of those top five players, only No. 4 in Robinson and No. 5 in Lindsey remain. No. 1 Caleb Holmes is at Jacksonville State, No. 2 Francis Brewu is at Notre Dame and No. 3 Sincere Edwards is at UCF

Now, two seasons following his recruitment, Lindsey is in line for the starting "star" linebacker role.

Lindsey's Journey to the Starting Role

In his freshman campaign in 2024, Lindsey was able to earn a redshirt by participating in just two games, both of which coming on special teams and late snaps against Youngstown State and Syracuse. Lindsey was behind Jeremiah Marcelin, Jordan Bass and Keye Thompson on the depth chart, and was able to add another year of eligibility because of that.

In 2025, Lindsey participated in all thirteen of Pitt's games, starting in two of them. He accumulated 32 tackles, five tackles for a loss and a forced fumble. His best performance was against Stanford, when he started and made 8 tackles and a tackle for a loss of thirteen yards.

Nov 1, 2025; Stanford, California, USA; Stanford Cardinal tight end Benji Blackburn (88) is tackled by Pittsburgh Panthers linebacker Cameron Lindsey (24) during the second quarter at Stanford Stadium. Mandatory Credit: John Hefti-Imagn Images | John Hefti-Imagn Images

Lindsey will have a large void to fill with Louis heading to the NFL, but he seems well equipped to do so. Despite a change in linebacker coach, Lindsey should see elevated playing time and the ability to stand out with Louis and Biles both no longer taking up playing time.

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