Inside The Panthers

Two Pitt Panthers Among Top 10 Returning Linebackers

The Pitt Panthers have a talented core of linebackers returning to the team next season.
Kevin Sinclair|
Sep 14, 2024; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA; Pittsburgh Panthers linebacker Kyle Louis celebrates with linebacker Rasheem Biles (31) after intercepting West Virginia Mountaineers quarterback Garrett Greene (6) in the fourth quarter at Acrisure Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Barry Reeger-Image Images
Sep 14, 2024; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA; Pittsburgh Panthers linebacker Kyle Louis celebrates with linebacker Rasheem Biles (31) after intercepting West Virginia Mountaineers quarterback Garrett Greene (6) in the fourth quarter at Acrisure Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Barry Reeger-Image Images | Barry Reeger-Imagn Images

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Pittsburgh Panthers

If questioned on the strength of the Pitt Panthers heading into next season, it seems likely that most would point to the linebacker position.

According to a social media post yesterday, it seems Max Chadwick of Pro Football Focus would certainly agree. 

With a graphic of Kyle Louis and Rasheem Biles displayed at the bottom, “Pitt Returns the BEST Linebacker Duo in College Football (fire emoji),” was atop the post from the PFF College account yesterday (April 1) on X. 

In the attached breakdown from Pro Football Focus, attributed to Max Chadwick, 2024 All-American Kyle Louis slotted at No. 5 among college football returning linebackers. 

Ahead of the New Jersey native were Anthony Hill Jr. who logged 113 tackles, 17 tackles for loss, eight sacks, an interception, and four forced fumbles as a Texas Longhorn last season. 

Taurean York of Texas A&M (#2), Whit Weeks of LSU (#3), and Austin Romaine of Kansas State (#4) rated above Louis. 

Returning Panther Rasheem Biles capped the list at No. 10, with Sonny Styles of Ohio State (#6), Deontae Lawson from Alabama (#7), CJ Allen at Georgia (#8), and Notre Dame’s Drayk Bowen (#9) slotted between Louis and Biles. 

Louis was tremendous for the Panthers last season, recording 101 total tackles, 16 tackles for loss, seven sacks, four interceptions, returning one at home versus Syracuse for a touchdown, three pass breakups, and a forced fumble. 

On the other side of mike linebacker Brandon George, Biles was right there with Louis as a big-time producer. 

He logged 84 total tackles, 18 tackles for loss, a pick-six alongside nine pass breakups, a forced fumble, and a fumble recovery.

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Kevin Sinclair
KEVIN SINCLAIR

Kevin Sinclair writes coverage of the Pitt Panthers along with the Baltimore Ravens, the New England Patriots, the Pittsburgh Steelers, and the Tennessee Titans for On SI. Previously, he was a recruiting reporter and managing editor at Irish Illustrated, the privately-owned Notre Dame site within the 247Sports Network, for over seven-and-a-half years. Kevin studied multimedia journalism and has been a sports writer for nearly a decade.

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