Two Pitt Freshmen DBs Earn Backup Spots

PITTSBURGH — Expect two Pitt Panthers freshmen defensive backs to burn their redshirts this season.

True freshman safety Josh Guerrier and cornerback Shawn Lee Jr. were listed on the Panthers' two-deep depth chart on Aug. 25. Guerrier, Lee and linebacker Emmanuel Tayler were the only true freshmen named in the defense's two-deep.

Guerrier has impressed since he stepped foot on campus in January. He was the Panthers' top recruit in the 2025 class as a three-star top 600 player, according to Rivals and the 247Sports Composite.

"I think this is the first time that we've had a true freshman in the back end in the two-deep in the last eight years," Pitt assistant head coach and secondary coach Cory Sanders said on Aug. 26. "But that's a testament to him, of how he went out there, how he approached it. He was an early enrollee, and his mindset of just how he practiced every single day and got better."

Sanders confirmed that Guerrier will play on Saturday against Duquesne. Guerrier was listed as the backup to redshirt sophomore Cruce Brookins at strong safety on the depth chart.

Although there's a lot of hype around Guerrier among the coaching staff, he has still never played a college football game. Sanders said the freshman "has some things to clean up" before Saturday's Week 1 game, but is pleased with his approach to this opportunity.

"Last night he was texting me, at 7 p.m., and we're going back and forth," Sanders said. "At 7:45, he starts to apologize that he's texting me too much, and I'm like, 'I love it, man.' We're getting ready for game day."

Guerrier's roommate, Lee, is the other standout freshman defensive back from camp. Pat Narduzzi highlighted Lee after the team's second inter-team scrimmage earlier in August and had more praise for him on Aug. 25.

"I just think he's a football player," Narduzzi said. "We're going to find out. He's a young guy who we're not afraid to put out on the field to find out what we've got."

Harrisburg quarterback Shawn Lee Jr. escapes a sack attempt from Central York's Danny Pham during a PIAA District 3 Class 6A semifinal game at Central York High School on Friday, Nov. 18, 2022, in Emigsville. Hes Dr 111822 Cyfb | Dan Rainville / USA TODAY NETWORK

Lee didn't headline Pitt's recruiting class like Guerrier did out of high school. Lee was also a three-star, but wasn't rated high enough by Rivals and the 247Sports Composite to be a top 25 player in Pennsylvania or be a top 1,000 recruit nationally.

Lee played quarterback at Harrisburg High School and was recruited as a corner and an athlete. Sanders believes that it was Lee's two-way ability that helped him stand out in camp.

"I think you love a quarterback and a secondary guy that plays both ways," Sanders said. "And you just like guys that play both ways in general because they have just that football playmaking ability. When we watch film, we like to see guys that are DBs, and you see them on offense."

Lee's father, Shawn Lee Sr., was a college defensive back himself back in the day. His father played at Penn State from 1995-98 and totaled six career interceptions.

Narduzzi credited Lee's father with his son's quick development.

"His dad coached him for a long time in high school," Narduzzi said. "So, I give his dad a lot of credit for how he came prepared, and then coach (Archie) Collins and coach Sanders have taken it from there."

Guerrier, Lee, and Taylor are the three freshmen to make the two-deep on defense, but the Panthers listed six freshmen on offense and named Trey Butkowski as the starting kicker as a freshman.

The main reason for the trend, according to Sanders, is the number of early enrollees in Pitt's 2025 recruiting class. Excluding walk-ons, the Panthers had 13 out of 22 signees early enroll. Of those 13, eight are in the two-deep.

Gurrier and Lee both enrolled early, and it paid off.

"A lot of these guys, they're getting in that spring session, and they're getting those 15 practices in," Sanders said. "You're getting so many kids here earlier to prepare themselves because it's hard when you get here during the summer. You get here in June, and you just have a short time. You have the OTAs, or the player-led stuff, and coaches aren't around. Then they don't get until camp, and camp is so expedited because we're ready for that season."

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