Projecting Pitt's Post-Spring Two-Deep

What will the Pitt Panthers' depth chart look like when they arrive at the start of the regular season.

PITTSBURGH -- The Pitt Panthers have put a bow on 2024 spring ball with a 17-10 victory for the Gold over the Blue in the annual spring game.

The Blue-Gold game was revealing and offered some insight into critical position battles that raged through the spring and could continue into the summer. Here's a look at where the depth chart likely stands as the Panthers break for the summer.

QUARTERBACK
QB: Nate Yarnell, Eli Holstein

Yarnell has already been affirmed as QB1 by his head coach and I don't think anything that happens this summer can change that. Holstein has simply played better than Veilleux this spring, so he will take over pole position of the backup spot.

RUNNING BACK
RB: Rodney Hammond, Desmond Reid, Derrick Davis Jr.

This is a deep room that could be subbed in and out very regularly. I think Hammond will take the lion's share of the snaps but the rotations will be frequent given the pace of the offense.

WIDE RECEIVER
WR: Konata Mumpfield, CJ Lee
WR: Daejon Reynolds, Raphael Williams
WR: Kenny Johnson, Zion Fowler-El

Outside of Johnson, Fowler-El has been the most impressive of those Class of 2023 receivers who came in last season. Williams and Lee both know this offense from previous experiences with Kade Bell and have made some explosve plays throughout the spring.

TIGHT END
TE: Gavin Bartholomew, Jake Renda

The top dog in this group is obvious. Jake Overman could push Renda for time because of his advantage as a run blocker and experience, but in a pass-heavy offense, I went with the better route-runner in Renda.

OFFENSIVE LINE
LT: Branson Taylor, Terrance Enos
LG: Ryan Jacoby, Dorien Ford
C: Terrance Moore, Lyndon Cooper
RG: BJ Williams, Isaiah Montgomery
RT: Ryan Baer, Jackson Brown

The key for this unit will be staying healthy and nothing more. Getting Jacoby back will give them a boost, Cooper can swing around the interior as needed and look out for incoming freshman Caleb Holmes, widely considered the best player in the 2023 recruiting class that hasn't yet gotten to campus.

DEFENSIVE LINE
DE: Dayon Hayes, Sicnere Edwards
DT: Sean FitzSimmons, Bam Brima
DT: Nahki Johnson, Nick James
DE: Nate Matlack, Jimmy Scott

Matlack and Hayes are in position to lead this front seven back to it's perch as one of the most productive and disruptive in all of college football. Young gun Sincere Edwards came on strong late in spring ball to play his way onto the two-deep.

LINEBACKER
STAR: Solomon DeShields, Rasheem Biles
MIKE: Brandon George, Braylan Lovelace
MONEY: Kyle Louis, Jordan Bass

The Panthers will exercise all the linebacker depth they have at their disposal this season, rotating heavily because each of those top six players are ready to compete for starting jobs right now. Look out for Keye Thompson, the Ohio transfer as well. He's been banged up during spring ball but could be a factor in the fall.

CORNERBACK
CB1: Ryalnd Gandy, Tamarion Crumpley
CB2: Rashad Battle, Noah Biglow

Gandy has already been penciled in a starter by head coach Pat Narduzzi, and I think they will lean for the more experienced guy in Battle to start opposite him.

SAFETY
FS: Javon McIntyre, PJ O'Brien
SS: Donovan McMillon, Cruce Brookins

McIntyre and McMillon are the two more steady hands but O'Brien and Brookins are firecrackers, capable of making game-changing plays at any moment. This position will rotate these four heavily, with little distinction between starters and backups.

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