Inside The Panthers

Breakdown: Three 2026 Tight Ends on Pitt's Radar

The Pitt Panthers are looking at three "dogs" at tight end.
Kevin Sinclair|
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Pitt Panthers On SI recently spoke with 2026 quarterback commit Angelo Renda who mentioned specific prospects that both the Panthers coaching staff and the Dallas-Fort Wayne-area quarterback are recruiting heavily. 

“The coaches will send me their numbers and will be like, 'This guy's a dog. We want you to (reach out to them),’” Renda told us last week. 

“A tight end from Pennsylvania, Lucas Shanafelt. They're really high on him,” Renda added. “Another tight end from Florida, Julius Miles, and another tight end, Javonte Williams.”

Pitt may have signed a steal at the position last cycle in Max Hunt. On the other hand, Gavin Bartholomew is off to the NFL Combine while Jake Overman prepares for his final season within his remaining eligibility. 

That’s why it would make sense for Narduzzi & Co. to prioritize tight ends in the 2026 class. 

Let’s take a look at the three aforementioned tight end recruits. 

LUCAS SHANAFELT

Size: 6-4, 225

From: Canonsburg (Pa.) Peter Township

Notable Offers: Connecticut, Harvard, Pitt, Toledo, West Virginia

The Panthers hosted in-state standout Lucas Shanafelt on January 24, extending a scholarship offer that day. 

The 6-foot-4, 225-pound two-way star out of Peter Township - Pennsylvania 5A runner-up behind Pine-Richland last season - is a force at the defensive end position. It’s the role he’s best known for when it comes to his Friday night contributions. 

However, when his hand isn’t in the dirt, the 4.4 GPA student-athlete shows outstanding potential offensively as a tight end who often lines up on the perimeter. 

Shanafelt gets off the line of scrimmage with surprising speed for an athlete known primarily for shooting gaps and stuffing the run. And he’s a sure-handed pass-catcher who does an outstanding job of extending for the football and coming up with difficult grabs. 

You can check out back-to-back receptions from Shanafelt at the 4:11 mark in the below video. 

On Wednesday, Shanafelt announced plans to take an official visit at Pitt on June 5-7. 

JULIUS MILES

Size: 6-6, 210

From: Freeport (Fla.) High School

Notable Offers: Arkansas, Colorado, Florida State, Michigan State, Mississippi State, Pitt, West Virginia

Physically, this is a very intriguing prospect. 

Julius Miles appears to be all of 6-foot-6 and with the length of an athlete who stands taller than that listing. 

He’s a huge target in the passing game not only due to that height and reach but also due to his significant leaping ability. As a junior in the fall, Miles recorded 56 receptions for 900 yards and 10 touchdowns in Florida. 

His Twitter profile lists a 4.62 in the 40-yard dash, two dozen scholarship offers, and a 3.1 GPA. The towering tight end has a wide-ranging offer list from Arizona to Colorado to Michigan State to Pitt and down South with Mississippi State and Florida State. 

We can be sure the offers will continue to pile up as the Pitt staff and Renda work to get Miles on campus. 

It’s worth noting that Miles also leads Florida 3A basketball in scoring currently, averaging 27.5 points per game. 

JAVONTE WILLIAMS

Size: 6-4, 210

From: Potomac (Md.) The Bullis School

Notable Offers: Duke, Indiana, Rutgers, Virginia Tech

This is a rising senior who should see his recruiting stock rise and his offer list swell over the coming months. 

A tight end who doubles in track, Javonte Williams put together 35 receptions for 679 yards and 20 touchdowns as a junior in 2024. 

Williams’ track background shows in his routes and after the catch, a big-framed tight end capable of notching acrobatic catches and running through defenders once the ball is secured. 

We can be sure that Williams will be a top target for the Panthers moving forward. He was on campus in January for a Junior Day event, Coach Jacob Bronowski dropping by to see Williams in Maryland a few weeks after his stop in Pittsburgh. 

Keep an eye on Williams. He’s bound to put together big-time numbers as a senior.

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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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