Inside The Panthers

Pitt Battling Penn State, Michigan for 3-Star LB

The Pitt Panthers make the top schools for a prime linebacker target.

Dominic Campbell

Sep 2, 2023; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA; A Pittsburgh Panthers helmet on the sidelines against the Wofford Terriers during the fourth quarter at Acrisure Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images
Sep 2, 2023; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA; A Pittsburgh Panthers helmet on the sidelines against the Wofford Terriers during the fourth quarter at Acrisure Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images / Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images
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PITTSBURGH — The Pitt Panthers made the top schools list for one of their top defensive targets for the future.

Markel Dabney, a linebacker in the Class of 2026, announced his top five schools and had Pitt in there, along SMU and Virginia Tech out of the ACC, plus Michigan and Penn State out of the Big Ten.

Dabney plays for Hugenot High School in Richmond, Va. and helped them to a 11-1 record, before they lost to rival Varina in the Region 4B Semifinal.

He excelled on both sides of the ball as a junior in 2024. , with 45 catches for 995 yards and 13 touchdowns as a wide receiver and then 70 tackles (33 solo), with four forced fumbles, four sacks, one fumble recovery, two interceptions for touchdowns and three pass breakups.

Dabney earned honors for his play, including First Team All-4B Region, First Team All-City (Richmond Public Schools) and First Team All-Metro.

Dabney announced on Feb. 3 that he would make an official visit to Pitt, June 5-7, the first weekend of the month and the first recruit in the Class of 2026 to announce an official visit to the program.

He received his first ever Division I offer from Pitt as an eighth grader in October 2021, with former wide receivers coach, Brennan Marion, making the offer.

Dabney visited Pitt for Junior Day on Jan. 18, where he toured the facilities down at UPMC Rooney Sports Complex in South Side Flats. He also watched Pitt basketball face Clemson at the Petersen Events Center, a 78-75 loss in overtime.

Panthers linebackers coach Ryan Manalac is the one recruiting Dabney, as they envision him in the unit, rather than on offense.

He holds offers from ACC schools in Duke, Florida State, Miami, NC State, North Carolina, SMU and Virginia Tech, Big Ten schools in Indiana, Maryland, Penn State and Wisconsin, Big 12 schools in Arizona and West Virginia and SEC schools in Kentucky, Ole Miss, South Carolina and Tennessee, as well as Notre Dame.

Dabney also has offers from American schools in Charlotte and East Carolina, Conference USA schools in Delaware and Liberty, Sun Belt schools in Coastal Carolina, James Madison and Marshall FCS schools in Campbell, Florida A&M and Hampton, plus Division II school Bluefield State.

He previously released a top 10 list that didn't include Pitt, but his plans for an official visit put them above other programs now.

He holds a three-star rating from On3, Rivals and ESPN. On3 ranks him the No. 62 linebacker in the nation and No. 22 recruit in Virginia, while Rivals gave him a 5.6 rating and ranked him the No. 18 recruit in the commonwealth.

Pitt has two commitments in the Class of 2026 in quarterback Angelo Renda from Carroll High School in Southlake, Texas and defensive back Isaac Peterson from Westerville South High School in Westerville, Ohio.

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Dominic Campbell
DOMINIC CAMPBELL

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