Inside The Panthers

Pitt Cracks Top 10 For 3-Star OL

The Pitt Panthers need to prioritize the offensive line.
Mitchell Corcoran|
Oct 18, 2025; Syracuse, New York, USA; Pittsburgh Panthers head coach Pat Narduzzi looks on against the Syracuse Orange during the second half at the JMA Wireless Dome. Mandatory Credit: Rich Barnes-Imagn Images
Oct 18, 2025; Syracuse, New York, USA; Pittsburgh Panthers head coach Pat Narduzzi looks on against the Syracuse Orange during the second half at the JMA Wireless Dome. Mandatory Credit: Rich Barnes-Imagn Images | Rich Barnes-Imagn Images

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Pittsburgh Panthers

PITTSBURGH — Class of 2027 three-star offensive lineman Reed Gerken from Perrysburg High School in Ohio has listed the Pitt Panthers in his top 10 schools, according to Rivals' Steve Wiltfong.

The other nine schools Gerken is considering are Tennessee, Kentucky, Wisconsin, Virginia Tech, Stanford, Arkansas, NC State, Michigan State and Cincinnati.

According to Wiltfong, Gerken is currently in the process of scheduling visits for this summer.

It appears that Pitt has some work to do, however. Gerken told Wiltfong that he is most familiar with Tennessee, Kentucky and Wisconsin. Gerken said that the Vols have recruited him since his freshman year and that the Wildcats and Badgers have made him a priority.

Pitt Must Prioritize Offensive Line

Perrysburgh offensive lineman Reed Gerken
Reed Gerken was at Ohio Stadium to watch the Ohio State Buckeyes take on the Michigan Wolverines in an NCAA football game on Saturday Nov. 30, 2024. | Lori Schmidt / Columbus Dispatch / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

The Panthers may not currently be prioritizing Gerken, but they do need to prioritize the offensive line in recruiting.

Pitt's offensive line was atrocious in pass protection in 2025, ranking 132nd out of 136 teams in sacks allowed (44), 117th in tackles for loss allowed (80) and allowed 150 pressures on freshman quarterback Mason Heintschel. Heintschel was also the seventh-most sacked quarterback in the nation last year.

Gerken stands at 6-foot-5, 290 pounds. The 247Sports Composite has Gerken as the No. 15 player from Ohio, the No. 38 tackle in the class and the No. 438 overall player, while the Rivals Industry Rankings has Gerken as the No. 15 player in his home state, the No. 32 interior offensive lineman and the No. 438 player overall.

Pittsburgh Panthers quarterback Mason Heintschel
Dec 27, 2025; Annapolis, MD, USA; East Carolina Pirates defensive lineman Torin Brazell (98) sacksPittsburgh Panthers quarterback Mason Heintschel (6) during the first half of the Military Bowl at Navy-Marine Corps Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Tommy Gilligan-Imagn Images | Tommy Gilligan-Imagn Images

Gerken has good size for being a junior and ranks well against the other offensive linemen in the country. For comparison, the only offensive lineman commit in Pitt's 2027 class is three-star Colin Urrea, who is just outside of the top 100 players from Florida and is a top 80 interior offensive lineman.

In Pitt's 2026 class, Nicholas Howard was the top-rated offensive lineman in the class by 247Sports and Rivals and he ranked in the top 40 at his position and top 500 nationally, which is similar to Gerken's current rankings.

Pitt added three high school offensive linemen, including Howard, and two transfers in Netinho Olivieri from Penn and Keylen Davis from Akron this offseason. However, neither transfer will have any eligibility in 2027, and the same applies to starters Ryan Baer, Kendall Stanley and Keith Gouveia.

There will be lots of turnover coming up for Pitt's offensive line, so recruiting well at the high school level and developing those recruits will be crucial for the future of the Panthers' offense.

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Mitchell Corcoran
MITCHELL CORCORAN

Mitch is a passionate storyteller and college sports fanatic. Growing up 70 miles away in Johnstown, Pa., Mitch has followed Pittsburgh sports all his life. Mitch started his sports journalism career as an undergraduate at Penn State, covering several programs for the student-run blog, Onward State. He previously worked for NBC Sports, The Tribune-Democrat and the Altoona Mirror as a freelancer. Give him a follow on X @MitchCorc18.

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