Inside The Panthers

Pitt Football Hosting Prime 2026 WR Target

The Pitt Panthers will host one of their top wide receiver targets.
Dominic Campbell|
Winslow's Nyqir Helton returns an interception for a touchdown during the State Group 4 football final between Winslow and Phillipsburg played at SHI Stadium at Rutgers University in Piscataway on Wednesday, December 4, 2024. Winslow defeated Phillipsburg, 35-0.
Winslow's Nyqir Helton returns an interception for a touchdown during the State Group 4 football final between Winslow and Phillipsburg played at SHI Stadium at Rutgers University in Piscataway on Wednesday, December 4, 2024. Winslow defeated Phillipsburg, 35-0. | CHRIS LACHALL/USA TODAY NETWORK ATLANTIC GROUP / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

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Pittsburgh Panthers

PITTSBURGH — The Pitt Panthers will have one of their top offensive targets visit the program this summer.

Tyqir Helton, a Class of 2026 wide receiver, announced that he will make three official visits. This includes Syracuse on May 30, Boston College on June 6 and Pitt on June 12, the second weekend of the month.

Helton plays for Winslow Township High School in Atco, N.J., 25-30 miles southeast of Philadelphia, where Pitt special teams coordinator/tight ends coach Jacob Bronowski visited him back on Jan. 9, likely playing a role in them making his top five.

He previously put Pitt, Syracuse and Boston College in his top five schools, which also included Big Ten schools in nearby Rutgers and Illinois.

Pitt offered Helton way back in October 2023, with former wide receivers/quarterbacks coach Tiquan Underwood making it, who is now on the Dallas Cowboys coaching staff.

Other schools that offered Helton include Big Ten schools in Indiana, Maryland, Nebraska, Penn State, Purdue and Wisconsin, Big 12 schools in Iowa State and West Virginia, plus Kentucky, American Athletic schools in Charlotte, East Carolina and Temple, MAC schools in Akron and Western Michigan, plus UConn and Old Dominion.

He starred as a junior for Winslow Township in 2024, making 47 catches for 857 yards, 18.2 yards per catch and 18.9 yards after the catch, for 13 touchdowns. He also played as a defensive back, with 20 tackles, four interceptions, including one for a touchdown, a forced fumble and a fumble recovery.

Standing at 6-foot-1 and 170 pounds, some of his best skills include his knack for making contested catches, great route-running, top speed and a quick change of direction that defensive backs can't contend with.

Helton is a consensus three-star recruit in the Class of 2026 on the recruiting sites, as 247Sports ranks him as the No. 111 wide receiver and No. 12 recruit in New Jersey, Rivals ranks him the No. 25 athlete and No. 8 in the state, while On3 ranks him the No. 135 wide receiver and No. 16 recruit in New Jersey.

Pitt is hosting two other wide receivers on official visits, including Blake Hamilton from Fort Bend Christian High School in Sugar Land, Texas and Dylan Wester from Booker High School in Sarasota, Fla.

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Dominic Campbell
DOMINIC CAMPBELL

Dominic writes for Pittsburgh Pirates On SI, Pittsburgh Panthers Pn SI and also, Pittsburgh Steelers On SI. A Pittsburgh native, Dominic grew up watching Pittsburgh Sports and wrote for The Pitt News as an undergraduate at the University of Pittsburgh, covering Pitt Athletics. He would write for Pittsburgh Sports Now after college and has years of experience covering sports across Pittsburgh.

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