Pitt Football Lands North Carolina Transfer DB

PITTSBURGH — The Pitt Panthers have added their first addition from the transfer portal following the end of spring practices.

Matt Zenitz of 247Sports reported that Pitt will land North Carolina transfer defensive back Zion Ferguson.

North Carolina cornerback transfer Zion Ferguson is expected to transfer to Pittsburgh, a source tells @CBSSports/@247Sports.

Was a Class of 2024 four-star recruit.https://t.co/Xo5wJZVM72 https://t.co/zMFfHvE9Xu pic.twitter.com/Yodbf9T0IJ
— Matt Zenitz (@mzenitz) April 24, 2025

Ferguson visited Pitt on April 23, putting up two photos on his Instagram story. The first one was him coming over the Fort Pitt Bridge into the city and the second was him having dinner at Del Frisco's Double Eagle Steakhouse downtown.

Pitt Transfer DB Commit Zion Ferguson coming over the Fort Pitt Bridge | Zion Ferguson's Instagram

Pitt Transfer DB Commit Zion Ferguson eats at Del Frisco's Double Eagle Steakhouse in Downtown | Zion Ferguson's Instagram

Ferguson hails from Gainesville, Ga. and played for Gainesville High School, where he made 37 tackles (29 solo), two tackles for loss, five interceptions, four pass breakups, a sack and a blocked punt, helping his team to a 12-1 record as a senior in 2023.

Rivals rated him as a four-star in the Class of 2024, ranking him No. 152 in the nation, No. 23 in Georgia and No. 20 at cornerback.

247Sports, On3 and ESPN all rated him as a three-star, with 247Sports ranking him No. 62 at his position and No. 89 in the state, On3 ranking him No. 90 at cornerback and No. 99 in Georgia, while ESPN ranked him No. 51 at cornerback and No. 70 in Georgia.

He committed to North Carolina, picking them over offers from Pitt, plus ACC schools in Boston College, Duke, Florida State, Georgia Tech, Louisville and Wake Forest, Big Ten schools in Maryland, Michigan, Michigan State, Nebraska and Penn State, Big 12 schools in Arizona, Colorado and UCF, and SEC schools in Arkansas, Auburn, Georgia, Kentucky, LSU, Mississippi State, Ole Miss, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas and Texas A&M.

Ferguson, who stands at 6-foot, 185 pounds, didn't play his freshman season, maintaining his redshirt and will have four years of eligibility.

He will add depth to a cornerback room that brings back starters in sixth years, Rashad Battle and Tamon Lynum.

Other cornerbacks vying for snaps next season include senior Rashan Murray, who transferred from Division II program California (Pa,) redshirt sophomores Jesse Anderson and Shadarian Harrison, redshirt freshmen Davion Pritchard and Nigel Maynard and freshmen in Joshua Guerrier and Shawn Lee Jr.

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