Inside The Panthers

Pitt Football Offer Report: TE Preston McDaniel

Another tight end earned an offer from the Pitt Panthers recently, a position of great need this cycle.
Kevin Sinclair|
Nov 16, 2024; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA; A Pittsburgh Panthers helmet on the sidelines against the Clemson Tigers during the fourth quarter at Acrisure Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images
Nov 16, 2024; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA; A Pittsburgh Panthers helmet on the sidelines against the Clemson Tigers during the fourth quarter at Acrisure Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images | Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images

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Without question, one of the most important roster needs for the Pitt Panthers this cycle is the tight end position.

Gavin Bartholomew is now a Minnesota Viking. His predecessor Jake Overman is entering his final year of eligibility in his sixth year on the college stage. Behind Overman, Malachi Thomas enters his true sophomore season with two catches for 22 yards under his belt. And Max Hunt arrived in Pittsburgh less than four months ago.

It's why no one should've been surprised to see Preston McDaniel announce an offer from the Panthers recently.

Joining Air Force, Army, Dartmouth, Fresno State, Navy, Nevada, Oklahoma State, San Diego State, and Utah Tech, Pitt extended its offer to the rising senior out of Thunder Ridge High School in Idaho Falls on Wednesday, April 30.

According to MaxPreps, in just nine game in 2024, the 2026-class tight end caught 41 balls for 564 yards and four touchdowns. He's a three-star prospect, according to 247Sports, at 6-foot-4, 215 pounds with significant route running and pass-catching abilities, as shown in his junior season highlights on Hudl.

Technically, given the volume of snaps McDaniel is positioned in the slot or out wide, he could be classified as a receiver who slides into an inline tight end role occasionally, given the makeup of the Thunder Ridge offense.

Whichever way you slice it, there's no question that McDaniel has the ability to play the tight end position at the next level. In his case, that ability shines brightest in the passing game when he's an available target.

Current Pitt 2026 Verbal Commitments

* QB Angelo Renda (Southlake [Tx.] Southlake Carroll)
* WR Dylan Wester (Sarasota [Fla.] Booker)
* LB/S Marus Jennings (Detroit [Mich.] Cass Tech)
* S Isaac Patterson (Westerville [Ohio] Westerville South)

Current Pitt 2027 Verbal Commitments

* WR Jacob Thomas (Pembroke Pines [Fla.] Flanagan)
* RB Tyler Reid (Miramar [Fla.] High School)

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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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