Pitt Football Offers Division II All-American

PITTSBURGH -- The Pitt Panthers offered a player in the transfer portal who had a solid season in 2024 and also has roots in the region.

Rashan Murray, a defensive back from Division II school California (Pa.) announced that Pitt offered him. Chris Peak of PantherLair also reported that Murray made a visit to Pitt, with this offer coming along with it.

Blessed to receive a D1 offer from The University of Pittsburgh @Pitt_FB pic.twitter.com/No22J3oWwA
— 𝐑𝐚𝐬𝐡𝐚𝐧 𝐌𝐮𝐫𝐫𝐚𝐲 (@RashanMurray) January 3, 2025

Murray hails from Pittsburgh, attending Obama Academy in the East Liberty neighborhood and playing for USO, which combines the three city of Pittsburgh high schools of University Prep in the Hill District, Pittsburgh Science and Technology Academy (Sci-Tech) in the Oakland Area, plus Obama.

He would earn All-City League honors as a junior and senior and earned a spot at the PFSCA East-West All-Star Game.

Murray originally committed to Akron on June 25, 2021, but would decommit four months later on Oct. 29. He was a two-star recruit in the Class of 2022, with 247Sports ranking him No. 344 at wide receiver and No. 344 at wide receiver, while Rivals gave him a 5.3 rating.

He eventually committed to California and played in nine games as a true freshman in 2022, making eight tackles (five solo) and one pass breakup.

Murray would play in 10 games as a sophomore in 2023, making 31 tackles (23 solo), six pass breakups, two blocked kicks, one forced fumble, one fumble recovery and one quarterback hit.

He had his breakout season as a junior in 2024, making 39 tackles (27 solo), 14 pass breakups, four interceptions, a forced fumble and a tackle for loss.

Murray earned honors for his play this past season, including First Team All-Region, First Team All-PSAC, AP and Don Hansen Second Team All-American honors, plus making the D2Football.com Elite 100 Squad List.

1st Team All Region
1st Team All Psac
18 Total Passes Defended
14 PBU’s
4 Interceptions
39Tackles
2 TFL’S
1 FF
1 QBH
( 2024 Stats ) https://t.co/w5UehacYXw pic.twitter.com/VwJyWoAHjC
— 𝐑𝐚𝐬𝐡𝐚𝐧 𝐌𝐮𝐫𝐫𝐚𝐲 (@RashanMurray) December 10, 2024

He has received numerous offers since entering the transfer portal on Dec. 9, including FBS offers in MAC Schools in Buffalo, Eastern Michigan and Miami (Ohio) and Conference USA schools in Kennesaw State, New Mexico State and UTEP.

Murray also received FCS offers in Albany, Austin Peay, Bryant, Campbell, Furman, Gardner-Webb, Mercer, Monmouth, Rhode Island, Robert Morris, Sacramento State, Tennessee Tech, West Georgia and Youngstown State.

The Panthers have lost four cornerbacks to the transfer portal, including redshirt juniors inTamarion Crumpley and Noah Biglow, who landed at Louisiana Tech, redshirt sophomoreRyland Gandy and redshirt freshman Jaremiah Anglin Jr.

Pitt has a number of returning cornerbacks heading into next season. This includes rising sixth years in Tamon Lynum and Rashad Battle, rising redshirt sophomores Jesse Anderson and Shadarian Harrison and rising redshirt freshmen Davion Pritchard and Nigel Maynard.

The Panthers also have four incoming defensive backs in the Class of 2025. This includes two four-stars in cornerback Mason Alexander from Hamilton Southeastern High School in Fishers, Ind. and safety Cole Woodson from Battlefield High School in Haymarket, Va., and two three-star cornerback in Shawn Lee Jr. of Milford Academy Prep in New Berlin, N.Y. and Joshua Guerrier out of Ocoee High School in Ocoee, Fla.

Pitt has landed three transfers so far, including rising sixth year wide receiver Deuce Spann from Florida State, rising redshirt senior offensive lineman Kendall Stanley from Charlotte and rising junior placekicker James London from Murray State.

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