Inside The Panthers

Pitt Football Places in Top Schools for 3-Star RB

The Pitt Panthers are a top school for a 2026 running back recruit.
Dominic Campbell|
2026 3-Star RB Christian Lawrence, a top Pitt football target
2026 3-Star RB Christian Lawrence, a top Pitt football target | Christian Lawrence

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Pittsburgh Panthers

PITTSBURGH — The Pitt Panthers feature as one of the main options for a talented recruit going forward.

Christian Lawrence, a Class of 2026 running back, announced Pitt in his top six schools, along with ACC foes in Virginia Tech and Wake Forest, Big 12 rivals in Cincinnati and West Virginia and also Purdue.

He is making his official visit to Pitt the weekend of June 5-7, which he announced in early February. He is also visiting Virginia Tech from May 30-June 1, West Virginia from June 13-15 and Wake Forest from June 20-22.

Lawrence plays for Thomas County Central High School in Thomasville, Ga., the same high school that Pitt sophomore tight end Malachi Thomas starred at.

He had a sensational junior season, rushing 161 times for 1,468 yards, 9.12 yards per carry, and 18 rushing touchdowns. He also made 22 catches for 326 yards, 14.8 yards per reception, and three receiving touchdowns, earning first-team All-Region honors.

Lawrence, who stands 5-foot-9 and 185 pounds, posseses incredible speed and great vision. This allows him not only to run by defenders, but to find the right spots and openings through the defense for scores and extra yardage.

Lawrence also holds Power offers from Big 12 schools in SEC schools in Arkansas and Vanderbilt, plus Purdue.

He also held offers from UCF, SEC schools in Arkansas and Vanderbilt, American Athletic schools in Charlotte, East Carolina and USF, Conference USA schools in Jacksonville State, Kennesaw State and Liberty, Sun Belt schools in Appalachian State, Arkansas State, Coastal Carolina, Georgia Southern, Georgia State, James Madison, Marshall, South Alabama and Troy along with UConn and Miami (Ohio) plus FCS schools in East Tennessee State, Florida A&M and Mercer.

Lawrence is a consensus three-star running back recruit in the Class of 2026, with 247Sports ranking him No. 55 at his position and No. 86 in Georgia, Rivals ranking him No. 99 in the state , On3 ranking him No. 42 at running back and No. 58 in Georgia and ESPN ranking him No. 53 at his position and No. 87 in the state.

Pitt will also host four other running backs on official visits this summer, including four-star Kory Amachree from Haslett High School in Haslett, Mich. on May 15, three-star Kaj Baker from Somerset Charter Academy in Pembroke Pines, Fla. and four-star Damon Ferguson from Milford Mill Academy in Baltimore on June 5 and three-star SirPaul Cheeks from Lloyd C. Bird High School in Chesterfield, Va. on June 12.

The Panthers have four commitments in the Class of 2026 so far, all three-stars, including quarterback Angelo Renda from Carroll High School in Southlake, Texas, safety Isaac Patterson from Westerville South High School in Westerville, Ohio, wide receiver Dylan Wester from Booker High School in Sarasota, Fla. and safety Marcus Jennings from Cass Technical High School in Detroit.

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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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