Despite immense program success over its history, Pitt football always struggles with recruiting. As it is sandwiched between two recruiting giants, Penn State and Ohio State, Pitt consistently struggles with bringing in top-tier high school prospects. While Pitt does well at finding and developing talent, it just couldn’t compete at bringing in the best of the best. 

Even in its best recruiting years — such as 2021 when it finished with the No. 33 class in the nation — Pitt remains mediocre on the recruiting trail.

But it appears Pitt’s luck with recruiting is finally beginning to change. As of writing, the Panthers currently have the 19th best recruiting class in the nation for 2024, according to 24/7 Sports. Even more impressively, Pitt’s 2024 class actually dipped into the top ten for a time earlier this month following the commitment of linebacker Cameron Lindsey. 

Currently, the Panthers’ 2024 recruiting class consists of 19 committed players — a number which will likely increase greatly before signing day. The class features two four-star and 17 three-star prospects. 

Pitt’s 2024 class is headlined by Caleb Holmes — a four-star linebacker out of Fairburn, Georgia. Coming in at 6 feet 4 inches and 290 pounds, this high school senior is currently ranked as the seventh best offensive lineman recruit for the class of 2024, according to 24/7 Sports. 

Even more importantly, Holmes chose Pitt over some highly-touted programs, including Tennessee and Auburn — two SEC teams with long histories of impressive recruiting classes. Holmes commitment is a major win for a Pitt program that previously lost major recruiting battles to more developed SEC and Big Ten teams. 

The other four-star prospect in PItt’s 2024 lineup is wide receiver Ric’Darious Farmer. Pitt has a history of success with four-star wide receiver recruits, as Pitt’s last four-star wideout was Biletnikoff-winner Jordan Addison in 2020. 

Farmer actually shares a lot of similarities to Addison. Standing at 5 feet 11 inches and 160 pounds, Farmer is an under-sized slot receiver who excels in making defenders miss and finding open field. Interestingly, Farmer and Addison’s measurements are almost identical, as Addison came to Pitt at 5 feet 11 inches and 161 pounds. 

Again, as with Holmes, Pitt beat out some top-tier programs to get Farmer. However, the Panthers should proceed with caution with Farmer, as the wide receiver recruit is still visiting with other programs such as UCF and West Virginia. Only time will tell if Farmer ultimately suits up in the Blue and Gold.
While the 2024 recruiting class is headlined by the two four-star recruits, the numerous three-star recruits is where the class really shines. 

One such highly-touted three-star commit is defensive lineman Jahsear Whittington. The Philadelphia native was previously recruited by bluebloods Michigan and Nebraska before committing to Pitt. 

Whittington will hope to continue Pitt’s legacy of success at defensive line. Under the leadership of defensive line coach Charlie Partridge, the Panther pass rush consistently finishes among the top teams in the nation in sacks, ranking No. 2 in the nation in getting to the quarterback last season. 

LIndsey is another three-star with potential to make a serious impact in the Blue and Gold. The 6-foot-2-inch linebacker is a local recruit, hailing from Aliquippa High School. Lindsey is also one of the best recruits in PA, ranking No. 12 in the state, according to 24/7 Sports. 

With the commitments of Whittington and LIndsey, the Panthers’ defense will get a serious boost from the 2024 class. In addition to the pair, the Pitt defense also has commitments from defensive lineman Francis Brewu, edge rusher Jeremiah Marcelin and safety Allen Bryant, to name a few. 

On offense, the Panthers excelled in recruiting skill positions such as wide receiver and running back. In addition to Farmer, Pitt also recruited Cameron Monteiro to fill out the wide receiver spot. At running back, the Panthers earned a commitment from Juelz Goff, who will look to continue PItt’s impressive legacy at the position. 

All in all, Pitt’s 2024 recruiting class is a breath of fresh air. After years of failing to bring in even local talent, the Panthers finally got it right and are now competing with the nation’s top programs on the recruiting trail.

Obviously, only time will tell if this class lives up to the high. However, if all goes according to plan, this class is one to remember for Panther fans.