Former Pitt DL Transfers to UNLV

A former Pitt Panthers defensive lineman has transferred to UNLV.
Oct 24, 2024; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA; Pittsburgh Panthers defensive lineman Chief Borders (14) tackles Syracuse Orange running back LeQuint Allen (1) during the second half at Acrisure Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Barry Reeger-Imagn Images
Oct 24, 2024; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA; Pittsburgh Panthers defensive lineman Chief Borders (14) tackles Syracuse Orange running back LeQuint Allen (1) during the second half at Acrisure Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Barry Reeger-Imagn Images / Barry Reeger-Imagn Images

PITTSBURGH -- A former Pitt Panthers defensive lineman has found a new home for his final season of college football.

UNLV announced the signing of Pitt redshirt junior defensive lineman Chief Borders, who entered the transfer portal on Dec. 31. He has one year left of eligibility.

He played high school football for Heard County in Franklin, Ga., near the western part of the state that borders Alabama. He earned an invite to the 2021 Under Armour All-America Game in Orlando, Fla. and also threw shot put and discus in track and field.

Borders was a four-star recruit in the Class of 2021, according to 247Sports, with Rivals and On3 ranking him as a three-star. 247Sports rated him as the No. 37 linebacker and No. 26 recruit in Georgia in the Class of 2021.

He played his first two seasons in college at Florida, where he made one solo tackle in four games in 2021, preserving a redshirt. He then played in 12 games in 2022, making two tackles, playing mostly on special teams.

Borders spent the 2023 season with Nebraska in a reserve role, making nine tackles (three solo), 0.5 tackles for loss and one pass defended in 12 games.

He would enter the transfer portal again and landed with Pitt, announcing his commitment on May 12.

Borders played 309 snaps at defensive end, seeing action in all 13 games for the Panthers this past season. He served as the primary backup to starters in redshirt senior Nate Matlack and redshirt sophomore Jimmy Scott.

He made 11 tackles in 2024, with two solo tackles, one coming in the 24-19 home loss to Virginia in Week 11 and the other coming vs. Boston College in the 34-23 road loss in Week 14.

Borders is one of six defensive lineman that has left Pitt since the end of the regular season. This includes redshirt juniors in Elliot Donald and Nakhi Johnson, who landed at Tulsa, redshirt sophomore/walk-on Thomas Aden, who ended up at Kent State, redshirt freshman David Ojiegbe and freshman Sincere Edwards, who transferred to UCF.

He joins former Pitt wide receiver in redshirt junior Daejon Reynolds, who also transferred to UNLV.

Pitt also had five other players on defense who departed from the program for the transfer portal.

This includes four defensive backs, including redshirt juniors in Tamarion Crumpley and Noah Biglow, who landed at Louisiana Tech, redshirt sophomore Ryland Gandy, who went to Indiana, plus redshirt freshman Jaremiah Anglin Jr. Sophomore linebacker Jordan Bass also transferred to Virginia Tech.

Borders is also one of 22 players to enter the transfer portal from the Panthers, along with 11 players on offense.

This includes quaterbacks in redshirt freshman Ty Dieffenbach, who landed at Cal Poly and redshirt juniors in Nate Yarnell, who went to Texas State, and Jake Frantl, who went to Division III powerhouse Wisconsin-Whitewater.

It also features running backs in senior Rodney Hammond Jr., who transferred to Sacramento State, and redshirt freshman Montravius Lloyd, wide receivers in redshirt senior Jake McConnachie and redshirt freshmen in Lamar Seymore and walk-on Devin Whitlock, plus redshirt junior offensive linemen in Terrence Moore, who landed at Toledo, and walk-on Matt Metrosky.

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Dominic Campbell
DOMINIC CAMPBELL

Follow Dominic Campbell on Twitter.