Inside The Panthers

Pitt Lands Former Kansas State DE

The Pitt Panthers added another impact defender from the transfer portal.

Stephen Thompson

Pitt Lands Former Kansas State DE
Pitt Lands Former Kansas State DE /
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PITTSBURGH -- The Pitt Panthers have picked up their third commitment of the weekend, their fourth of this recruiting cycle and their second defensive player in this class of transfers. 

Former Kansas State defensive end Nate Matlack announced on Twitter that he would join defensive line coach Charlie Partridge's group this offseason, providing a boost for a team that lost it's top sack-getter, Sam Okunlola, to the transfer portal earlier this month. 

Matlack is a 6'5, 249-pound junior from Olathe, Kansas. The former three-star recruit was ranked as high as the No. 5 player in his state coming out of high school. 

He earned an honorable mention on the Big XII All-Freshman team in 2021 after he amassed 17 total tackles, 5.5 tackles for loss, 3.5 sacks, one pass defended and two forced fumbles in 2021. 

Matlack set career-highs in sacks (four) and tackles for loss (7.5) in 2023. 

The Panthers will get Dayon Hayes and Nate Temple - the starting defensive end for most of the 2023 season - back in 2024 and Matlack gives them an impact player that could compete for a starting job and provide depth as a backup. 

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Stephen Thompson
STEPHEN THOMPSON

Stephen Thompson graduated with a bachelor's degree in communications and political science from Pitt in April 2022 after spending four years as a sports writer and editor at The Pitt News, the University of Pittsburgh's independent, student-run newspaper.  He primarily worked the Pitt men's basketball beat, and filled in on coverage of football, volleyball, softball, gymnastics and lacrosse, in addition to other sports as needed. His work at The Pitt News has won awards from the Pennsylvania News Media Association and Associated College Press.  During the spring and summer of 2021, Stephen interned for Pittsburgh Sports Now, covering baseball in western Pennsylvania. Hailing from Washington D.C., family ties have cultivated a love of Boston's professional teams and Pitt athletics, and a fascination with sports in general.  You can reach Stephen by email at stephenethompson00@gmail.com and follow him on Twitter. Read his latest work:

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