Pitt WR Turning Heads at East-West Shrine Bowl

A Pitt Panthers wide receiver is impressing NFL Scouts.
Pittsburgh Panthers wide receiver Konata Mumpfield (9) scores a touchdown in the fourth quarter of the College Football game at Nippert Stadium in Cincinnati on Saturday, Sept. 7, 2024.
Pittsburgh Panthers wide receiver Konata Mumpfield (9) scores a touchdown in the fourth quarter of the College Football game at Nippert Stadium in Cincinnati on Saturday, Sept. 7, 2024. / Albert Cesare/The Enquirer / USA TODAY NETWORK
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PITTSBURGH -- A Pitt Panthers player is impressing NFL scouts and national writers for his performances recently, as he hopes to improve his draft stock.

Pitt wide receiver Konata Mumpfield is practicing ahead of the East-West Shrine Bowl, and is showing his best work to those most important in his draft process, just like he did in college.

The East-West Shrine Bowl is a postseason all-star game that has been played almost every year since 1925. It will take place this year at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas, where the Dallas Cowboys play, on Jan. 30, 2025.

Mumpfield is on the West team and received praise from journalists for his work, especially for the route he ran, that threw off LSU cornerback Zy Alexander.

He also showed his talents in difficult situations, making a solid contested catch as well.

Josh Carney of USA Today praised Mumpfield for his route running and declared Mumpfield as one of his winners for the first practice.

Carney was one of just a few who had great things to say about Mumpfield's performance and that his draftstock will rise if he continues playing like did in in his first practice.

Mumpfield hails from Hoschton, Ga. and played for nearby Dacula High School in Dacula, Ga. in the Atlanta metro. He only had four offers, with 247Sports and Rivals ranking him as a two-star athlete, commiting to Akron, his sole FBS Division I scholarship.

He had an excellent freshman campaign with the Zips, leading the team with 63 catches, 751 receiving yards and eight touchdowns. He also had three 100-yard receiving games, including career-highs of 11 catches for 121 yards, plus two touchdowns against Western Michigan in Week 10.

He received All-MAC Second Team honors and The Athletic, Pro Football Network and Maxwell Football Club named him as a Freshman All-American.

Mumpfield then transferred to Pitt ahead of the 2022 season, playing in 12 games, missing just one, and starting nine games. He made 58 receptions for 551 yards and a touchdown that season, including three games of seven catches. He also had a season-high of 78 yards and that touchdown in the Sun Bowl win over UCLA.

He then led the Panthers with 44 catches in 2023 and also had 576 yards and five touchdowns. His season-high of 99 yards on three catches came in a loss to then ranked No. 4 Florida State in Week 10, when he had an 82-yard reception. He had a touchdown catch in the win over then ranked No. 14 Louisville and tied a career-high of two touchdowns in the loss against Cincinnati in Week 2.

Mumpfield had 52 catches for a career-high 813 yards and five touchdowns, starting all 12 games this season, thriving in new offensive coordinator Kade Bell's offense.

He made five catches for 123 yards and two touchdowns in the 27-26 comeback win vs. Cincinnati on the road in Week 2, earning ACC Receiver of the Week honors. This included an 11-yard touchdown, a 38-yard touchdown on fourth down and a 34-yard reception to set up the winning field goal for redshirt senior placekicker Ben Sauls.

Mumpfield had three catches for 111 yards against North Carolina, including two catches of 43 yards and 46 yards, helping Pitt get their first ever road win there in Week 6.

He would finish the regular season with his best performance for Pitt, making eight catches for 144 yards and one touchdown in the 34-23 road loss to Boston College in Week 14.

He finished his Pitt career with 154 catches for 1,940 yards and 11 touchdowns, with his receptions ranking No. 10 all-time in program history.

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Dominic Campbell
DOMINIC CAMPBELL

Follow Dominic Campbell on Twitter.