Inside The Panthers

Pitt OL Marcus Minor Declares for NFL Draft, Will Play in Sun Bowl

The Pitt Panthers will lose one of their best offensive linemen to the draft this spring.

Stephen Thompson

Pitt OL Marcus Minor Declares for NFL Draft, Will Play in Sun Bowl
Pitt OL Marcus Minor Declares for NFL Draft, Will Play in Sun Bowl /
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PITTSBURGH -- Starting offensive guard Marcus Minor is giving it one more game as a Pitt Panther. Minor announced that he would play in the Sun Bowl against No. 18 UCLA, but leave Pitt to prepare for the NFL Draft afterward. 

"I am excited to announce that I will be chasing my childhood dream and declaring for the 2023 NFL Draft," Minor wrote on Twitter. "Before I depart, I have unfinished business. I look forward to playing my last Pitt game in the Sun Bowl. See you in El Paso!"

Minor has been a steady hand at right guard in the Panthers' offensive line since transferring in from Maryland in January of 2020. After making 17 starts for the Terps from 2017 to 2020, Minor has started all but one possible game for Pitt in 2021 and 2022. He blocked for the record-setting, ACC Championship-winning offense in 2021 and earned first-team All-ACC honors this past year. 

Pitt has eight starters - Calijah Kancey, Israel Abanikanda, Brandon Hill, John Morgan, Deslin Alexandre, Carter Warren, Gabe Houy and SirVocea Dennis - sitting out of the Sun Bowl because of injury, transfer or opt-outs. Minor joins safety Erick Hallett as the lone starters to announce their intention to declare for the draft and still play in the game. 

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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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