Inside The Panthers

Pitt LB SirVocea Dennis Opts Out of Sun Bowl to Prepare for NFL Draft

Pitt Panthers linebacker SirVocea Dennis will forgo the bowl game and begin preparing for the draft.

Stephen Thompson

Pitt LB SirVocea Dennis Opts Out of Sun Bowl to Prepare for NFL Draft
Pitt LB SirVocea Dennis Opts Out of Sun Bowl to Prepare for NFL Draft /
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PITTSBURGH -- He arrived in Pittsburgh as a two-star recruit and will leave as one of the best Pitt Panthers of head coach Pat Narduzzi's tenure. Starting middle linebacker SirVocea Dennis, a mainstay in the middle of Pitt's defense for the past three seasons, has announced that he will forgo the bowl game and begin to prepare for the NFL Draft. Dennis hinted at this move when he accepted an invite to the 2023 Senior Bowl last week. 

"After careful consideration, I have decided to forgo playing in the Sun Bowl so that I can begin training for the 2023 NFL Draft," Dennis wrote on Twitter. "It has been, and will forever be, an honor to be a part of the Pitt football family. H2P."

After leading the Panthers in tackling for the past two seasons, Dennis was an All-ACC second-teamer in 2021 and a first-team backer in 2022. This season he earned third-team All-American consideration from Pro Football Focus and was named a Butkus Award semifinalist. 

Dennis ends his Pitt career with 233 total tackles - 36 for loss - 15 sacks, two interceptions, five passes defended and two forced fumbles. 

He was the third Panther to announce he would sit out of the season's final game. Defensive lineman Calijah Kancey and safety Brandon Hill have already made their announcements. Hill said specifically he would begin preparing for the NFL Draft, but Kancey made no such claim even though he is expected to make that leap this winter. 

Make sure you bookmark Inside the Panthers for the latest news, exclusive interviews, recruiting coverage and so much more!

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Published
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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