Pitt Veteran DB Returning in 2025

A Pitt Panthers veteran defensive back is returning in 2025.

Oct 24, 2024; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA; Pittsburgh Panthers defensive back Tamon Lynum (8) celebrates a tackle of Syracuse Orange running back LeQuint Allen (1) during the third quarter at Acrisure Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Barry Reeger-Imagn Images / Barry Reeger-Imagn Images

PITTSBURGH -- The Pitt Panthers will have a veteran defensive back returning in 2025, bolstering the secondary heading into next season.

Redshirt senior Tamon Lynum announced on Instagram that he is returning for the Panthers next season, marking his second with the program. Alliance 412, the NIL Collective that represents Pitt student-athletes, had their symbol at the bottom of the announcement, likely playing a role in that return.

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Lynum hails from Orlando, Fla. and played for Evans High School. He made 44 tackles, 11 pass breakups, two interceptions and one forced fumble as a senior in 2019.

He would chose to commit to Nebraska, picking them over other Power Five offers in Kansas, Maryland and Illinois.

Lynum earned immediate playing time as a true freshman for the Cornhuskers in the 2020 season, appearing in all eight games on special teams.

He played in just two games in 2021, allowing him to redshirt, and then saw action in just three games in 2022, as he suffered an injury that ended his season.

Lynum played in all 12 games for Nebraska in 2023, making 12 tackles, one sacks and two forced fumbles.

He entered the transfer portal following the season and soon committed to Pitt on Dec. 10, 2023.

Lynum played in all 13 games for Pitt this season, including three starts at cornerback, coming vs. Virginia in Week 11 and then ranked No. 20 Clemson in Week 12, both at home, plus the GameAbove Sports Bowl vs. Toledo in Detroit.

He finished with 36 tackles (22 solo), two tackles for loss and both his one sack and one interception coming vs. the Cavaliers.

Lynum is one of three defensive backs who have announced their return for next season, along with fellow rising sixth year Rashad Battle and rising redshirt senior Javon McIntyre.

Both Lynum and Battle will look to secure starting spots heading into next season. Battle started this season alongisde redshirt sophomore Ryland Gandy, who entered the transfer portal.

Pitt should also have four other returning cornerbacks along with rising redshirt sophomores in Jesse Anderson and Shadarian Harrison and rising redshirt freshmen in Davion Pritchard and Nigel Maynard.

The Panthers have three incoming cornerbacks from their Class of 2025. This includes four-star cornerback Mason Alexander from Hamilton Southeastern High School in Fishers, Ind. and two three-star cornerbacks in Shawn Lee Jr. of Milford Academy Prep in New Berlin, N.Y. and Joshua Guerrier out of Ocoee High School in Ocoee, Fla.

Lynum is amongst six other defensive players who said they were returning for the Panthers include defensive linemen in rising redshirt juniors Sean FitzSimmons, Nick James and Jimmy Scott, as well as linebackers in rising junior Rasheem Biles and rising redshirt junior Kyle Louis.

The other players on offense who announced their return include rising redshirt sophomore quarterback Eli Holstein, rising senior running back Desmond Reid, rising redshirt freshman wide receiver Tyreek Robinson and offensive linemen in rising redshirt senior Lyndon Cooper, rising redshirt junior Ryan Baer and rising junior BJ Williams.

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