Three Former Pitt Defenders Declare for NFL Draft

Three former Pitt Panthers have announced their intentions to enter the NFL Draft.

PITTSBURGH -- A hectic news day surrounding the Pitt Panthers continued as A.J. Woods, John Morgan III and Tyler Bentley, three former defensive stalwarts for the program, all voiced their decisions to test out the NFL Draft waters.

All three players exhausted their remaining eligibility this season as Morgan and Bentley, both members of Pitt's 2018 recruiting class, enjoyed six-year collegiate careers while Woods, a 2019 recruit, spent five years with the Panthers. 

Woods' first game action came as a true freshman in 2019 when he appeared in 10 games on special teams before earning starts at cornerback in 2020. He appeared in every game of the 2020 and 2022 seasons while missing just one contest during Pitt's ACC title campaign in 2021. 

Woods finished 2023 with 30 tackles, one interception and three pass breakups across 11 games. He completed his career with a total of 102 tackles, 24 pass breakups, four interceptions, two sacks and a forced fumble in 59 games at Pitt. 

Bentley redshirted as a true freshman for the Panthers in 2018 but quickly emerged as a key piece up front. He appeared in every game of the 2019, 2021 and 2023 seasons, recording 78 tackles, 10.5 tackles for loss and 3.5 sacks over the course of 60 games. He capped off his career by tallying 27 tackles and 0.5 sacks this year. 

Morgan spent the first five years and 43 games of his career at Pitt, logging 72 tackles, 14.5 sacks and three forced fumbles. His best season as a Panther came in 2021 where he played all 14 games and finished third on the team with 5.5 sacks. He transferred to Arkansas prior to this season and put up 15 tackles, two sacks and a forced fumble in 11 games with the Razorbacks. 

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