Pitt DB Jaremiah Anglin Jr. Ready For Restart

Pitt Panthers defensive back Jaremiah Anglin Jr. is ready to restart his career after transferring from Kentucky.

Kentucky wide receiver Dane Key (5) hauled in a touchdown over defensive back Jeremiah Anglin, Jr. / Jeff Faughender/Courier Journal / USA

PITTSBURGH -- The transfer portal features as one of the main topic for debates in college sports, but for Pitt Panthers defensive back Jaremiah Anglin Jr., it has served as a way back to playing football at the highest level.

Anglin spent a turbulent last season at Kentucky, where he participated in the spring season, but missed the regular season through injury.

The injuires he sustained were serious and required extensive rest and time out from playing football. He tore his anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) and suffered a partial meniscus tear that sidelined him for nine months. He had surgery for the ACL and meniscus tear last June, but also chose to get labrum/shoulder surgery in September.

The time off allowed Anglin to get back to his roots and to see where he wanted to be, not just in football, but in life too.

Kentucky didn't provide the best situation for Anglin to succeed, so he chose to enter the transfer portal to find a better fit.

While many teams came in to talk to him, the situations they proposed weren't better, with most asking him to sit out a year.

Luckily for Anglin, a familiar face in Panthers secondary coach Archie Collins got in touch with him once he got into the portal and things progressed quickly from there.

Collins recruited Anglin heavily out of Lake Wales High School in Lake Wales, Fla. He brought him on an official visit to Pitt before the four-star would ulimately choose Kentucky.

Despite Anglin not picking the Panthers, Collins kept a relationship with him. Collins contacted Anglin throughout last season, especially after his injuries, to make sure he was doing okay and progressing, which meant the world to a freshman away from the sport he loved the most.

"It wasn’t just when I entered the portal, he just always showed love, like, was just a real person, just away from coaching." Anglin said on Collins. "So when I entered that portal, the relationship we already had in high school was the same relationship, but we both matured. He’s matured more as a coach and I’ve matured more as a player and person. Instead of coming in at 17, I’m ‘bout to turn 19 in August. So that full year just helped me out a lot."

Anglin would soon visit Pitt, bringing his father along, which he didn't do when he visited back in high school. He got a chance to meet with the coaching staff again, saw the facility once more and it became clear to him that this was the only visit he would take, thanks to the help of his dad.

"The way my dad has pushed me since I was eight years old to be great, for him to come see it and agree with me, just from his standpoint of, he feel I can be successful here," Anglin said. "You know, I just kind of knew this was the right decision and I wasn’t forcing it." 

Anglin received clearance from his injuries in April and he feels the best he has since he was in middle school. He also credited his new teammates at Pitt, the coaches, and the rest of the people in the program for giving him the love and affection.

"You know, I just never really been without sports in my life," Anglin said. "I was always doing something, playing something. So I would say the first three weeks to a month, I was just letting it float in my head a little bit, but, you know, as it went on, I just got closer to God, you know, and I feel like this was going to be a big part of my story and coach Collins and [safeties] coach [Cory] Sanders and [head coach Pat Narduzzi] just trying to help me finish it."

One important part of coming to Pitt for Anglin was preparing to join the list of defensive backs who go on to play in the NFL.

Pitt ranks in the top five for getting defensive backs into the league, featuring the likes of Dane Jackon with the Carolina Panthers, Damar Hamlin with the Buffalo Bills, Damarri Mathis with the Denver Broncos, Erick Hallett II with the Jacksonville Jaguars, Jason Pinnock with the New York Giants, Avonte Maddox with the Philadelphia Eagles, Jordan Whitehead with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and AJ Woods with the Washington Commanders.

There was one Pitt defensive back who the Las Vegas Raiders drafted in April, that shared a similar trajectory with Anglin, which played a large role in his transfer.

"I talked to M.J. Devonshire on my visit up there and I think that was a great reason why also I chose Pitt," Anglin said. "You know, we both had that type of background. He came from Kentucky, transferred from Kentucky, I transferred from Kentucky and just hearing from somebody that been through what I been through. Just telling me, how like, as soon as he got here, the love and the support and just the all-around aspect of just being here just helped him out as a player and person and I just figured I have to see what that’s about for me."

Anglin will feature at cornerback for the Panthers, as he grew into it with the Wildcats and now loves the position. It also doesn't hurt to have three starting cornerback spots open from last season, with Marquis Williams, Devonshire and Woods graduating.

He also moved in to campus this past weekend and has already gotten close with a lot of players in the defensive back room including senior Phillip O'Brien Jr., redshirt senior Rashad Battle and redshirt freshmen Shadarian Harrison, who also hails from Polk County, and Jesse Anderson, who went on the same official visit that Anglin did.

Anglin also has gone out to enjoy Pittsburgh in his brief time so far. He sees the beauty in the views, the great food and also the people, including one Pitt fan who told him how happy he was that he chose to join the program.

But Anglin didn't just come to Pitt for great vibes and beautiful summer nights. He came to make a name for himself, to prove to others the talent he has and to show on the field that he is a true competitor and ready for the next level.

"To be honest, with this decision, I'm very hungry coming in," Anglin said. "Like I'm very hungry. I'm coming for everything. I'm coming for it all and I just feel like God has put me in the right place here to be able to, you know, fufill my dreams to play in the NFL."

Along with his own goals, Anglin has great hopes for Pitt this upcoming season. He wants to serve as a "dynamic playmaker" that will make the big play to help swing games for the team.

Overall, he sees a defense that is capable far more of just making a bowl, but getting the program back to the top of the conference.

"I feel like this secondary, especially, is going to be really good," Anglin said. "We already know we have linebackers, we have safeties, we have the d-linemen. I’ve been seeing a lot of people talk about defensive end, but, you know, we have the defense to win the ACC, we just have to put it all together and that starts right now."

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