Ranking Pitt's Most Important Transfers

These three additions through the transfer portal will be key for the Pitt Panthers.

PITTSBURGH -- The Pitt Panthers, by virtue of their impressive draft classes over the past two years, will enter 2023 with some holes in their lineups and questions in their roster. 

Pitt made some key additions through the transfer portal, but some were more important than others. Here are the three most important additions they made this offseason. 

3. Donovan McMillon, Safety
The Panthers will be trying to replace two multi-year starters at safety this season. With Erick Hallett and Brandon Hill gone, there is an open competition for both spots and four primary contenders for those two starting jobs - McMillon, Javon McIntyre, P.J. O'Brien and Stephon Hall. 

Both safety positions hold a lot of responsibility to call plays and make checks in addition to managing tons of open space. That makes McMillon's experience could serve the Panthers well on the back end and help ease O'Brien and McIntyre into major playing time. He's a talented player that could help immediately with his play and an older veteran that could make contributions with his knowledge. 

2. Phil Jurkovec, Quarterback
Look back through the annals of Pitt football history - particularly recent history - and much of this program's success is dependent upon quarterback play. 

Jurkovec needs to both stay healthy and play well if Pitt is going to reach their potential. It didn't take long after he arrived on campus for coaches to hand him the keys to the offense midway through spring camp. He was the logical choice, given his experience and connection with Frank Cignetti. 

With the defense having to replace so much, the job of keeping the team afloat will likely fall on the offense, at least early, and Jurkovec in kind. But he'll need some help, which brings me to my next pick. 

3. Daejon Reynolds, Wide Receiver
The Panthers entered the offseason light on receivers and haven't added much to that room. Reynolds was the only non-freshman wide receiver to join the team this spring and there don't appear to be more reinforcements coming over the horizon.

Pitt's got a strong tandem leading its group of receivers in Bub Means and Konata Mumpfield, who have made great strides since the end of the season, but not much in the way of depth. Reynolds is the only one standing in between Pitt and starting either a freshman or walk-on like Jake McConnachie (who has played well this spring, too) to fill a starting role.

If Reynolds can live up to his four-star billing, he can unlock a different gear for an offense with threats all over the field. 

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