Pitt LB Announces 2025 Return

Another Pitt Panthers linebacker will return to the team in 2025.

Oct 12, 2024; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA; Pittsburgh Panthers linebacker Braylan Lovelace (0) reacts after registering a sack against the California Golden Bears during the third quarter at Acrisure Stadium. Pittsburgh won 17-15. Mandatory Credit: Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images / Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images

PITTSBURGH -- The Pitt Panthers will have another one of their linebackers come back for 2025, keeping great continuity in the unit for the future.

Sophomore linebacker Braylan Lovelace announced on Instagram that he'll come back for next season, marking his third with the program. Alliance 412, the NIL Collective that represents Pitt student-athletes, was included at the bottom of the announcement, likely playing a role in Lovelace returning.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by 𝐁𝐑𝐀𝐘🦈 (@braylan.lovelace)

Lovelace starred at Leechburg High School in Leechburg, Pa., 30-35 miles northeast of Acrisure Stadium. He starred as a running back, with 4,170 yards on 471 carries in his career, 8.9 yards per carry. He had an excellent senior season, with 1,369 rushing yards, 29 total touchdowns and then 71 tackles and 10.5 tackles for loss.

His play helped Leechburg make the playoffs back-to-back seasons as a junior and a senior in 2021 and 2022. This was the first time Leechburg made the playoffs since 1988 and their first playoff win since 1978.

Lovelace was also the first player from Leechburg to play Division I since his father, David Lovelace, earned a scholarship to Rutgers in 1993.

247Sports and Rivals both ranked him as a three-star in the Class of 2023, with 247Sports ranking him as the No. 99 linebacker and No. 25 recruit in Pennsylvania, while Rivals had him at No. 21 in the commonwealth.

Lovelace played in 11 games as a true freshman in 2023 and made 24 tackles (10 solo), one tackle for loss and one forced fumble, that he took in for a touchdown in the road loss to Virginia Tech in Week 5.

He played in 12 games in 2024, starting four of the first six games of the season at Money linebacker, including Kent State in Week 1 and Cal in Week 7, both at home, and then Cincinnati in Week 2 and North Carolina in Week 6, both on the road. He only missed one game, coming against Youngstown State at home in Week 4.

Lovelace made 11 tackles for loss, fourth most on the Panthers, as well as 53 tackles and four sacks, both fifth most on the Panthers, in 2024.

His best game of the season came against the Golden Bears, as he finished with seven tackles (three solo), three tackles for loss and two sacks for the Panthers in the close, 17-15 win

He made a season-high nine tackles, along with two tackles for loss and a sack in the 24-19 home loss to Virginia in Week 11. He also made a pick-six at the end of the first half in the 41-13 blowout home win vs. Syracuse in Week 9, one of five interceptions total and one of three pick-sixes in the first half.

Lovelace joins fellow linebackers in rising junior Rasheem Biles and rising redshirt junior Kyle Louis will will all return for the Panthers next season.

Five other defensive players returning for Pitt include defensive linemen in rising redshirt juniors Sean FitzSimmons, Nick James and Jimmy Scott, as well as defensive backs in rising sixht year Rashad Battle and rising redshirt senior Javon McIntyre.

There are also six players on offense who announced their return for the Panthers, including 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.

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

• Pitt Starting DB Returning in 2025
• Pitt DB Declares for NFL Draft
• Former Pitt QB Transfers Back Home
• Pitt Football Secures 2025 Kicker Commitment
• Former Pitt QB Kenny Pickett Starting for Eagles

Follow Inside the Panthers on Twitter: @InsidePitt