Inside The Panthers

Pitt DL Headed for the Transfer Portal

Another Pitt Panthers player is entering the transfer portal.

Dominic Campbell

Cincinnati Bearcats wide receiver Tyrin Smith (4) runs for a first down as Pittsburgh Panthers defensive lineman David Ojiegbe (17) and Pittsburgh Panthers linebacker Rasheem Biles (31) tackle him in the second quarter of the College Football game at Nippert Stadium in Cincinnati on Saturday, Sept. 7, 2024.
Cincinnati Bearcats wide receiver Tyrin Smith (4) runs for a first down as Pittsburgh Panthers defensive lineman David Ojiegbe (17) and Pittsburgh Panthers linebacker Rasheem Biles (31) tackle him in the second quarter of the College Football game at Nippert Stadium in Cincinnati on Saturday, Sept. 7, 2024. / Albert Cesare/The Enquirer / USA TODAY NETWORK
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PITTSBURGH -- The Pitt Panthers continue to lose more players to the transfer portal following the end of the regular season.

Panthers redshirt freshman defensive lineman David Ojiegbe announced that he is leaving the program and entering the transfer portal with three years of eligibility remaining.

Ojiegbe came out of St. John's College High School in Washington, D.C. as a consensus four-star defensive end in the Class of 2023.

247Sports rated him the No. 32 edge rusher and No. 2 in D.C., Rivals ranked him as the No. 17 weakside defensive end and also No. 2 in D.C., while On3 had him at No. 279 in the nation, No. 26 at his position and No. 3 in D.C.

He committed to Clemson and spent one season there, playing 11 snaps over two games, before transferring out of the program and landing at Pitt this season.

Ojiegbe enrolled early and participated in spring practices. It looked like he would have a chance to play at defensive end, but he rarely saw the field for the Panthers this season.

Pitt brought in redshirt junior Chief Borders from Nebraska after spring camp and freshman Sincere Edwards would impress coaches, allowing both of them to serve as backups to starters in Kansas State transfer in redshirt senior Nate Matlack and redshirt sophomore Jimmy Scott.

Ojiegbe would only play in six games and 50 snaps total on defense all season. He made five tackles (two solo) and one sack. He made that sack in the 41-13 win over Syracuse in Week 9 and also had tackles in the blowouts of Kent State in Week 1 and Youngstown State in Week 4.

He is the 10th Pitt player to announced their departure for the transfer portal. He is also the third defensive linemen, along with redshirt juniors Nakhi Johnson and Elliot Donald.

The other transfer portal departures include wide receivers in redshirt freshman Lamar Seymore and redshirt junior Daejon Reynolds, running backs in senior Rodney Hammond Jr. and redshirt freshman Montravius Lloyd, plus redshirt juniors in quarterback Nate Yarnell, offensive lineman Terrence Moore and defensive back Noah Biglow.

Pitt will have four defensive tackles on the roster going into next season, including rising redshirt juniors Sean FitzSimmons and Nick James, rising sophomore Francis Brewu and rising redshirt freshman Jahsear Whittington.

The Panthers also have defensive ends in sixth year Nate Temple, redshirt sophomore Jimmy Scott, redshirt freshman Maverick Gracio and freshmen in Zachary Crothers, Ty Yuhas, plus Borders and Edwards.

Pitt also has three incoming freshmen defensive ends from the Class of 2025. This includesJulian Anderson out of Blair Academy in Blairstown, N.J., Trevor Sommers out powerhouse St. Thomas Aquinas in Fort Lauderdale, Fla. and Denim Cook out of Bishop Hartley High School in Columbus, Ohio.

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Dominic Campbell
DOMINIC CAMPBELL

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