Pitt Loses Veteran DB to Transfer Portal

The Pitt Panthers saw a veteran defensive back depart for the transfer portal.

Nov 27, 2021; Syracuse, New York, USA; Syracuse Orange wide receiver Courtney Jackson (85) turns up / Mark Konezny-USA TODAY Sports

PITTSBURGH -- Pitt lost a veteran defensive back to the transfer portal, as redshirt senior Jahvante Royal chose to depart from the program, according to Rivals.

Royal spent four seasons with Pitt from 2020-23, mostly serving as a reserve defensive back and on special teams. He played in 24 games, with no starts, making five tackles (two solo) in his time with the program.

He had high praise coming out of St. Thomas Aquinas in Fort Lauderdale, Fla., as Rivals rated him a four-star, No. 17 at safety and No. 41 in Florida in the Class of 2020, respectively.

Royal transitioned to wide receiver following the end of the 2022 season, but made the switch back to defensive back ahead of 2023. He has two seasons left of eligibility, with the COVID-19 year.

Royal is the eighth scholarship player and ninth overall to depart from the Panthers following the end of spring practices. He joins defensive ends in Dayon Hayes and Antonio Camon, plus linebacker Solomon DeShields on defense, as well as wide receiver Israel Polk, quarterback Christian Veilleux, tight end Cole Mitchell and offensive lineman in Dorien Ford and walk-on George French II on offense.

He is the third defensive back to enter the transfer portal after the end of last season, as Buddy Mack III went to South Carolina and Stephon Hall dropped down to the FCS with Youngstown State.

Pitt did add a transfer defensive back in Jaremiah Anglin Jr. from Kentucky, who redshirted last season and has four years of eligibility left. He originally had Pitt in his top eight schools during his high school recruitment. They also added fifth year defensive back Tamon Lynum from Nebraska after the end of the season.

The scholarship defensive backs on the Panthers include Lynum, redshirt senior Rashad Battle, seniors Donovan McMillon and Phillip O'Brien Jr., redshirt juniors Javon McIntyre, Tamarion Crumpley and Noah Biglow, redshirt sophomore Ryland Gandy, redshirt freshmen Shadarian Harrison, Cruce Brookins, Jesse Anderson and Anglin, as well as incoming freshmen Allen Byrant, Nigel Maynard and Davion Pritchard.

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