Pitt Offers Arkansas State DE

The Pitt Panthers are working with a transfer defensive end.

Arkansas State Red Wolves defense celebrates a stop as Arkansas State Red Wolves take on the / Jake Crandall/ Advertiser / USA TODAY

PITTSBURGH -- The Pitt Panthers working to add defensive linemen to their roster ahead of the fall season, offering one from Arkansas State.

Keyron Crawford entered the transfer portal on Tuesday and received an offer from many schools, including Pitt. Other programs that have come for his services include ACC schools like Cal, Georgia Tech and Virginia Tech, Big Ten schools in Indiana and Minnesota, as well as Mississippi State.

Crawford played the past two seasons for the Red Wolves, giving him two more years of eligibility wherever he chooses to go to.

Standing at 6-foot-4 and 245 pounds, he played in 10 games as a freshman in 2022, making 14 tackles, six solo, three tackles for loss, one sack and one pass defended.

He then started all 13 games last season, accruing 45 tackles, 23 solo, 11.5 tackles for loss, 6.5 sacks, one pass defended, two forced fumbles and two fumble recoveries.

Crawford led the team with his sacks, forced fumbles and fumble recoveries, and finished second with his tackles for loss and seven quarterback hits.

Pitt football has lost almost all of its defensive line production from last season due to graduation and transfers. Defensive tackles in David Green, Tyler Bentley and Devin Danielson graduated, while both defensive tackle Deandre Jules and defensive end Samuel Okunlola transferred to South Carolina and Colorado, respectively, after the season.

The defensive line lost another player, as starter Dayon Hayes officially entered the transfer portal on Tuesday.

Sixth year Bam Brima, who has only started three games, is the most experienced defensive lineman, as fellow sixth year defensive end Nate Temple will sit this year due to injury. Brima is likely to play defensive tackle this season, instead of defensive end as he has done previously.

The defensive ends that Pitt has include Kansas State transfer/fifth year Nate Matlack, redshirt sophomore Jimmy Scott, redshirt freshmen Maverick Garcio, Antonio Camon and Clemson transfer David Ojiegbe, as well as freshmen Zachary Crothers and Sincere Edwards.

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