New Edge Prospect Joshua Pittman Looking to Visit Pitt

Joshua Pittman spoke with Inside the Panthers about his new offer from the Pitt Panthers and potential visit plans in the works.

X: @Jos8uaa

If you were to round up and watch all of the junior season highlights among Pitt Panthers 2026-class pass rusher recruits, Joshua Pittman would stand out as among the most promising. 

He’s listed in most profiles as a linebacker but at 6-foot-3 and 225 pounds, he’s built for the edge at the next level with his big frame, wide shoulders, and thick build with ideal length. 

Pittman is the most recent pass rusher to earn an offer from Pitt. The Panthers join his Power Four options like Duke, Indiana, Michigan State, Syracuse, Virginia Tech, and West Virginia. Coastal Carolina, East Carolina, and Temple represent just a few of his options outside of the Power Four conferences. 

The rising senior standout has visited multiple schools and has plans to visit others in the near future. Now that the Panthers have entered the race, Pittman could be headed to Pittsburgh soon, too. 

That was the sentiment he shared with Inside the Panthers late in the afternoon on Friday. 

That Q&A is available below.

It looks like you’ve been busy visiting schools and lining up future college trips. Do you have anything going on this weekend?

"Not this weekend. Next weekend, I'm heading to North Carolina and I’ll check out UNC and Wake Forest, and then I think the I'm going to head to Pitt the next week after that. So, that's about it."

Tell me a bit about your background growing up playing football in Virginia.

"I grew up in Virginia, south Virginia…I played Little League. I've been playing football since I was about six years old, so I've been playing for a while. I came into high school as a linebacker, and then I got transitioned my sophomore year to edge. And so, my sophomore year was my first year playing edge, and last year was really my first full season of playing edge and rushing the pass the whole time. So, yeah, that's about it, man.

"I like rushing the passer. I mean, I can do both. I can stand-up, play a linebacker (role) or whatever. So, I feel like I'm a great fit for any team as a player, as a person."

Fast and Violent 💯 pic.twitter.com/Cgp8ZekFOj

— Joshua Pittman ✞ (@Jos8uaa) September 23, 2024

In that 6-3, 225 range, you're built in that sweet spot where as a recruit, you'd be classified as a larger linebacker or an edge, most likely the latter in the eyes of most college coaches, I'm sure. What are most recruiters saying about your likely position fit at the next level?

Some say it's linebacker, inside linebacker, like Virginia Tech and Wake Forest, and other schools see me as a traditional D-End, a guy who rushes the passer and gets gets my hand (down). Other schools like Michigan State see me as an outside linebacker type of guy who drops, rushes, who does multiple things.

Tell me about getting the Pitt offer and what you made of that new opportunity.

“Coach JJ Laster, he came to check me out in the winter right after the season. I talked to him for a while, man. He's a real genuine person, man. It seems like he really liked me a lot, so, he called me the other night and we talked on the phone for a while. He offered me a scholarship and he said I was exciting. 

“I wanted to come up to the campus as soon as possible, man. I mean, I've been keeping contact with a lot of the Pitt coaches, a lot of the head coach. He texted me a lot and he sent me a letter the other day about trying to come up and visit. 

“So, I like the program and I'm excited for the future and to see what comes with it.”

So, visiting Pitt two weekends from now is possible?

Yes, sir.

Big picture, in your recruitment, are you planning to essentially take official visits in June and deciding on one school later in the summer? What's the plan for your recruitment in terms of making that commitment decision?

“I would say the big picture is I'm trying to decide in the summer. The summer, I will be committing before the season, so I can go ahead and get that out the way.” 

"So, I'd estimate sometime after June, maybe in July I would make my decision."

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

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