Pitt Football Lands FCS Transfer DB

Pitt Panthers football landed an FCS transfer defensive back.

Sep 3, 2022; Berkeley, California, USA; UC Davis Aggies defensive back Kavir Bains (43) celebrates with wide receiver Chaz Davis (82) after scoring a touchdown against the California Golden Bears during the third quarter at FTX Field at California Memorial Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Darren Yamashita-Imagn Images / Darren Yamashita-Imagn Images

PITTSBURGH -- The Pitt Panthers continue adding football transfers to their roster, including another one from the FCS.

Kavir Bains, who played for UC Davis, announced that he committed to Pitt on his Instagram after a visit this past weekend. Pitt offered him back on Dec. 27.

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Bains hails from San Jose, Calif. and played for Valley Christian High School. He made 125 tackles (71 solos, 54 assists) with nine interceptions and eight pass breakups across his final two seasons and led his team to a 22-5 overall record.

He earned a number of accolades for his play in high school, including two-time all-state, All-NorCal first team, All-Central Coast Section first team and West Catholic Athletic League DB of the Year, plus CIF-CCS Defensive Player of the Year honors as a senior.

247Sports ranked him as a three-star, the No. 172 safety and No. 271 recruit in California in the Class of 2020, while Rivals rated him as a two-star.

He joined UC Davis and played in four games as a true freshman in the Spring 2021 season, pushed back due to the COVID-19 pandemic. He then played in three games in the fall, with just one tackle.

Bains saw more playing time in 2022, playing all 11 games and making six starts at cornerback. He made 28 tackles (20 solo), five tackles for loss, two sacks and two passes defended.

He played in all 11 games again in 2023, with four starts, three at free safety and one at strong safety, plus starting the final three contests. He made 43 tackles (24 solo), two pass breakups on the season.

Bains had his best season with UC Davis in 2024, leading his team to an 11-3 record and 7-1 in the Big Sky, second in the conference, plus the No. 5 seed in FCS Tournament, making it to the Quarterfinals.

He started all 14 games this past season, with four starts at safety and nine starts at cornerback. He made 83 tackles (57 solo), 8.5 tackles for loss, three interceptions, 14 pass breakups, one blocked field goal, one forced fumble and one fumble recovery,

Bains earned Big Sky All-Conference First Team honors at defensive back, with his 14 pass breakups the most in the conference.

He will join Pitt for his sixth and final season in college football and will look to try and compete for one of the starting safety spots.

Pitt lost two of their starting safeties to graduation, in seniors Donovan McMillon and Phillip O'Brien Jr. and will have just one returner in rising redshirt senior Javon McIntyre.

The Panthers have three other returning safeties in rising redshirt sophomores, Jesse Anderson and Cruce Brookins, plus rising redshirt freshman Allen Bryant. They also have one incoming safety in Cole Woodson, who played for Battlefield High School in Haymarket, Va.

Bains is the third defensive back transfer for Pitt this offseason, along with rising senior Rashan Murray from Division II program California (Pa.) and rising redshirt sophomore Jayden Bonsu from Ohio State.

He is also one of 10 players this offseason that the Panthers have landed from the transfer portal.

This includes offensive players in wide receivers,rising sixth year Deuce Spann from Florida State and rising redshirt sophomore Andy Jean from Florida and offensive lineman in rising redshirt seniorKeith Gouveia from Richmond and rising redshirt junior Kendall Stanley from Charlotte.

It also features two defensive linemen in rising seventh year Blaine Spires from Utah State and rising redshirt senior Joey Zelinsky from Eastern Michigan, plus rising junior kickerJames London from Murray State.

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