Pitt Football Targeting Alabama Transfer TE

The Pitt Panthers are targeting an Alabama transfer tight end.

April 9, 2024; Tuscaloosa, Alabama, USA; Alabama tight end Ty Lockwood (89) catches a pass during practice in the Hank Crisp Indoor Practice Facility at the University of Alabama. / Gary Cosby Jr.-Tuscaloosa News / USA TODAY NETWORK

PITTSBURGH -- The Pitt Panthers are targeting a player in the transfer portal, who was at one of the best programs in the country.

Pete Nakos of On3 reported that Pitt is an early school to watch out for Alabama transfer tight end Ty Lockwood, who spent the last two seasons down there. Other schools looking for his signature include ACC foe Boston College and SEC programs in LSU and Missouri.

Nakos also noted that both Boston College and Pitt have former Alabama quarterbacks, in Dylan Lonergan and Eli Holstein, respectively.

Lockwood hails from Thompson's Station, Tenn. and played tight end at Independence High School. He had a sensational sophomore season in 2020, making 43 receptions for 606 yards and five touchdowns, and then another great season as a junior in 2021, with 42 receptions for 462 yards and two touchdowns. He dealt with injuries as a senior in 2022, making just seven catches for 88 yards.

He originally committed to Ohio State on Aug. 19. 2021, but would flip his commitment to Alabama on Aug. 2, 2022. He signed his National Letter of Intent in the Early Signing Period and enrolled midyear.

Recruiting sites made Lockwood a consensus four-star in the Class of 2023. 247Sports and Rivals ranked him the No. 14/No. 15 tight end, respectively and the No. 5 recruit in Tennessee, On3 ranked him No. 22 at his position and No. 7 in the state, while ESPN ranked him No. 136 in the nation, the No. 4 tight end and No. 2 in Tennessee.

Lockwood played just nine snaps in two games his true freshman season in 2023, preserving a redshirt, coming against Middle Tennesee in Week 1 and Chattanooga in Week 12.

He saw action in five games in 2024, playing 28 snaps on offense and three snaps on special teams. He had one catch for five yards against Mercer in a 52-7 home win in Week 12.

Lockwood has three years of eligibility remaining and a chance to play with Holstein again in a Kade Bell offense that spreads the ball out, giving everyone opportunites in the attack.

Pitt is losing starting tight end Gavin Bartholomew to graduation and have looked for extra players at the position for next season.

The Panthers have rising sixth year Jake Overman, rising redshirt senior Jake Renda, rising sophomore Malachi Thomas and incoming freshman Max Hunt from Plant High School in Tampa, Fla.

Pitt has landed 11 players this offseason from the transfer portal, as they add new talent that will benefit them next season.

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, defensive backs in rising sixth year Kavir Bains from UC Davis, rising senior Rashan Murray from Division II program California (Pa.) and rising redshirt sophomore Jayden Bonsu from Ohio State, plus rising junior kickerJames London from Murray State.

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