Inside The Panthers

Pitt Signs Three-Man Transfer Recruiting Class

Phil Jurkovec, Donovan McMillon and Christian Veilleux are officially Pitt Panthers.

Stephen Thompson

Pitt Signs Three-Man Transfer Recruiting Class
Pitt Signs Three-Man Transfer Recruiting Class /
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PITTSBURGH -- The transfer portal was kind to the Pitt Panthers this offseason, as they picked up three important players by that mode of recruiting over the 16 days it has been open this winter. Now each of those three players are officially Panthers after signing along with the class of 2023 high school recruits the program brought in. 

First and foremost, Pitt landed who many believe to be their next starting quarterback. Within hours of Kedon Slovis announcing that he would enter the transfer portal, former Pine Richland and Boston College quarterback Phil Jurkovec announced he would take his career 5,183 yards, 35 touchdowns, 17 interceptions and 59% completion percentage over 24 games in a BC uniform to Pittsburgh. 

Jurkovec said he knows he'll have to earn the starting job, but as the only signal-caller on the roster with extensive experience starting at the Power 5 level, he is the favorite to be under center when the Panther take the field for the first time in Morgantown, West Virginia for the Backyard Brawl next fall. 

The Panthers added another quarterback as well, but with an eye toward the future. Christian Veilleux, a former three-star recruit who spent two seasons in State College, picked Pitt after deciding to depart the Nittany Lions program. The 6'5 former three-star will compete for playing time with fellow underclassmen Nate Yarnell and incoming freshman Ty Dieffenbach later down the road. 

Veilleux appeared in five games as a Nittany Lion and completed 23 of his 35 total attempts for 282 yards, three touchdowns and no interceptions. He also made some waves as a rusher during his freshman year, running 12 times for 39 yards.

Rounding out the small transfer class - for the moment - is a former four-star recruit out of Peters Township High School, Donovan McMillon. The Panthers lured McMillon, who committed to Florida out of high school, chose Pitt over the likes of Kansas State, Miami, Nebraska, Kansas, Boston College, Mississippi State, West Virginia, Virginia Tech and Minnesota. 

At 6'2 and 208 pounds, McMillon has the room to grow into a linebacker or stay at his natural position as a physical safety. He accounted for 30 total tackles - one for a loss - in 18 games played as a Gator. 

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

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Published
Stephen Thompson
STEPHEN THOMPSON

Stephen Thompson graduated with a bachelor's degree in communications and political science from Pitt in April 2022 after spending four years as a sports writer and editor at The Pitt News, the University of Pittsburgh's independent, student-run newspaper.  He primarily worked the Pitt men's basketball beat, and filled in on coverage of football, volleyball, softball, gymnastics and lacrosse, in addition to other sports as needed. His work at The Pitt News has won awards from the Pennsylvania News Media Association and Associated College Press.  During the spring and summer of 2021, Stephen interned for Pittsburgh Sports Now, covering baseball in western Pennsylvania. Hailing from Washington D.C., family ties have cultivated a love of Boston's professional teams and Pitt athletics, and a fascination with sports in general.  You can reach Stephen by email at stephenethompson00@gmail.com and follow him on Twitter. Read his latest work:

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