Three Pitt Players Taken in Latest ESPN Mock Draft

The Pitt Panthers had three Pitt Panthers take in the latest ESPN Mock Draft

Dominic Campbell | Apr 23, 2024

Nov 19, 2022; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA; Pittsburgh Panthers defensive back M.J. Devonshire / Charles LeClaire-USA TODAY Sports

PITTSBURGH -- The Pitt Panthers had three players taken in the latest NFL Mock Draft on ESPN, a good sign going forward for those prospects.

ESPN NFL Draft analyst Jordan Reid picked offensive tackle Matt Goncalves to go to the Indianapolis Colts at the No. 191 overall pick, cornerback M.J. Devonshire to go to the Green Bay Packers at the No. 219 overall pick, both in the Sixth round. He also predicted wide receiver Bub Means to go to the Minnesota Vikings at the No. 230 overall pick in the Seventh Round.

Goncalves spent the past five seasons at Pitt from 2019-23, playing 39 games over the past four seasons with 21 starts, including all 13 games in 2022. He also set up draft visits with the Seattle Seahawks and the Dallas Cowboys.

If an NFL team drafts Goncalves, with mock drafts placing him somewhere on the third day in the later rounds, it would make it back-to-back years a Pitt offensive tackle earned a draft selection. The New York Jets drafted Carter Warren last year in the Fourth Round.

Two other Pitt offensive tackles have earned draft selections since Pat Narduzzi took over as head coach in 2015. This includes Adam Bisnowaty, who the New York Giants drafted in the Sixth Round in 2017, and Brian O'Neil, who the Minnesota Vikings drafted in the Second Round in 2018 and made a Pro Bowl in 2021.

If the Colts drafted Goncalves, they would make him their fourth player seleted from Pitt since moving to Indianapolis and first since they took linebacker Clint Session in the Fourth Round of the 2007 NFL Draft.

Devonshire started with Kentucky, but transferred to Pitt after two seasons there. The Aliquippa native returned home for the next three seasons, playing in 38 games, missing just one and starting 18 games at cornerback the past two seasons.

He finished his time with the Panthers with 83 tackles, 1.5 tackles for loss, eight interceptions, returning three for touchdowns, and 21 pass breakups, while earning All-ACC punt returner honors in 2022.

He also earned Second Team All-ACC honors this past season at cornerback. Devonshire finished tied for first in the ACC with 14 passes defended and in second place with 1.17 passes defended per game. Devonshire also caught four picks, second-best in the ACC, including returning one 86 yards for a touchdown vs. then-ranked No. 14 Louisville, that helped set up the 38-21 upset on Oct. 14.

f the Packers drafted Devonshire, they would make him their 15th player from Pitt that they have drafted in their long history and their first since 1988, when they picked defensive back Gary Richard in the Seventh Round.

Means spent the past two seasons at Pitt, catching 68 passes for 1,122 yards and eight touchdowns, the second-highest yardage total of any Pitt pass-catcher over that span. While those numbers might not come as elite to many, he excelled inspite of some of the worst Pitt quarterback play in recent memory.

His performance at the NFL Combine gave scouts a chance to see his talents, running the 40-yard dash in 4.43 seconds and the 10-yard split in 1.55 seconds, as well as a 39.5 inch vertical jump and a 10-foot-2 broad jump.

Means is looking to become the first Pitt wide receiver to earn an NFL Draft selection since star wide out Tyler Boyd did so with the Cincinnati Bengals in 2016.

He would also become the 11th Pitt player that the Vikings have drafted and the fourth under head coach Pat Narduzzi. This includes defensive linemen Patrick Jones II and Jalen Twyman in 2021 and O'Neil in 2018.

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Published Apr 23, 2024

DOMINIC CAMPBELL

Follow Dominic Campbell on Twitter.