Predicting the 2025 NFL Draft from a Pitt perspective

With Pitt football approaching a season full of more uncertainty than any in coach Pat Narduzzi’s 10 seasons, it only makes sense to invite additional speculation. Especially when the event in question won’t occur for another 12 months.

We’re talking about the 2025 NFL Draft — as if you didn’t get enough last weekend (which you didn’t, right?).

After firing his entire offensive coaching staff, Narduzzi is reshaping Pitt’s roster in the midst of 19 players, including five who would have been defensive starters, entering the transfer portal and another 10 or so getting NFL opportunities. He tapped the portal for 12 others to help fill holes, which tells us both sides of the ball will exhibit dramatically different looks this season.

There is plenty of talent worthy of a seven-round NFL Draft next year, and here are some of the early candidates. Some will need to declare early, some will need to bolster their dossiers with strong efforts this season, and some won’t get drafted at all.

Transfers

Wide receivers Censere Lee and Raphael Williams and running back Desmond Reid stand less than 6 feet, but that didn’t prevent them from compiling more than 1,400 yards each either receiving or (in Reid’s case) rushing over two seasons at Western Carolina.

Similar success against ACC opponents will put them on the NFL’s radar, but they also can return to school in ’25. Maybe that will be their wisest course, but let’s see them make plays at Acrisure Stadium before Mel Kiper learns their names.

Pitt needs a big season from senior defensive end Nate Matlack, who recorded 9 1/2 sacks in four seasons at Kansas State (four in 2023). If that occurs, it will be good news for Matlack and Pitt after the loss of Dayon Hayes to Colorado.

Offense

If we had to pick one Pitt player who might get drafted first among his teammates, it’s tight end Gavin Bartholomew.

He certainly gets high marks for loyalty, returning for his fourth season after he effectively was ignored the past two seasons. Blame the play-caller, offensive stagnation, the quarterbacks and/or the player, but he’s never caught more than the 27 receptions he recorded as a freshman in 2021. He has averaged 1.8 per game for his career.

Yes, everyone misses Kenny Pickett, except the Steelers.

Bartholomew has the build (6-foot-5, 250 pounds) and maturity to attract NFL attention, and he will.

With a big season, wide receiver Konata Mumpfield could challenge Bartholomew for high-choice honors. He’s a precise route runner with good hands and body control. In two seasons at Pitt after transferring from Akron, he has 102 receptions for 1,127 yards and six touchdowns on his bio. Three-season total: 165/1,878/14.

If junior quarterback Nate Yarnell turns outs to be what Narduzzi and many fans think/hope he will be, Bartholomew and Mumpfield will benefit.

Good seasons at tackle from senior Branson Taylor (6-6, 330) and redshirt sophomore Ryan Baer (6-7, 325) will open running lanes and NFL opportunities for Rodney Hammond, who has compiled 1,511 yards and 4.6 per rush since he was Mark Whipple’s late-game security blanket in 2021.

Defense

Hayes, linebackers Solomon DeShields and Bangally Kamara and defensive tackle Deandre Jules would have formed a strong backbone for coordinator Randy Bates on their way to the NFL. Relaxed transfer rules eliminated that possibility, but at least three players — senior linebacker Brandon George, junior safety Javon McIntyre and senior safety Donovan McMillon — enter 2024 with legit NFL hopes.

George (6-3, 240) will anchor the middle for Pitt while McIntyre (6-1, 195) and McMillon (6-2, 210) will patrol the deep secondary and provide run support. McMillon (105) and McIntyre (85) were Pitt’s leading tacklers last season, but picking off a few passes — they had zero last season — will please everyone involved.