The Panthers added a third blue-chip prospect to its 2026 recruiting class this weekend
Pitt football has been on a hot streak this June, and its latest round of official visits added even more momentum. Head coach Pat Narduzzi shared early Saturday that four recruits had given verbal commitments during their time in Pittsburgh, bringing the 2026 class to 19 high school pledges and placing it among the top groups in the nation at this stage.
Three-star quarterback Corey Dailey kicked things off with a Saturday evening commitment, followed by four-star interior offensive lineman Day’jon Moore, who announced his decision via Instagram on Sunday morning.
Moore, a versatile two-way player from Willis High School near Houston, Texas, chose Pitt over a strong list of suitors, including Ohio State, Maryland, SMU, Baylor, Florida State, Georgia Tech, Nebraska, TCU, and Texas Tech. He visited Maryland officially three weeks prior to his Pitt trip and was scheduled to visit SMU next weekend. A first-team All-District selection as a junior, Moore had received two in-person visits from Pitt defensive coordinator Randy Bates back in January.
Now the third four-star recruit in Pitt’s 2026 class, Moore joins defensive end Reston Lehman of Peters Township and Baltimore running back Damon Ferguson as cornerstones of the group. With Moore on board, Pitt now has four offensive linemen committed in this cycle, alongside three-star prospects Nick Howard, John Curan III, and Mike van der Oord.
On Saturday evening, Pitt added another name to its growing 2026 recruiting class when three-star linebacker Desmond Johnson announced his commitment following his official visit.
Johnson, a standout from Miami’s powerhouse Miami Northwestern High School, posted impressive stats during a 10-game run to a state championship — totaling 83 tackles, 7 sacks, 3 interceptions, 2 fumble recoveries, and a pass breakup. His strong junior season drew interest from a number of major programs, earning offers from the likes of Arkansas, UCF, Louisville, Michigan, NC State, Georgia Tech, SMU, Florida State, and more. UCF appeared to be a top contender after hosting him last weekend, but Johnson ultimately chose to commit to Pitt just seven days later. He had moved up his official visit to the Panthers and didn’t leave without pledging to the program.
Johnson is now one of three linebackers in Pitt’s 2026 class. With the additions of Johnson, quarterback Corey Dailey, and four-star offensive lineman Day’jon Moore, Pitt has climbed to No. 22 nationally in 247Sports’ team recruiting rankings and now ranks sixth in the ACC.
Just two weeks ago, the Panthers were sitting at No. 61 nationally and 14th within the 17-team conference. Of the 30 recruits who have taken official visits to Pittsburgh, 14 have committed, with one more expected addition still pending inclusion in the rankings.
And the momentum didn’t stop with the 2026 class—on Sunday, Pitt also picked up a commitment from 2027 offensive lineman Colin Urrea, as first reported by 247Sports’ Chris Peak.
Urrea, a native of Western Pennsylvania now attending the Community School of Naples in Florida, chose to commit to Pitt over other offers from Louisville, Toledo, Duquesne, Houston Christian, and Campbell.
The 6-foot-7, 282-pound offensive lineman becomes the third rising junior to join Pitt’s 2027 class, alongside wide receiver Jacob Thomas and running back Tyler Reid — the younger brother of Panthers All-American Desmond Reid.
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