Noah Palmer transfers from Pitt to Duquesne

Former Pitt defensive lineman Noah Palmer entered the NCAA transfer portal on Jan. 3, and on Wednesday morning, it was revealed that he would remain in the city and continue his athletic career with Duquesne.

The 6’3”, 270-pound defensive tackle was a standout at Thomas Jefferson High School in Jefferson Hills, Pennsylvania, prior to his arrival at Pitt. During his time at Thomas Jefferson, Palmer amassed 37 tackles, four sacks, three forced fumbles and one fumble recovery for the Jaguars. He was also considered one of the top 30 recruits in Pennsylvania in the 2018 class and held a three-star rating.

Despite the optimism surrounding Palmer upon his arrival, he found himself in a loaded position group and struggled to climb the depth chart at Pitt. As a result, he played in three games in a span of four years, logging two tackles and a fumble recovery as well as a 33-yard return. And with Deslin Alexandre, Habakkuk Baldonado, Dayon Hayes, Calijah Kancey, John Morgan and others set to return in 2022 and occupy key roles on the Pitt defensive line, Palmer made the decision to move on and seek additional playing time.

At Duquesne, Palmer will join a team that has gone 11-4 over the last two seasons, including a 4-1 showing in a shortened 2020 season that was delayed until the spring of 2021. That campaign ended in an appearance in the NEC championship game, where Duquesne fell to Sacred Heart 34-27 in overtime. However, the Dukes would extend their run of success into the fall, as they went 7-3 in the 2021 season.

As for his potential role on the team, Palmer should contend for a starting job and see an uptick in playing time at the very least. And with that opportunity, he could provide a boost to a Duquesne defensive line that has struggled to find its way into opposing backfields. The Dukes ranked 49th in the FCS in sacks in 2021, with 22 in 10 games, and they fell outside the top 50 in tackles for losses, ranking 58th in the FCS, with 57 on the season.