Pitt DE Deslin Alexandre named Jason Witten Collegiate Man of the Year

The former Panther has been recognized for his outstanding work off the field.

Pittsburgh Panthers defensive end Deslin Alexandre will leave a lasting legacy with his impact both on and off the field. The Former three-year starter was announced the Jason Witten Collegiate Man of the Year. The prestigious award is given to the player “who best demonstrates an outstanding record of leadership by exhibiting exceptional courage, integrity and sportsmanship.” Alexandre took home the award over Penn State’s Sean Clifford and Oregon’s Alex Forsyth.

“I am honored to present the sixth annual Collegiate Man of the Year to Deslin Alexandre,” Witten said. “He is a great leader and a role model for young athletes. He came to the U.S. from Haiti at a young age and overcame a lot of challenges to become a great player and leader, both on campus and in the community. He is a perfect example of what a college student-athlete can be.”

In five seasons at Pitt, Alexandre has compiled 131 tackles, 29.5 tackles for loss, 16.5 sacks, an interception, seven pass breakups, and two fumble recoveries. The star defensive end was a two-time team captain and was a starter for three seasons. In the classroom, Alexandre was a three-time All-ACC Academic team member and earned a bachelor’s degree in communication.

With all the good that came on the field and in the classroom, there may be no greater impact than the one that was made off the field. Alexandre spent time in the community with the Make-A-Wish foundation, Divine Mercy Parish’s Red Door program that provides meals and clothing for the homeless, and the Ronald McDonald house in the Children’s Hospital to help provide meals.

Alexandre also was able to make a major impact close to home. Through his 5th down campaign, Alexandre was able to raise $50,000 to help provide food and education to the youth in his home country of Haiti.

“I don’t think there are enough superlatives to describe Deslin and his achievements while at the University of Pittsburgh,” Pitt head football coach Pat Narduzzi said in the statement. “His impact as a student, athlete and community leader is so inspiring. He represents the absolute best of what it means to be a Pitt Panther. Deslin has given Pitt so many reasons to be proud and I know he will make the Witten family proud as the recipient of this outstanding award.”

After winning the award, a $10,000 contribution will be made in Alexandre’s name to Pitt’s athletic scholarship fund from the SCORE Foundation, the official charity of Jason and Michelle Witten.

Alexandre will now continue to prepare for the upcoming NFL Draft where another city will be fortunate to get another member of the community eager to give back.