Pitt football has a long tradition of developing some of the best to ever play their position. Dan Marino, Larry Fitzgerald and Aaron Donald are shining examples of what a Panther at the next level could look like.
This season, Pitt’s best chance at another NFL Draft selection is redshirt senior placekicker Ben Sauls, one of the nation’s best. Sauls was the only kicker selected to PFF’s 27-man All-American team after kicking 44-for-44 on extra-point tries and 21-for-24 on field goals. His only three misses were from long-range, and one was blocked.
The most kickers taken in a single draft this century was four in 2012, but typically only one to three are selected. Sauls’ path to the NFL is more difficult than most due to his position, but his ability could overcome it. Eight NFL special teams coordinators showed up to watch Sauls kick on Pitt’s pro day.
The Steelers could take a swing on Sauls with their current kicker, Chris Boswell, recently turning 34, and Sauls’ unique experience of spending his college career kicking in Pittsburgh’s stadium. Another team that could consider Sauls is the division-rival Baltimore Ravens, who also roster an aging kicker in Justin Tucker.
On the defensive side of the ball, a Panther garnering draft attention is one of Pitt’s best, Donovan McMillon. Named to the Chuck Bednarik Preseason Award Watch List, he measured in at 6-foot-1 and 203 pounds. He turned heads with a 4.48-second 40-yard dash — a time that would have ranked seventh among players at his position at the NFL Combine if invited. He also posted a 35-inch vertical leap and completed 21 reps of the 225-pound bench press, which had all 32 NFL scouts in attendance in shock.
In 2023, McMillon topped the stat sheet for the Panthers, leading the team with 105 total tackles and 54 solo stops, earning Honorable Mention All-ACC honors. He followed up with another standout performance in 2024, once again leading Pitt in both solo and total tackles, with 55 and 115, respectively.. That season, he also notched his first career interception and added eight pass breakups to his resume. With his team leading with 115 total tackles, he became the first Pitt player to notch over 100 tackles in consecutive seasons since linebacker Scott McKillop accomplished the feat in 2007 and 2008.
Matthew Cannatta of Pro Football Network published his seven-round mock draft for the 2025 NFL Draft, projecting that the Pittsburgh Steelers will select Pitt defensive back McMillon with the 238th overall pick in the seventh round.
Sixth-year linebacker Brandon George did not receive an invite to the NFL Combine but made this mistake apparent after a monster pro day. George was a captain of the Panthers last season and helped turn the “Sharks” into one of the best units in college football.
George’s 65 career games in a Pitt jersey are the most in program history. This last season, George recorded six tackles for loss, two sacks, three forced fumbles and an interception. Head coach Pat Narduzzi confirmed that George earned a top-30 visit with the Kansas City Chiefs.
Unlike placekickers, a bounty of linebackers are selected each year in the NFL Draft. George could impress enough to get selected and keep the floodgates open for the Sharks, as linebackers Rasheem Biles and Kyle Louis are eligible next year.
Now moving to the offensive side of the ball, senior wide receiver Konata Mumpfield established himself as the Panthers’ number-one option last season. His connection with redshirt first-year quarterback Eli Holstein was seen immediately as Mumpfield caught 10 passes for 179 yards and three touchdowns over the first two games.
Mumpfield did receive an invite to the NFL Combine in early March and performed adequately. He ran an official 4.59 40-yard dash and recorded a 36-inch vertical jump and a 10’4” broad jump. The NFL graded Mumpfield 29 out of 49 wide receivers who participated in the combine.
His biggest asset doesn’t show up in box scores. Mumpfield looks comfortable catching the football and has great hands — a skill he showed during his gauntlet drill at the Combine. Mumpfield could go to receiver-needy teams. Ian Cummings of Pro Football Network mocked Mumpfield in the sixth round to the Los Angeles Rams.
The Panthers’ most intriguing prospect is senior tight end Gavin Bartholomew, who, alongside Mumpfield, received an invite to the NFL Combine. Bartholomew outperformed his position’s expectations in a strong tight end class. Bartholomew only participated in the speed drills, where he posted a 4.70-second time in the 40-yard dash and a 1.59-second time in the 10-yard dash, placing fourth and eighth, respectively, among players at his position. The NFL graded Bartholomew as the No. 14-ranked tight end following the NFL Combine.
Bartholomew has been noticed on many NFL teams’ radars, but mainly on the Steelers’ radar as a possible late-round addition at tight end. As a versatile local talent, he fits the mold of what Arthur Smith typically looks for, especially given his tendency to stack the roster with multiple tight ends, especially those who can block and make an impact at the goal line. Adding someone like Bartholomew to compete with Connor Heyward and Donald Parham Jr. could present itself to be a quietly important move, whether through the draft or as an undrafted free agent.
In recent mock drafts, the Draft Network projected Bartholomew as an eventual Chicago Bear with the 240th overall pick in the seventh round in late April. Not long before that, USA Today’s The Rams Wire predicted the Schuylkill Haven native would land with the Rams as a sixth-round selection on Day 3 of the draft.
Senior offensive lineman Branson Taylor had an injury that temporarily set back his NFL prospects, but after making a full recovery, he’s begun to draw attention from league scouts. Although he was invited to the Combine, he couldn’t participate because of the issue he suffered in October. However, at Pitt’s pro day, the towering 6-foot-6, 315-pound lineman was back on the field, impressing with his agility for his size — clocking a 5.26-second 40-yard dash.
Taylor is a strong, physical lineman who’s started for two seasons and brings the size and strength to play either tackle or guard. He delivers a powerful initial punch in the run game, often overpowering defenders and controlling the line of scrimmage. However, his foot speed is only average, making it difficult for him to adjust to quicker edge rushers. His shorter arm length also creates challenges in pass protection, leaving him open to both outside speed moves and inside counters. Transitioning to guard might better suit his skill set, minimizing those weaknesses and giving him a real shot to contribute in a power-run offense.
Regardless of his absence from Combine drills, Taylor ranks as the 22nd offensive tackle available. Teams such as the San Francisco 49ers are holding pre-draft workouts with Taylor and other offensive linemen as the gold rush out west prepares for the retirement of Trent Williams. In Matt Miller of ESPN’s most recent 257-selection mock draft, he has Taylor as a sixth-round selection on Day Three to the Baltimore Ravens.
Since the year 2020, only Clemson has managed to crank out more NFL-bound ACC talent than Pitt — and even then, it’s by a hair, 26 to Pitt’s 18. That number 18 edges out the likes of fellow ACC schools such as Florida State and Miami, two schools in particular that consistently finish in the top-20 margins in recruiting classes every year. Yet, despite both programs’ success rates, it’s the Panthers who may find themselves, once again, leading the way of the college-to-NFL pipeline in the ACC.
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