By TJ Chapman
The 2026 recruiting class for the Pitt Panthers made a leap from the No. 54-ranked class to No. 35 according to the On3 Sports national rankings. The month of June has a lot to do with that movement as head coach Pat Narduzzi has landed verbal commitments from 13 players since June 1.
Not only the quantity of the recruits, but the quality is what’s moving Pitt up in the rankings. Of the 13 verbal commitments Pitt has received so far for the 2026 class, five are four-star recruits.
Another weekend with big-time visitors in Pittsburgh!!#H2P 🏙️🏈 pic.twitter.com/YIhnYac9Hn
— Pat Narduzzi (@CoachDuzzPittFB) June 13, 2025
The last two weekends are where Narduzzi made the most progress. The Panthers hosted a number of recruits for a one-day camp on June 15. The weekend saw four verbal commitments as a result, three for the 2026 class.
When he’s not pushing for Pitt to face their rivals, Penn State and West Virginia on a regular basis, Narduzzi’s doing some solid recruiting. Below is a breakdown of the four-star commitments Pitt received over those two weekends.
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June 7 Commitments
On June 7, the Panthers received verbal commitments from four players, including a pair of four-star linebackers in Reston Lehman, of Peters Township, Pa., and Isaiah Simmons of Norfolk, Va.
H2P 100000% committed‼️‼️ I want to thank my coaches, friends, and family who helped me through this whole process. @Pitt_FB @coachdaoust @CoachDuzzPittFB @BatesBacker @coachcsanders @Coach_Plack pic.twitter.com/YeVUk6TlAt
— Reston Lehman 4⭐️ (@Reston_Lehman) June 7, 2025
The 6-foot-4, 230-pound Lehman is a local recruit who chose the Panthers over Penn State, Rutgers, Iowa and Virginia Tech. He holds offers from a number of Power Four schools. Depending on which recruiting website you use Lehman is listed as either a linebacker or an EDGE. Lehman is a physical defender who brings a lot of energy.
Simmons, a 6-foot, 200-pound linebacker, has offers from six Power Four schools but ultimately chose Pitt. The Panthers beat out Duke, Michigan, West Virginia, Syracuse and Virginia Tech. While on the smaller side for a Power Four linebacker, Simmons is aggressive and can bring pressure against the run and pass.
June 9 Commitments
On June 9, Narduzzi’s momentum continued as the Panthers picked up verbal commitments from two four-star recruits. The commitments of wide receiver Jaydon Dunbar of Thomasville, Ga., and running back Damon Ferguson of Baltimore, Md. boosted Pitt’s recruiting rankings.
The 6-foot-5-inch, 180-pound Dunbar committed to Pitt over Georgia, Georgia Tech and Florida State. Dunbar holds offers from a large group of Power Four programs.
With his size and speed Dunbar is a deep threat every down. He is a good route runner who can use his size and speed to get open over the middle. Offensive coordinator Kade Bell has to be salivating at the idea of a weapon like Dunbar in his offense.
Through tough evaluation, consideration, input from my parents, and prayer I have decided to commit to @Pitt_FB @LindseyLamar5 @Kb1Raw @CoachDuzzPittFB @WearemilfordFB @Coach_bjones44 @Coach_Trog @ReggieWhite90 @Coach_bjones44 @Peeps_a_fool @Coach_jayjay @coachtae_7 @rjackso10 pic.twitter.com/G5675zvpPx
— Damon “Nuddle” Ferguson (@roll5damon) June 9, 2025
Ferguson, a 5-foot-11-inch, 185-pound back, picked Pitt over Indiana, Michigan State and Minnesota. Ferguson holds offers from more than 40 FBS schools, most of which are Power Four programs.
Ferguson is a speed back who is shifty and elusive. He has the kind of home run speed to pull away from the secondary for long gains. Ferguson rushed for 1,341 yards, 16 touchdowns and averaged an amazing 12.8 yards per carry in 2024. He could be Pitt’s next Desmond Reid.
June 15 Commitment
After hosting a number of recruits over the weekend, Pitt received a verbal commitment from four-star interior offensive lineman Day’Jon Moore of Willis, Texas. Moore chose the Panthers over SMU, Maryland and Texas Tech. Moore holds offers from 15 Power Four programs.
#H2P WERE HOME🏠@CoachDarveau @CoachDuzzPittFB @CoachLG @CoachTMiller18 @Coach__fitz @Pitt_FB pic.twitter.com/6LO7TY0H9w
— Day’jonMoore1 (@Dayjonmoore71) June 15, 2025
The 6-foot-4, 290-pound Moore played tackle in 2024 at Willis High School, but he is projected to play guard at Pitt. He has room to put on weight and muscle and will benefit from the Pitt strength and conditioning program. Moore is a physical lineman who drives defenders off the ball. Switching to the interior will mean he will face larger defensive linemen, so the bulking up will be essential.
Developing Talent
Having good recruiting weekends like the one Narduzzi just had will be vital for the Panthers moving forward. After starting 2024 7-0, Pitt lost their last six games including a six-overtime loss in the GameAbove Sports Bowl to Toledo. Narduzzi is known for getting the best out of what some consider lower-ranked recruits. Now it’s time to see how he can develop the four-star recruits who are slated to join the Panthers in 2025 and try to get back to the ACC Championship Game.
