The Pitt Panthers offered another tight end this morning, a 2026 prospect from a strong Midwest program.
Jack Janda is a 6-foot-6, 240-pound rising senior out of Detroit Catholic Central, owning more than 20 scholarship offers, including Power Four options in Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisville, Miami, Michigan, Michigan State, Northwestern, Oregon, Purdue, Stanford, Vanderbilt, Washington, West Virginia, and Wisconsin while non-Power Four schools Ball State, Bowling Green, Buffalo, Central Michigan, Cincinnati, Ohio, and Toledo fill out his list.
On Wednesday morning, Janda announced the offer on X (formerly Twitter) while tagging Pitt head coach Pat Narduzzi, tight ends coach and special teams coordinator Jacob Bronowski along with defensive backs coach and Michigan-area recruiter Archie Collins.
Recently, veteran tight end Jake Renda announced that he was entering the transfer portal after spending four years in Pittsburgh. Currently, former Oregon State Badger Jake Overman is the projected starting tight end, filling big shoes left behind as Gavin Bartholomew entered the 2025 NFL Draft where many predict he'll become a Day Three pick.
Beyond Overman, who is entering his sixth and final collegiate season, the Panthers are likely to see a true sophomore in Malachi Thomas and a true freshman in Max Hunt fill out the second and third-string tight end roles on the roster.
It's anyone's guess how the pair of underclassmen will fare in the 2025-26 season. One thing is certain, though. The tight end position should be a priority for the Panthers who aren't quite rebuilding at the position, per se, but could be accurately categorized as retooling that area of the roster.
It's why multiple tight end signings would make sense for Pitt in the 2026 cycle, and it's why this new scholarship offer makes sense for Kade Bell's offense.
Current Pitt 2026 Verbal Commitments
- QB Angelo Renda (Southlake [Tx.] Southlake Carroll)
- WR Dylan Wester (Sarasota [Fla.] Booker)
- S Marcus Jennings (Detroit [Mich.] Cass Tech)
- S Isaac Patterson (Westerville [Ohio] Westerville South)
Current Pitt 2027 Verbal Commitments
- WR Jacob Thomas (Pembroke Pines [Fla.] Flanagan)
- RB Tyler Reid (Miramar [Fla.] High School)
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