Gavin Bartholomew Discusses Path to Pitt

Back in 2020, as a three-star tight end prospect in the 2021 recruiting cycle, Gavin Bartholomew didn't initially carry any Power Five options. It was only when the Pitt Panthers extended an offer when the tight end gained an opportunity to play at the highest level of college football.

Albany, Army, Bowling Green, Buffalo, Delaware, Elon, Fordham, Holy Cross, Idaho, Lafayette, Maine, Missouri State, Villanova, and William & Mary filled out his offer list before the Panthers opportunity surfaced for the Schuylkill Haven (Pa.) Blue Mountain High School product.

As a guest on SportsGrid Radio recently, the 6-foot-5, 246-pound tight end was asked about his path to Pitt by host Donnie Rightside.

"Pennsylvania is a hotbed for football here. You stay in-state to go to Pitt," Rightside asked. "Take us through that journey because just reading your bio, interesting stuff. Played quarterback your senior year, did a lot of things here at the wide receiver/tight end position.

"How did you make your way to Pitt, and also being a tight end at Pitt?"

Bartholomew responded with interesting insight.

"Yeah, so I actually wasn't even really supposed to be at Pitt," Bartholomew said. "I was committed to Buffalo going into my senior year of high school.

"I thought that was home. I thought that's where I was going to spend my next four years. But in the back of my head, I took a visit to Pitt (in) my sophomore year, and it always stuck out to me, just the facility, the coaches, the culture that they had here. But I just never had an offer," he continued.

"About a week before Signing Day, Coach (Pat Narduzzi) called me on my lunch break at work, and he offered me, and I was like, 'I'm taking it.'

"So, committed there on the spot, and then came in here early as the early enrollee. They had Lucas Krull as the tight end here. So, I was like, '(I've) got to try and find a way on the field.' I found myself as, like, the 12 fullback position. So, super blessed and thankful to get on the field early, and just kind of carried on from there."

In that true freshman season in 2021, Bartholomew racked up 28 catches for 326 yards and four touchdowns behind Krull, who became an undrafted free agent in the 2022 NFL Draft, signing with the New Orleans Saints before becoming a Denver Bronco, where he remains today.

Bartholomew wrapped up his career as a four-year contributor following the last season, recording 105 catches for 1,257 yards and 11 touchdowns.

Recent NFL Mock Drafts have the Pitt product being selected in the sixth and seventh rounds.