Top Five Pitt Offensive Players Entering Spring Camp

Pittsburgh Panthers offensive lineman Lyndon Cooper (56) August 31, 2024 Photo by David Hague/PSN

Cooper will be a redshirt senior this year with 14 career starts at center dating back to his time with the Wolfpack. According to Pro Football Focus, Cooper allowed two sacks, eight pressures and took just three penalties all of last season. He received a 70.2 overall grade from PFF, while earning a 77.4 pass blocking grade, which was 49th amongst centers.

The 6-foot-2, 310-pound lineman will be a relied upon veteran in the trenches as the Panthers look to bring consistency to their offensive line play.

5: TE Jake Overman

There will be a lot of weapons in the pass game that Pitt will have at its disposal, but for Overman, he’ll thrive on simply reliability and blocking.

Overman was an excellent blocker for the Panthers after transferring in from Oregon State and was used every once in a while in the pass game as he caught 17 passes for 160 yards and a touchdown in the bowl game against Toledo.

Pittsburgh Panthers tight end Jake Overman (87) December 26, 2024 David Hague/PSN

With Gavin Bartholomew gone, Overman, who stands at 6-foot-4, 245 pounds, will see an increase in production as the projected No. 1 tight end heading into camp. He has great hands and good acceleration that can be a factor in both the pass game and blocking.

The Yorba Linda, Calif, native is also someone who will be an option to be a captain for the Panthers as he brings a strong sense of leadership and experience entering his graduate senior season.

4: WR Raphael “Poppi” Williams

Poppi Williams showed plenty of spark early last year in a familiar offense under Kade Bell. It’s a system built for Williams and he showed his comfortability in it rather quickly during his first season with the Panthers.

In 2024, the 5-foot-10, 165-pound receiver pulled in the most receiving touchdowns on the season with six to go with 426 yards on 36 receptions. His route running ability is what suits him the best as he found separation and space within the defense with his speed and footwork.

Pittsburgh Panthers wide receiver Raphael Williams Jr. (5) October 24, 2024 Photo by David Hague/PSN

A former freshman All-American and First-Team All-Conference player at Western Carolina, Williams will look to be another top target for the Panthers and quarterback Eli Holstein working in the slot.

3: WR Kenny Johnson

Johnson is back for his third year at Pitt and the No. 1 receiver spot is there for him to grab. As a sophomore, Johnson was third on the team in receiving with 46 receptions, 537 yards (11.7 avg.) and three touchdowns. He made an early impact as a freshman with 15 receptions for 122 yards and a touchdown.

The York, Pa. native is an outside threat down field and showcased his abilities to pull in some big catches for Pitt last season.

Without Mumpfield in the receiving room after his graduation, Johnson will be leaned on in the Pitt pass game as a reliable, sure-handed receiver. His numbers will certainly go up, especially his red-zone targets.

2: QB Eli Holstein

Pitt found itself a quarterback in Eli Holstein last season. Holstein tied a Pitt freshman record with 17 touchdowns (Alex Van Pelt) and broke the single-game freshman passing record with 381 yards against North Carolina.

Holstein has an impressive start to his Pitt career with massive comeback victories over Cincinnati and rival West Virginia as the Panthers started 7-0. In 10 games, he completed 180-of-291 passes (61.9%) for 2,228 yards. He added 328 yards and three touchdowns on the ground.

He did finish the season injured, missing the Louisville, Boston College and Toledo games and was banged up in a handful of other contests that spoiled his excellent redshirt freshman campaign.

The 6-foot-4, 225-pound signal caller showed a ton of poise in the pocket during the first seven games. He did a good job feeling pressure and climbing the pocket when need be. That confidence wained a little bit during the end of his season as he got knocked around.

With spring camp ahead of him, new offensive line additions and plenty of weapons, Holstein is primed for an even better season in 2025.

1: RB Desmond Reid

It comes as no surprise that the All-American is Pitt’s top offensive player entering 2025.

Reid’s numbers spoke for themself as he compiled 962 rushing yards, 579 receiving yards and 159 punt return yards, along with 10 total touchdowns. His 154.9 all-purpose yards per game were fifth-best in the country as he earned All-American Second-Team honors.

His play on the field was even more impressive as he showed his highlight-reel ability to make defenders miss with his sharp cuts and elusive speed.

Reid is already garnering recognition as a top returning running back in the country with PFF ranking him 8th.

As is the case with Holstein, Reid should improve with an improved offensive line. As a senior in 2025, the possibilities are limitless for Reid.