Pitt Lands Commitment From Nebraska Transfer CB

Originally posted on Pittsburgh Sports Now
By Karl Ludwig | Last updated Dec 10, 2023 5:08 PM ET

Pitt has landed its first transfer portal acquisition of the offseason.

Tamon Lynum — a 6-foot-2, 185-pound cornerback from Orlando, Fla. — has not made a public announcement, but he changed his Instagram bio to show his new team. The former Nebraska defensive back is the newest Pitt Panther.

Lynum, who entered the transfer portal on Dec. 7 after four seasons in Lincoln, Neb., moved quickly after officially hitting the portal and will now head to Pittsburgh with two seasons of eligibility remaining.

It’s a key addition to a cornerbacks room that will likely miss its top three contributors (M.J. Devonshire, Marquis Williams and A.J. Woods) in 2024.

Was curious what Tamon Lynum would've done in 2024 with another year under DBs coach Evan Cooper.

Lynum has plus length at corner and was, I thought, playing well when he had opportunities, both at corner and as a gunner.

Lynum was in line to start in 2024. 117 snaps in 2023. pic.twitter.com/johAbJuHxl

— Steve Marik (@Steve_Marik) December 7, 2023

Lynum originally committed to Nebraska as a three-star out of Evans High School in 2020, and he immediately emerged as a special teamer as a true freshman. He redshirted in 2021, suffered a season-ending injury in Week 4 of the 2022 season and emerged as a solid depth corner in 2023.

He only recorded 117 defensive snaps last season, but he racked up 12 tackles (10 solo), one tackle for loss, one sack and two forced fumbles in 12 games. According to PFF, he allowed one reception for 17 yards on three targets.

Lynum doesn’t have a ton of experience defensively, working into the rotation and playing well in 2023, but he’s a long, aggressive cornerback who can drop back and stop the run, too.

Pitt will likely be forced to turn to all new cornerbacks in 2024, with Ryland Gandy receiving extra snaps in the last couple of 2023 and Tamarion Crumpley and Noah Biglow expected to complement him.

The safety trio of Javon McIntyre, Donovan McMillon and P.J. O’Brien Jr. provides excellent coverage on the backend, but the need for an addition on the backend was apparent.

Lynum has the ability to immediately compete for a starting spot and come back again as a sixth-year player in 2025, too.

For all your college football transfer portal needs, check out the Portal Report and their Transfer Portal Tracker.

This article first appeared on Pittsburgh Sports Now and was syndicated with permission.

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