Pitt Trio Makes Senior Bowl Watch List

Persi will be playing in his first season with Pitt after transferring in from Michigan. He played in all 13 games during the 2023 season, the year that the Wolverines brought a national championship back to Ann Arbor on an offensive line that won the Joe Moore Award.

He spent five years with Michigan before deciding to enter the transfer portal in January. He played in 38 games throughout his five-year career, he was a heavy special teams contributor. In 14 of the 38 he appeared on the offensive line with 3 starts at left tackle.

Throughout camp Persi has been battling for the starting left tackle job with redshirt junior Kendall Stanley. Stanley comes from Charlotte and started every game last season at right tackle for the 49ers allowing just 2 sacks.

With camp wrapping up Persi has made himself the front runner for the job. The offensive line will have some unfamiliar faces as Narduzzi announced Richmond transfer Keith Gouveia is starting at Left Guard. Stanley has also been practicing at guard and has the potential to be that versatile piece upfront for Pitt this year.

Both pre-season All-Americans Reid and Louis did not have to participate in position battles over camp as they have already solidified their spots. Reid is one of the most explosive backs in all of college football and will look to add onto his 1,734 all-purpose yards and 10 TDs.

Louis returns after 100+ tackles, over 15 of them were for loss to go along with four interceptions and 7 passes defended last season the linebacker made his presence felt in coverage as well.  He’s the fifth highest-graded returning linebacker in the nation according to PFF. 10th on the list is fellow LB Rasheem Biles, Pitt is the only team with two inside of the top 10.

The lone Panther to play in the Reese’s Senior Bowl last year was Gavin Bartholomew who is currently with the Minnesota Vikings. Cleveland Browns safety Donovan McMillon, Los Angeles Rams wide receiver Konata Mumpfield, and Chargers offensive lineman Branson Taylor were among names on last year's watch list. The list includes 300, only around 140 get invited each year.

The year prior, in 2023 current Tampa Bay Buccaneers LB Sirvocea Dennis was the lone Panther invited to the Reese’s Senior Bowl. On the watchlist that year featured Baltimore Ravens CB MJ Devonshire, New Orleans Saints WR Bub Means, Philadelphia Eagles CB AJ Woods, Phil Jurcovec and Indianapolis Colts OL Matt Goncalves. 

The 2022 Senior Bowl featured 3 Panthers in Cleveland Brown’s QB Kenny Pickett, Denver Broncos CB Damari Mathis, and New York Jets OL Carter Warren. Same with 2021 as that bowl featured Buffalo Bill’s S Damar Hamlin, Minnesota Vikings DL Patrick Jones II, and New York Jet’s LB Rashad Weaver.

The Panthers have the potential to send 3 if not more to the Reese’s Senior Bowl on January 31st at Hancock Whitney Stadium in Mobile, Alabama.