A day after Pitt tight end Gavin Bartholomew said he will return for his senior season and almost simultaneously as running back Rodney Hammond said he’s coming back, wide receiver Bub Means took the opposite route and announced Saturday his plans to enter the 2024 NFL Draft.
Means has been Pitt’s big-play pass catcher the past two seasons after transferring from Louisiana Tech where he played in 2020 and 2021.
Pitt WR Bub Means announced on Instagram that he will enter the NFL Draft pic.twitter.com/ko4eEGGmpY
— Chris Peak (@PantherLair) December 2, 2023
Running it back for my last year eligibility! I am excited to make 2024 a special season on the field and to be an @alliance_412 athlete for another year #H2P pic.twitter.com/VFmTApKyBm
— Rodney L. Hammond (@RodneyLHammond1) December 2, 2023
He led the Panthers in receiving yards this season, with 721 on 41 catches. His reception total was second on the team to junior Konata Mumpfield’s 44. In two seasons, Means caught 68 balls for 1,122 yards and eight touchdowns.
Means is the first Pitt offensive starter to bow out of the 2024 season. He leaves wide receivers Mumpfield, redshirt sophomore Daejon Reynolds and four freshmen — Kenny Johnson, Izzy Polk, Zion Fowler-El and Lamar Seymore — to potentially man the position next season for a new offensive coordinator.
Johnson is the only player among the four freshmen to catch more than one pass. He recorded 15 receptions for 122 yards and a touchdown and also returned a kickoff for a touchdown. Reynolds caught 28 balls for 316 yards without a score.
Meanwhile, in the first week of the offseason, 10 Pitt players have announced plans to enter the transfer portal. Backup offensive lineman Trey Anderson, who appeared in every game on special teams, said Saturday he plans to transfer when the portal opens Monday. Wide receiver Addison Copeland, who did not play in any games this season, also will transfer.
thanks @17_mrobinson for the edit!! pic.twitter.com/d1VqFUgxLG
— Trey Andersen (@TreyAndersen87) December 2, 2023
The defense will lose three starters to the portal — linebacker Bangally Kamara, defensive end Nate Temple and defensive tackle DeAndre Jules. Middle linebacker Brandon George, who received extensive playing time as a key backup for Shayne Simon, also will transfer. The other big hit to the linebacker group is the loss of Simon, whose eligibility has expired after six seasons in college.
Others who plan to leave are safeties Buddy Mack and Stephon Hall, linebacker Aydin Henningham and long snapper Byron Floyd.
I will be entering the portal December 4th with 4 years of eligibility.
Thank you Pittsburgh???????? pic.twitter.com/h12GSFi9eJ— Addison Copeland III (@ac3_strikin) December 2, 2023
