Western Carolina's Desmond Reid, Censere Lee follow offensive coordinator Kade Bell to Pitt

Roster additions from the most important source these days — the NCAA transfer portal — continued for Pitt on Saturday when running back Desmond Reid and wide receiver Censere Lee verbally committed to the Panthers.

Reid and Lee complete the package that arrived from Western Carolina, starting with the Catamounts’ offensive coordinator Kade Bell.

Committed #H2P pic.twitter.com/wEK1fcr1fw

— Desmond Reid (@fastboidez) December 17, 2023

Reid and Lee, both sophomores, were offered scholarships in the past week almost immediately after Pitt hired Bell to replace Frank Cignetti Jr. Reid and Lee scored 21 of Western Carolina’s 52 touchdowns this season.

I’m not always a great detective but again it seems like Western Carolina WR Censere Lee is a Panther pic.twitter.com/gX65fnVW6A

— Jim Hammett (@JimHammett) December 17, 2023

Reid (5-foot-8, 170 pounds) missed four games this season, but still rushed for 1,723 yards (6.9 per carry) and 17 touchdowns in 2022 and 2023. He can catch, too, after recording 42 receptions for 495 yards and a touchdown in 2022 and 2023. Pitt needs depth at running back after losing New Jersey high school four-star prospect Yasin Willis, who flipped to Syracuse, and T.J. Harvison, a freshman who redshirted in 2023 before entering the transfer portal.

Lee (5-11, 170) caught 82 passes for 1,426 yards and 14 touchdowns the past two seasons. He could help mitigate the loss of wide receiver Bub Means, who declared for the NFL draft. Reid could complement running back Rodney Hammond, a rising senior who rushed for 547 yards (4.6) in 2023.

So far this offseason, Pitt has verbal commitments from four transfers — Reid, Lee, former Nebraska cornerback Tamon Lynum and long snapper Nilay Upadhyayula, formerly of UConn.