Looking into the NFL Draft crystal ball doesn't reveal any early-round hype for Pitt like it has in the previous two years.
Of course, Kenny Pickett was selected 20th overall by the Steelers in 2022, and Calijah Kancey earned merit as the 19th-overall selection in the 2023 draft. Pickett was a Heisman Trophy finalist following the Panthers' ACC Championship season of 2021, and Kancey earned the honor of the ACC's Defensive Player of the Year in 2022. Those prospects had high merit entering the draft.
This Pitt draft class is slightly different than those over the previous two years, but some trends have placed this class in unique positioning as Pitt's pro day commences at 10:30 a.m. Wednesday at the UPMC Rooney Sports Complex.
A total of 12 former Panthers will test for the NFL Draft Wednesday:
- DL Tyler Bentley
- CB M.J. Devonshire
- TE Malcolm Epps
- RB C’Bo Flemister
- OT Matt Goncalves
- DL David Green
- QB/TE Phil Jurkovec
- IOL Jake Kradel
- WR Bub Means
- LB Shayne Simon
- CB Marquis Williams
- CB A.J. Woods
Of this dozen, Devonshire, Goncalves, and Means were invited to and ultimately tested at the NFL Combine in Indianapolis. Goncalves met with teams but did not partake in drills because he was rehabbing from a foot injury sustained early in the Panthers' season. He was voted third-team All-ACC after the 2022 season and was chosen to the preseason All-ACC team prior to last season. He played two full games before sustaining his foot injury in Week 3 at West Virginia. He is expected to work out Wednesday.
"It's getting better. About five months post-operation and I'm feeling good," Goncalves said at the Combine. "It's doing well and I'll get into six months here and I can't wait for the pro day."
Goncalves, a former team captain, measured a 6-foot-6, 327 pounds with a 33 1/4-inch arm length and 9-inch hand width at the NFL Combine. Via NFL Next Gen Stats, his production score of 67 ranks 13th among tackles who tested at the Combine.
According to the Mock Draft Database, Goncalves is the highest-projected Pitt player to be taken in April's draft, and he is the database's highest-ranked Panther at 125th overall. That consensus projection doesn't have him being selected until the fourth round on average. The highest selection slotting among polled mocks was he second round to the Dolphins, but that projection came in January. A mock done by the USA Today's "Patriots Wire" last Wednesday has Goncalves going to the Patriots in the third round.
NFL.com analyst Lance Zierlein penned this review of Goncalves:
"Beefy lineman with experience at both tackle spots who should be able to transition inside if needed," Zierlein wrote. "He's not a natural knee-bender and lacks leverage as a projected guard but has the mass and power to execute blocks inside. He's a decent athlete for his size but is limited as a move blocker. He's sound in pass protection, with the only real issue being his inability to change direction quickly against counters and twists. Goncalves might get a shot to prove himself at tackle early in his career but limited foot quickness will shrink his margin for error. The physical traits and two-position potential could make him a middle-round pick with eventual starter potential."
Zierlein offered a comparison of Goncalves to former six-year lineman Geoff Schwartz.
Devonshire has a consensus projection for the sixth round in this draft, via the Mock Draft Database. The highest projection he has received is a fourth-round selection by the Lions, via a mock done by the USA Today's "Lions Wire."
Devonshire measured at 5-foot-11, 186 pounds with a 32 7/8-inch arm length and 8 3/4-inch hand width at the Combine. His 4.45-second 40-yard dash clocked in 12th among cornerbacks and was 0.17 seconds behind Clemson's Nate Wiggins for the fastest time. He still has room for improvement in the vertical jump, broad jump, and the agility categories of the short shuttle and three-cone drill with respect to cornerbacks who tested at the Combine. His production score ranked 11th among cornerbacks, per Next Gen Stats.
"(The scouts) talked a lot about the things we've done and how well I'm able to communicate it to them and explain what we do," Devonshire said. "They know that we are a press-man team but sometimes being able to be versatile is a good thing."
Devonshire was a second-team All-ACC selection as a cornerback following last season and he earned the same nod as a special teamer in the season prior. Devonshire led the ACC in pass breakups and was second in interceptions last season. His biggest highlight came in Week 1 of 2022 when his pick-six helped seal the Panthers' win over West Virginia in front of a Pittsburgh-record crowd in the return of the Backyard Brawl.
"Devonshire is a cornerback with long arms and impressive ball production," Zierlein wrote. "He’s confident in press, allowing his athleticism to trace routes while instincts and agility key his work from zone. Devonshire locates the quarterback and ball flight fairly quickly with his back to the ball. He sits in the pocket of an average route runner and uses his length and reactive quickness to swat throws away. The long speed appears to be average and he picks up his share of flags with excessive grabbing against big targets downfield. A move to nickel is possible, and he has the athletic traits to make it work provided his run-support efforts don’t short-circuit his opportunity."
Means has risen among draft boards despite being perceived as a raw talent at wide receiver. ESPN draft analyst Mel Kiper, Jr. wrote this glaring review of Means after his performance at the Combine:
"I'm intrigued by Means," Kiper wrote. "At the combine, he measured in with huge hands (10 1/8 inches) and long arms (33 1/4 inches), and then he ripped off a 4.43 40 yard dash and 39 1/2-inch vertical. I had a Round 4 grade on him coming into the week, but I want to go and study his tape. He has tremendous tools, even if he's still raw developing at the position."
Means' 19 bench press reps were second and two off the pace, his vertical was ninth, and his 40 time tied for 13th among Combine receivers. He did not run the three-cone or the short shuttle. The Mock Draft Database currently has him pegged as a seventh-rounder but he has received a projection as high as the fourth round.
Zierlein wrote this of Means:
"Big receiver with build-up speed who should be a natural fit for teams employing a layers-based passing scheme. For his size, Means is surprisingly adept at slipping press and shows an ability to create separation on over routes and go routes once he hits top speed. He can win contested throws but gives too many away when he's not imposing his size on the coverage. Means could struggle with a route tree requiring him to gear up and down getting in and out of breaks. The production has been fairly average, but his ability to lengthen and widen out the field could make him a Day 3 pick with a shot to become an NFL backup."
