Pitt Adds Second Commitment from Portal Defensive Tackle
Following two portal departures from its defensive tackle room, Pitt was looking to refill that room with its own portal additions as the Panthers have now added a second player to that room.
Tulane transfer Eliyt Nairne committed to Pitt Sunday, per a report from 247Sports’ Matt Zenitz. Nairne will have two seasons of eligibility remaining and becomes Pitt’s 14th portal addition.
Nairne becomes the second defensive tackle pick up in as many days as the Panthers added Illinois transfer Jeremiah Warren on Saturday. Nairne and Warren help fill a need that was created from the departures of Francis Brewu and Jahsear Whittington. Veterans Sean FitzSimmons and Nick James have both announced their returns for the 2026 season as redshirt seniors.
Nairne, a 6-1, 305-pounder, spent 2025 at Tulane. In 14 games, Nairne totaled 13 tackles, 1 tackle for loss and a fumble recovery. He registered one tackle in Tulane’s College Football Playoff matchup against Ole Miss. Nairne totaled 186 snaps, according to Pro Football Focus, and registered four pressures.
The Charlotte, N.C. native spent his first two seasons at Liberty. In 2024, he appeared in 11 games with 25 total tackles, 1.5 tackles for loss, a sack and a quarterback hurry. Coming out of Olympic High School, Nairne was a three-star recruit, according to On3.
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