Pitt gets commitment from transfer WR Raphael Williams, 3rd Western Carolina skill player lured by OC Kade Bell
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The influx of new players at Pitt can’t be labeled a roster turnover, but Pat Narduzzi hopes a year from now it will, at least, be labeled a roster enhancement.
They tried to hold me back, but it was God planned ‼️???????? #Committed pic.twitter.com/pHkVytOp3l
— Raphael Williams Jr. (@Poppi1k) January 5, 2024
Let’s ride panther nation pic.twitter.com/iQbgsTZPpm
— Nico Crawford (@Nico_Crawford23) January 2, 2024
The Panthers added two more transfers from other programs Friday when former Western Carolina wide receiver Raphael Williams and Nico Crawford, a walk-on long snapper, made verbal commitments. That makes 12 players, including two wide receivers, secured by Pitt from the transfer portal since the end of the season.
Williams joins wide receiver Censere Lee, a former teammate who also transferred to Pitt from Western Carolina where both players were coached by the Panthers’ new offensive coordinator, Kade Bell. Desmond Reid, a running back, previously transferred from Western Carolina to Pitt.
Williams’ connection to Bell is a strong one. Pitt will be the third school where they will be together.
Williams (5-foot-10, 165 pounds) sat out the 2023 season at San Diego State because he was transferring for the second time after playing at Western Carolina and Division II Tusculum. He played under Bell at Western Carolina in 2021 and 2022, catching a total of 120 passes for 1,617 yards and 15 touchdowns. He also played under Bell at Tusculum in 2020.
Pitt is looking for more speed and playmaking ability among its pass-catching group after Bub Means, who led the team in receiving yards (721), yards per catch (17.6) and touchdown receptions (six) last season, declared for the 2024 NFL Draft. Williams and Lee will compete for playing time and catches with holdover wide receivers Konata Mumfield, Daejon Reynolds and Kenny Johnson, among others.
Crawford, who previously played at Illinois and Charlotte, is the second long snapper to announce plans to transfer to Pitt. If both end up on the official roster, he will join Nilay Upadhyuyula, formerly of UConn.