2025 three-star WR Bryce Yates commits to Pitt

Pitt landed a 2025 commitment on Thursday and after a few days of speculation, Bryce Yates revealed himself as the Panthers’ newest recruit at a public announcement on Sunday afternoon at his school.

Yates is a 6’0” and 165-pound athlete out of Motoaca High School in Virginia. He is graded as a three-star prospect according to Rivals. Yates chose Pitt over an offer sheet that included Duke, Maryland, Appalachian State, ECU, James Madison, Marshall, and Temple among others.

The Virginia product had a highly productive junior season. He caught 79 passes for 1,193 yards and 15 touchdowns and helped Motoaca to a 10-4. Yates also played a big factor on the other side with six interceptions as a defensive back.

He was initially offered by two former Pitt assistant coaches, Tiquan Underwood and Andre Powell, but the new offensive staff picked up their efforts. Yates had previously announced his intentions to take an official visit to Pittsburgh on June 6th. He was also in town for a spring practice on March 4th and got a good feel for everything Pitt had to offer back then.

“Overall, Pitt is amazing,” Yates said after his visit in March. “The facilities are nice and they share it with the Steelers, so that’s pretty cool. The coaches are all cool and most of them are young and relatable so that’s good for me, too. Pitt is a top school for me.”

While on his March visit, Yates got to spend time with new wide receivers coach JJ Laster, who was one of his lead recruiters, along with offensive coordinator Kade Bell.

“He’s a good guy," Yates said of Laster. "He brings the energy. I also love how he explained to me why he is so hard on the players. He isn’t just preparing them for football but he’s preparing them for life also and that’s big to me.”

The three-star prospect now becomes the third commitment for Pitt’s 2025 recruit class. He joins quarterback Mason Heintschel of Ohio and Florida defensive linemen Trevor Sommers.