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Pitt’s depth and potentially overall talent at tight end took a large hit on Friday when Pat Narduzzi announced that redshirt freshman Charles Reeves had been dismissed from the team for disciplinary reasons.
Reeves, a former four-star prospect from Steubenville, departs from Pitt having never set foot on the field. But despite his lack of production, Reeves leaves a considerable void in a tight end room that would be counting on unproven players in 2018.
After Matt Flanagan graduated and Chris Clark left the team this spring, the Panthers were set to return exactly one career reception among three players: Reeves, Tyler Sear (who played as a freshman and recorded that lone career catch) and Grant Carrigan. Of that trio, Reeves was seen as the biggest pass-catching threat.
A 6’5” 280-pound tight end, Reeves figured to give the Panthers a legitimate threat in the passing game at tight end, something they lacked in 2017. His blocking was still a work-in-progress, but his prowess as a receiver was considered to be his strength, and the talk in spring camp was that he would make an impact this season, particularly on two-minute drills and in the red zone.
Removing him from the mix takes away that potential (if not any proven production) and leaves a few question marks. Sear played his way onto the field as a freshman and has the versatility to play tight end, fullback and H-back; that was the coaching staff’s intention for Sear this season, but Reeves’ departure may lead to more reps at tight end for the sophomore from Neshannock.
Carrigan has been a candidate for a move to the offensive line virtually since he arrived on campus, and with the roster finally getting close to having legitimate depth at tight end, it seemed like that position move could happen. But with Reeves gone, Carrigan - who is known more for his blocking than his pass-catching - could spend another season at tight end.
The Reeves departure does Pitt’s lone offseason addition at tight end seem more significant. After signing a recruiting class that did not include a tight end, the coaches brought in Will Gragg as a graduate transfer from Arkansas.
A redshirt junior who will be immediately eligible and have two years to play, Gragg didn’t produce much at Arkansas, but his five career catches for 61 yards are still more than Pitt’s returning roster has.
So the group has little experience and little career production; Reeves would not have changed either of those equations, but he did represent a potential primary weapon for Kenny Pickett in the passing game. Pitt will have to find that from Gragg - the most likely candidate - or Sear.
In terms of numbers, Reeves’ departure does reignite the possibility that one of the freshman defensive ends - most likely Noah Palmer, Kaymar Mimes or Habakkuk Baldonado - will move to tight end. That possibility was discussed this spring, but the addition of Gragg might have tabled it. Now that Reeves is gone, it will likely be revisited.
While the Pitt coaches have struggled to recruit tight ends in three out of the last four recruiting classes, they are off to a strong start for 2019. Junior-college prospect Travis Koontz is committed and will have two years to play with the Panthers, and Jason Collier from New Jersey is a tight end prospect who could move to the offensive line or serve as a bigger-than-Reeves option in the passing game.
Plus, the coaches could look to sign one more tight end in this class, particularly in light of the Reeves’ dismissal.
On a final note, the dismissal of Reeves opens one scholarship spot on Pitt’s 2018 roster. The Panthers are currently projected to have 84 scholarship players this season.
