Reserve TE opts for the portal

One of Pitt’s reserve tight ends has entered the transfer portal.

Cole Mitchell, a redshirt sophomore who did not appear in any games during his three seasons at Pitt, entered the portal on Monday.

A native of Frederick (Md.), Mitchell was a recruit in the class of 2021 who planned to reclassify to 2022 and attend IMG Academy in Bradenton (Fla.) for a post-grad year.

But in June before he moved to Bradenton, Mitchell attended Pitt’s prospect camp and impressed the coaches enough to not just earn a scholarship, but also to earn the opportunity to join the Panthers right away.

Mitchell took his official visit to Pitt two weeks later, and he committed before he left campus. But he never saw the field over the last three seasons, and he opted for the portal.

Mitchell was the second Pitt player to enter the transfer portal on Monday, following the departure of redshirt freshman Israel Polk. Six Panthers have now entered the portal since spring camp ended, with Polk and Mitchell joining defensive ends Dayon Hayes and Antonio Camon, linebacker Solomon DeShields and quarterback Christian Veilleux.

Hayes committed to Colorado and DeShields committed to Texas A&M.

With the Monday departures of Polk and Mitchell, Pitt is now projected to have 86 players on scholarship for the fall, and that number will likely keep dropping as the coaches look to make room for additions from the portal.