Signed: Kyle Louis

New Pitt commit Louis: 'They say I'm like a missile'

Kyle Louis was the last recruit to join Pitt’s class of 2022 prior to Signing Day, but he was hardly new to Pat Narduzzi and the Panthers coaching staff.

Louis was a target for Pitt in the spring and had planned to take an official visit in June, but scheduling conflicts kept him from making the trip, and he eventually committed to Temple over the summer. The Panthers never fell out of his recruitment, though, maintaining contact with Louis throughout the fall until he made the flip, switching his commitment from Temple to Pitt in October.

At 6’0” and 205 pounds, Louis projects as a linebacker at Pitt, but he played nearly everywhere during his career at East Orange. He lined up at inside and outside linebacker. He played defensive end. He has logged snaps at every spot in the secondary. And his coach even told Panther-Lair.com that a snap or two at defensive tackle isn’t out of the question if the situation calls for it.

Still Louis’ future at Pitt will be at the Star linebacker position, and he thinks that will be an ideal place for him to excel.

“I really think the defense looked like a great fit to me and I think I could adjust to it fast and be real explosive with the defense and show out early in my career,” Louis told Panther-Lair.com. “They blitz a lot, so if I’m the blitzer or I’m back in zone, everything is fast, and with good instincts and good football IQ you can make plays.”

Louis also stands out when he’s off the field, according to his East Orange coach, Rae Oliver.

“We wanted to change the culture here and he has been a direct example of it,” Oliver told Panther-Lair.com. “The stands are packed this year and Kyle has been an ambassador to the city. And when he called Coach (Tim) Salem and said he wanted to commit, the first thing he said was he was honored to wear the Pitt uniform. That’s him. That’s genuine Kyle.”