Last month, we wondered who Pitt football’s first four-star 2025 prospect to commit would be in the Post-Gazette’s recruitment report. This week, Pat Narduzzi found that answer in Mason Alexander, a 6-foot cornerback out of Fishers, Ind.

Alexander made that announcement on Wednesday, tagging Narduzzi, assistant head coach and safeties coach Cory Sanders, and cornerbacks coach Archie Collins.

100% COMMITTED @CoachDuzzPittFB @ARCHIECOLLINS_ @coachcsanders #RIPPops #HailToPitt #H2P pic.twitter.com/iLFfFFLZMw

— Mason “Money Man” Alexander (@MAlexander_15) June 26, 2024

But what Alexander represents—beyond this class—is Pitt’s potential for a strong defensive core in the near future. There used to be a time when Pitt struggled to get four-star prospects to commit to its defense—no such defensive players committed to Pitt in 2018 or 2019.

Now, with Alexander, the Panthers have gotten commitments from at least one four-star defensive prospect in five consecutive recruiting classes. The last three classes, in particular, present the best chance for Pitt to develop its future nucleus with these players.

In 2023, Narduzzi’s lone four-star commitment was defensive tackle Isaiah Neal out of Baltimore, Md., who had just redshirted his first year with the team and looked to be a part of the defense’s rotation at defensive tackle.

In 2024, Pitt landed four different four-star commitments—all on defense. That’s the most by the program since Narduzzi brought five four-star prospects in Pitt’s 2016 recruitment class.

Defensive tackles Jahsear Whittington—of Philadelphia, Pa.—and Francis Brewu—of Worthington, Oh.—will team up with linebacker Cameron Lindsey—of Aliquippa, Pa.—and defensive end Sincere Edwards—of Apopka, Fla.—this summer as all four players report for camp.

Add in Alexander, and that provides a good group of six such prospects for Narduzzi and his defensive coaches to build a nucleus around. That also doesn’t include three-star freshmen who stood out last year on defense like safety Cruce Brookins—of Munhall, Pa.—defensive back Jordan Bass—of Hampton, Va.—and linebacker Braylan Lovelace—of Leechburg, Pa.

Pitt’s defense, along with the rest of the team, disappointed in 2023. The Panthers were 11th in the ACC in points allowed and eighth in yards allowed. The team’s 31 sacks also ended the program’s four-season streak of having the most sacks in the ACC and ranking among the top three programs in the country.

If Alexander and these players can play a big role in that turnaround, that would be a big step in Narduzzi’s efforts to make Pitt’s aggressive style of defense the calling card for prospects to choose his program.

But it’s also undeniable that the other side of this coin is that Pitt has yet to recruit a four-star prospect on offense in several years. If the Panthers don’t land a four-star prospect in this recruitment class, it would be the third consecutive year without such a commitment—the last being offensive tackle Ryan Baer in 2022.

That could also play a big role in what happens next for Narduzzi, who’s coming off a 3-9 season—the worst of his Pitt tenure and only his third losing season in nine years.

While the offensive upheaval from new offensive coordinator Kade Bell could help a great deal, the lack of higher-ranked recruiting talent will add adversity to a unit that finished last in the ACC in points, yards, rushing yards, and third-down conversions.