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- Bam Bradley 6'2" 230 Junior (36 tackles 4 TFL 2 Sacks 1 INT in 2014)
- Saleem Brightwell 6'0" 195 Freshman (Incoming three-star recruit)
- Mike Caprara 6'0" 230 Junior (Appeared in four games in 2014)
- Dom Cuono 6'2" 235 Freshman (Redshirt in 2014; Walk-on)
- Jamal Davis II 6'2" 225 Freshman (Redshirt in 2014)
- James Folston 6'3" 230 Freshman (Redshirt in 2014)
- Matt Galambos 6'2" 240 Junior (72 tackles 4 TFL 1 interception in 2014)
- Nicholas Grigsby 6'1" 220 Senior (28 tackles 4 TFL 3 sacks in 2014)
- Nico Lodovico 6'1" 225 Sophomore (Redshirt in 2014; Walk-on)
- Anthony McKee 6'2" 220 Freshman (Incoming three-star recruit)
- Brian Popp 6'0" 225 Freshman (Redshirt in 2014; Walk-on)
- Jameel Poteat 5'10" 215 Senior (Sat last year as a transfer; converted running back)
- Quintin Wirginis 6'2" 240 Sophomore (Appeared in 12 games in 2014)
Projected Starters - Bam Bradley Nicholas Grigsby Matt Galambos
Pitt will have some experience at linebacker in 2015. Matt Galambos has appeared in all 26 games of his career, and has started 12 of those contests. He is a solid middle linebacker that has a nose for the ball. Galambos isn't going to wow anyone, but usually has a nice number of tackles at the end of the game. He played well in the bowl game to bring some momentum into the season.
Bam Bradley is a tantalizing talent that is a hard hitter and big play guy. This will be his first year as an expected starter. Bradley is an athletic guy for his size, and should be set up for a big year. Nicholas Grigsby has been around for a while now, and the senior linebacker is going to be a full-time starter this season. Having started some games in the past, Grigsby has plenty of experience. He was the special team's captain in 2014, and even had a position created just for him. Having a steady role at outside linebacker should be good for him.
Projected Second Unit - Quintin Wirginis Mike Caprara Jamal Davis II
Quintin Wirginis played a big role as a special teams player as a true freshman, and looks to be the top backup at middle linebacker. Wirginis was not a highly rated recruit, but has worked hard to be in the rotation in the early part of his career, and looks like a bit of a steal from the Paul Chryst regime.
Mike Caprara has been in the mix for a few years now. He has performed well in camp and practice, but has rarely cracked the field at linebacker. Caprara is a strong special teams player, and should be ready to see the field a little more in 2015.
Jamal Davis II is a tantalizing talent as a redshirt freshman. With good size and great athleticism, he looks like the type of player that will flourish with Pat Narduzzi coaching him.
Expected Redshirts - Saleem Brightwell Anthony McKee Jr
Saleem Brightwell and Anthony McKee were two of the prized recruits for the past recruiting class. Both had numerous big time offers, and come into the program with some hype. With some depth in place, I think both players may be headed towards a redshirt. I think one thing that faces both players is size at this point. It looks like they need to add some muscle to play linebacker in the ACC.
The Rest - Dom Cuono James Folston Nico Lodovico Brian Popp Jameel Poteat
Jameel Poteat has had a wild ride in college football. Once upon a time he was a four-star running back recruit, a few stops later and he is walking on at Pitt to play linebacker. Pitt switched his position during the Spring, and should work for some time on special teams.
James Folston is another talented redshirt freshman, and he will push for playing time in 2014. The rest of the depth is rounded out by the walk-ons.