Pat Signal: Pitt lands Florida grad transfer Lucas Krull

Pitt head coach Pat Narduzzi and the Panthers coaching staff picked up a key commitment on Monday, as they added Lucas Krull, a graduate transfer tight end from Florida. The former SEC player entered the transfer portal on Dec. 1 and announced his commitment to Pitt in a message posted on Twitter.

The 6’6”, 257-pound tight end was a standout at Mill Valley High School in Shawnee, Kansas, and as a senior, he played in 12 games, helping his team to a 12-1 record and a state title. During that span, Krull amassed 745 yards and 13 touchdowns on 52 receptions.

After high school, Krull attended Jefferson College in Hillsboro, Missouri, where he played JUCO baseball as a pitcher. However, after a two-year hiatus from the gridiron, Krull still found himself in demand as a pass-catcher and had a four-star rating from 247Sports upon his commitment to Florida in 2018. In fact, he was considered the No. 1 tight end available in the JUCO ranks in that recruiting cycle.

At Florida, Krull saw the field consistently in 2018, playing in all 13 of the Gators’ games as a member of the special teams unit. However, the tight end only caught six passes for 75 yards, and he saw those totals dip to 33 yards on three receptions in the 2019 season.

Pitt currently has six tight ends on its roster, but it will lose graduate transfers Will Gragg and Nakia Griffin-Stewart, who came from Arkansas and Rutgers, respectively, after this season. Of the four that will remain, only Grant Carrigan and Jason Collier have previous experience at tight end. Given that, the addition of Krull will provide Pitt with a capable pass-catching tight end who should have a chance to see the field immediately.