Gavin Bartholomew arrived at Pitt as a recruit “flipped” from the University of Buffalo during that crazy pandemic year of 2020.
Bartholomew leaves Pitt headed to the NFL. A tight end, Bartholomew is widely expected to be under consideration as a late-round pick during this weekend’s draft.
“When got I first got there,” Bartholomew said of Pitt, “I was 17 years old. Probably a little bit of a jerk just like everyone else going to college. With (Pat Narduzzi) as my head coach, I’ve learned so much about myself and the game of football. I developed and matured as a player and as a true tight end. It helped me get to the next level.”
A three-year starter whose career spans from the ACC championship season of 2021, the 6-foot-5, 246-pound Bartholomew had 104 career catches for 1,248 yards and 11 touchdowns receiving. He also showed prowess as a blocker.
A team captain as a senior, Bartholomew’s reputation is such that his official NFL Draft profile page lists that he is “known for unselfishness and leadership” first among his strengths as a prospect.
“My toughness and grittiness, willingness to work,” the eastern Pennsylvania native said of himself while speaking at the combine. “I’m never going to give up on something. I take pride in that.
“When I get the ball in my hands I’m a playmaker. I make the chains move. Rarely am I ever going to be tackled by one guy. That’s the mindset that I have, that it’s pretty much going to take the whole team to bring me down.”
Part of what is considered one of the best incoming draft classes for tight ends in some time, if by chance Bartholomew does not get drafted he assuredly will be a priority free agent signed in the hours after the selections end Saturday night.
At least five other Pitt players are regarded similarly by the draft community: offensive tackle Branson Taylor, receiver Konata Mumpfield, linebacker Brandon George, safety Donovan McMillon and kicker Ben Sauls.
Sauls was named a Pro Football Focus All-American after converting 65 of 68 placekicks this past season. McMillon, a Peters Township native, amassed a team-best 220 tackles the past two seasons after transferring from Florida.
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George became a starter during his sixth season at Pitt in 2024 — he missed most of 2022 because of injury — and played in a program-record 65 games. Another combine invitee, Taylor (6-6, 321) was a 2 1/2-year starter but missed more than half of his senior season because of a knee injury.
Mumpfield began his career as second-team all-MAC as a freshman at Akron in 2021. Over the ensuing three seasons at Pitt, Mumpfield had 154 catches for 1,940 yards and 11 touchdowns.
Mumpfield, Bartholomew, Taylor and Sauls played in three “Backyard Brawl” games against West Virginia. The player who figures to get drafted the highest of any who appeared in those rivalry games is Mountaineers offensive lineman Wyatt Milum.
A four-year starter at tackle, the 6-foot-6, 313-pound Milum is projected as a guard in the NFL. He could go as early as Day 2 of the draft.
“I feel like I can dominate the line of scrimmage,” said Milum, who, according to Pro Football Focus, did not allow a sack or QB hit in 356 pass-block snaps last season. “I feel like once I get my hands on you, you’re not getting off. So I feel like that’s the best part of my game.”
Other former WVU players who hope to hear their names called over the next 72 hours are front-seven defenders Sean Martin and Ty French.
French was a four-time first-team all-Big South honoree at Gardner-Webb, a school he left as its career sacks leader before spending 2024 in Morgantown.
Martin, like Milum a West Virginia native, played five seasons for his state’s flagship school and was twice named honorable mention all-Big 12.