One of Pitt’s best football players of the Pat Narduzzi era has put a bow on his college career.

Linebacker Kyle Louis, a 2024 All-American, declared for the NFL Draft on Friday.

Louis announced his intentions to forego remaining eligibility at Pitt and instead begin preparing to play at the next level.

The redshirt junior will not partake in the Military Bowl on Dec. 27, where Pitt (8-4, 6-2 ACC) will face East Carolina (8-4, 6-2 American).

“After a lot of thought and prayer, the time has come to close this chapter and begin the next,” Louis wrote in his announcement. “I’ve decided to declare for the 2026 NFL Draft and pursue my dream of playing at the next level. From the kid struggling with where I fit in, to the man standing here now — confident and ready for what’s next — I want to say thank you, Pitt. I’m forever grateful. H2P, Kyle Louis.”

Louis started 11 games this season, compiling 81 tackles (8.5 for loss) with three sacks, two interceptions and two fumble recoveries.

He earned first-team All-ACC honors from the Associated Press and second-team honors from league media.

While Louis missed a significant chunk of Pitt’s Oct. 18 contest at Syracuse, as well as the following week vs. N.C. State due to injury, he still finished second on the team in tackles and tackles for loss, trailing only position mate Rasheem Biles.

Louis’ 2024 sophomore campaign was one of the finest individual performances by a Panther in program history.

Racking up 101 tackles while leading Pitt in tackles for loss (15.5), sacks (seven) and interceptions (four), Louis became the first Pitt sophomore to earn All-American honors from a NCAA-recognized selector (The Sporting News) since Hugh Green in 1978.

A first-team All-ACC selection, he placed third for league defensive player of the year.

Louis, a 6-foot-1, 220-pound player, joined the Panthers in 2022 out of East Orange, N.J.

Appearing in four games as a freshman, he redshirted that season and went on to assume a larger role in 2023, when he appeared in nine games, making 19 tackles.

Louis then burst onto the national scene in 2024, helping Pitt to a 7-0 start before the Panthers ultimately crumbled and ended the year with six straight defeats.

“To my ‘Sharks’ and my teammates, y’all are the reason I go hard and will continue to go hard representing you and the University of Pittsburgh,” Louis continued. “Thank y’all for everything — from the grind to the shine — we built a bond for life.”

Regarding his NFL prospects, chatter has grown over the course of the fall and winter that Louis could be better-suited as a defensive back, as opposed to linebacker.

ESPN draft guru Mel Kiper Jr. lists Louis as the No. 2 safety on his big board, behind only Ohio State’s Caleb Downs.