← the board · drewhoover.com · 2024–2026
Pittsburgh's best defenders since 2024
Isaiah Neal leads with 76 tackles in 29 games at Pittsburgh; Tamon Lynum had 59.
Every defender with 5 or more games at Pittsburgh since 2024, ranked by tackles; the lines are each player's tackles game by game, the top 8 drawn. A link opens the player's page, where he has one, or his row on the board.
85 defenders with 5+ games at Pittsburghtackles
| # | player | seasons | games | tackles | sacks | tackles for loss | interceptions |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Isaiah Neal | 2024–2026 | 29 | 76 | 6.5 | 17 | 0 |
| 2 | Tamon Lynum | 2024–2025 | 21 | 59 | 1 | 2 | 2 |
| 3 | Nick James | 2024–2026 | 28 | 58 | 3.5 | 20 | 0 |
| 4 | Kavir Bains-Marquez | 2025 | 12 | 58 | 0 | 1 | 3 |
| 5 | Shawn Lee Jr. | 2025–2026 | 18 | 52 | 0 | 7 | 2 |
| 6 | Francis Brewu | 2024–2025 | 21 | 51 | 2.5 | 11 | 0 |
| 7 | Jeremiah Marcelin | 2024–2026 | 9 | 40 | 1 | 6 | 0 |
| 8 | Shadarian Harrison | 2024–2026 | 19 | 38 | 0 | 2 | 2 |
| 9 | Cameron Lindsey | 2024–2026 | 13 | 38 | 2 | 6 | 1 |
| 10 | Alex Sanford Jr. | 2026 | 7 | 33 | 2 | 7 | 0 |
| 11 | Josh Guerrier | 2025–2026 | 10 | 31 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| 12 | Allen Bryant | 2024–2026 | 12 | 28 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 13 | Keye Thompson | 2024 | 10 | 28 | 0 | 3 | 0 |
| 14 | DeMarco Ward | 2026 | 7 | 25 | 2 | 4 | 0 |
| 15 | Raion Strader | 2026 | 7 | 24 | 0 | 0 | 3 |
| 16 | Nate Matlack | 2024 | 12 | 23 | 5 | 8 | 0 |
| 17 | Joey Zelinsky | 2025 | 10 | 23 | 2 | 5 | 0 |
| 18 | Abe Ibrahim | 2025–2026 | 12 | 21 | 0 | 2 | 0 |
| 19 | Zach Crothers | 2025–2026 | 7 | 21 | 1.5 | 6 | 0 |
| 20 | Cole Woodson | 2025–2026 | 8 | 20 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| 21 | Sincere Edwards | 2024 | 12 | 17 | 3 | 7 | 0 |
| 22 | Jahsear Whittington | 2024–2025 | 14 | 16 | 1 | 5 | 0 |
| 23 | Blaine Spires | 2025 | 7 | 15 | 2 | 5 | 0 |
| 24 | Jaeden Moore | 2025–2026 | 9 | 14 | 2.5 | 6 | 0 |
| 25 | Zion Ferguson | 2025–2026 | 9 | 13 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 26 | Chief Borders | 2024 | 8 | 12 | 0.5 | 2 | 0 |
| 27 | Davin Brewton | 2024–2026 | 7 | 12 | 0 | 2 | 0 |
| 28 | Jesse Anderson III | 2024–2025 | 8 | 11 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 29 | Rashan Murray | 2025–2026 | 5 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| 30 | Maverick Gracio | 2024–2025 | 6 | 5 | 1 | 2 | 0 |
| 31 | Braylan Lovelace | 2023–2026 | 37 | — | — | — | 4 |
| 32 | Javon McIntyre | 2021–2025 | 35 | — | — | — | 3 |
| 33 | Jimmy Scott | 2023–2026 | 33 | — | — | — | 0 |
| 34 | Cruce Brookins | 2023–2026 | 30 | — | — | — | 4 |
| 35 | Kyle Louis | 2023–2025 | 26 | — | — | — | 6 |
| 36 | MJ Devonshire Jr. | 2021–2023 | 25 | — | — | — | 8 |
| 37 | Rasheem Biles | 2023–2025 | 25 | — | — | — | 3 |
| 38 | Sean FitzSimmons | 2023–2026 | 25 | — | — | — | 0 |
| 39 | Brandon George | 2020–2024 | 24 | — | — | — | 2 |
| 40 | Lafayette Pitts | 2012–2015 | 24 | — | — | — | 4 |
| 41 | Phillip O'Brien Jr. | 2021–2024 | 24 | — | — | — | 4 |
| 42 | Avonte Maddox | 2014–2017 | 23 | — | — | — | 8 |
| 43 | Rashad Battle | 2020–2025 | 23 | — | — | — | 0 |
| 44 | Donovan McMillon | 2023–2024 | 20 | — | — | — | 1 |
| 45 | A.J. Woods | 2019–2023 | 17 | — | — | — | 4 |
| 46 | Jordan Whitehead | 2015–2017 | 17 | — | — | — | 3 |
| 47 | Marquis Williams | 2020–2023 | 17 | — | — | — | 6 |
| 48 | Ryland Gandy | 2023–2024 | 17 | — | — | — | 0 |
| 49 | Erick Hallett II | 2019–2022 | 15 | — | — | — | 8 |
| 50 | Nate Temple | 2023–2025 | 15 | — | — | — | 0 |
| 51 | David Green | 2019–2023 | 14 | — | — | — | 0 |
| 52 | Nick Lapi | 2023–2025 | 13 | — | — | — | 0 |
| 53 | Damar Hamlin | 2017–2020 | 11 | — | — | — | 6 |
| 54 | Bam Brima | 2021–2023 | 10 | — | — | — | 0 |
| 55 | Brandon Hill | 2020–2022 | 10 | — | — | — | 3 |
| 56 | Dayon Hayes | 2021–2023 | 10 | — | — | — | 0 |
| 57 | Shayne Simon | 2022–2023 | 10 | — | — | — | 0 |
| 58 | Solomon DeShields | 2021–2023 | 10 | — | — | — | 0 |
| 59 | Tyler Bentley | 2019–2023 | 10 | — | — | — | 0 |
| 60 | Bangally Kamara | 2021–2023 | 9 | — | — | — | 1 |
| 61 | Cam Bright | 2018–2021 | 9 | — | — | — | 1 |
| 62 | Damarri Mathis | 2018–2021 | 9 | — | — | — | 5 |
| 63 | Jason Pinnock | 2017–2020 | 9 | — | — | — | 6 |
| 64 | Jordan Bass | 2023–2024 | 9 | — | — | — | 0 |
| 65 | Nahki Johnson | 2022–2024 | 9 | — | — | — | 0 |
| 66 | Anthony Gonzalez | 2011–2013 | 8 | — | — | — | 1 |
| 67 | DeAndre Jules | 2022–2023 | 8 | — | — | — | 0 |
| 68 | Matt Galambos | 2014–2016 | 8 | — | — | — | 3 |
| 69 | Dane Jackson | 2016–2019 | 7 | — | — | — | 4 |
| 70 | Devin Danielson | 2019–2023 | 7 | — | — | — | 0 |
| 71 | Elliot Donald | 2022–2024 | 7 | — | — | — | 0 |
| 72 | Phil Campbell III | 2018–2021 | 7 | — | — | — | 2 |
| 73 | Samuel Okunlola | 2023 | 7 | — | — | — | 0 |
| 74 | Tamarion Crumpley | 2021–2024 | 7 | — | — | — | 1 |
| 75 | Deslin Alexandre | 2019–2022 | 6 | — | — | — | 0 |
| 76 | Elijah Zeise | 2015–2018 | 6 | — | — | — | 0 |
| 77 | John Petrishen | 2020–2021 | 6 | — | — | — | 3 |
| 78 | Paris Ford | 2018–2020 | 6 | — | — | — | 6 |
| 79 | Jazzee Stocker | 2017–2019 | 5 | — | — | — | 1 |
| 80 | John Morgan III | 2019–2022 | 5 | — | — | — | 0 |
| 81 | Rashad Weaver | 2018–2020 | 5 | — | — | — | 0 |
| 82 | Ray Vinopal | 2012–2014 | 5 | — | — | — | 5 |
| 83 | Saleem Brightwell | 2016–2019 | 5 | — | — | — | 2 |
| 84 | SirVocea Dennis | 2020–2022 | 5 | — | — | — | 2 |
| 85 | Terrish Webb | 2014–2016 | 5 | — | — | — | 5 |
Also at Pittsburgh: quarterbacks, running backs, wide receivers, tight ends, kickers, punters. Every school and conference: schools, conferences. The games are ESPN's box scores since 2004 (the Method says where they fall short); a position is the roster's, else read off the box score, so a tight end from before 2014 may be listed with the wide receivers.