Cruce Brookins
Cruce Brookins
Moves between deep coverage and the slot. He has spent three seasons in the Pittsburgh secondary. The receipt on tape: 14 tackles against West Virginia, Week 3, 2025.
Low coverage — composed from the verified record.
- positional archetype classification
- seasons on the roster
- game log
Career Arc
Coaching Lineage · 2023–2025
1 coachPlayed his entire career under Pat Narduzzi.
2025 snapshot
Season context · Team result + system
Splits & context
Supporting Cast · Scheme
Staff and system around the player
Head Coach
Pat Narduzzi
Awards
Player Standing · 17 rungs
Tier 2 · StarterR05 · Part-time starter
Part-time starter. Tackle volume for the position in part-time-starter range.
Career stats
| Season | Team | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | Pittsburgh | 53 | 28 | 1.0 | 0.0 | 2 | 2 | -- |
| 2024 | Pittsburgh | 35 | 26 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 2 | 2 | -- |
| 2023 | Pittsburgh | 2 | 1 | 0.0 | 0.0 | -- | -- | -- |
| Career | 90 | 55 | 1.0 | 0.0 | 4 | 4 | -- |
Signature game
SIGNATURE GAME · Week 13 · 2025
W 42–28
at Georgia Tech
3 TOT · 2 SOLO
Edged out Georgia Tech on the road in a shootout.
How he plays
Play style
Moves between deep coverage and the slot — the modern positionless DB.
CFB Index positional classification
2026 Outlook
Pittsburgh
2026 Depth chart
Projected starter
Defensive back · Pittsburgh
Returning around him
- 1 Pittsburgh player drafted to NFL
- Transfer portal: -5 net (16 in / 21 out)
2026 Award watch
No preseason watch lists yet (most drop June 15 – July 15)
Pittsburgh · Last season: 8-5 (AP #24) · Talent rank #56 · 2026 recruiting class #44
DNA match
Player DNA
Hybrid Nickel
Moves between deep coverage and the slot — the modern positionless DB.
His 2025 production profile sits closest to Carter Davis’s 2025 season.
Matches Carter on
Differs from Carter on
Not enough data yet for this comparison.
As a junior, his production profile tracks closest to Jalen Smith's junior season at Mississippi State (2025).
Matches Jalen on
Differs from Jalen on
Background
2025: Started eight of 10 games at safety and also contributed on special teams…Honorable Mention All-ACC...compiled 53 tackles, two interceptions, two pass breakups and 0.5 tackles for loss. 2024: Played in 12 games, serving on special teams and as a primary reserve at strong safety…totaled 35 t...