Buddy Mack III

2025 Overcoming Adversity Award
2025 Jim Carlen Special Teams Player of the Spring

Defensive back and special teams performer who played six years of collegiate football including his last two at South Carolina… joined the squad as a walk-on in the spring of 2024… appeared in 61 games over six seasons, the first 39 with the Pittsburgh Panthers.

2025 (Graduate)
Sixth-year player who saw most of his action on special teams… shared the Overcoming Adversity Award as selected by the coaches following the season with Monkell Goodwine… played in 10 contests… did not appear against Kentucky or Ole Miss due to injury… credited with three tackles… had two stops against South Carolina State and one against Oklahoma… presented with the Jim Carlen Special Teams Player of the Spring award at the 2025 Garnet & Black Spring Game.

2024 (Redshirt Senior)
Fifth-year player who was in his first season in Columbia as a grad transfer from Pitt… saw action in 12 of 13 games, missing only the Vanderbilt contest… used primarily on special teams… credited with four tackles… logged a pair of stops against Kentucky and one each against Texas A&M and Illinois.

2023 (Redshirt Junior)
Played in all 12 games for the Pitt Panthers… made the switch back to safety and played primarily on special teams… did not record any statistics.

2022 (Junior)
Played in five games including the bowl game against UCLA… served on special teams and as a reserve linebacker… did not record any statistics… redshirted.

2021 (Sophomore)
Played in 11 games, serving on special teams and as a reserve safety… totaled 11 tackles… had a career-high five stops against New Hampshire.

2020 (Freshman)
Enrolled at the University of Pittsburgh in January 2020 and participated in the Panthers’ abbreviated spring drills… played in all 11 games on special teams and also served as a reserve safety… had seven tackles and a forced fumble… had a season-high three tackles against Virginia Tech… had two stops in the Austin Peay opener… forced a fumble while making a tackle on the kickoff cover unit at Georgia Tech.

HIGH SCHOOL
Graduated from Byrnes High School in Duncan, S.C.  in December of 2019… compiled 40 tackles, nine tackles for loss, two sacks, two interceptions and four additional passes defended as a senior safety… named to the South Carolina Football Coaches Class 5A All-State Team… selected to play in the Shrine Bowl of the Carolinas all-star game… helped Byrnes to an 11-2 mark and the South Carolina High School League (SCHSL) Class 5A playoffs… coached by Reggie Shaw… rated one of the top 30 overall prospects in South Carolina by ESPN.

PERSONAL
Thomas Earl Mack III was born Feb. 8, 2002… owns a bachelor’s degree in law, criminal justice and society and a Master’s degree in coaching education… grandfather, Roy Kirksey, was an offensive guard at Maryland Eastern Shore and played four NFL seasons (1971-74), spending two years with the New York Jets and two with the Philadelphia Eagles.