A Wednesday morning recruiting notebook here with reactions from recruits who visited over the weekend and the latest on Pitt’s 2025 recruiting class.
- Signing Day is two weeks away. If you’re thinking it seems like it’s coming up quicker than usual, you’re right. What used to be the first Wednesday in February transitioned to the third Wednesday in December and now, for the first time, it’s the first Wednesday in December.
If you’re also thinking that doesn’t leave much time for postseason recruiting, you’re right on that front, too. With Signing Day coming the Wednesday after the regular season ends - and before the conference championship games - there really aren’t any open weekends for official visits. That’s good and bad, depending on your perspective; it eliminates the possibility of trying to get a late add to the class, probably from a recruiting flip, but it also eliminates the possibility of one of your team’s commits taking a late official visit and potentially flipping.
Of course, if recruits already took multiple official visits, then the possibility is on the table.
- Pitt’s 2025 recruiting class features 22 prospects. Tallahassee (Fla.) long-snapper
Henry Searcy has been listed on the commitment list, but we believe he is a walk-on, so the list of committed scholarship players stands at 22.
As of today - two weeks out from Signing Day - we believe Pitt is in solid standing with 21 of those 22.
- The lone exception, of course, is
Elijah Dotson. The four-star defensive back prospect is a top recruit in Pitt’s class and ranks No. 125 nationally, but Michigan - the prominent in-state school - has prioritized him as well and hosted him for an official visit two weeks ago.
The Wolverines will be tough to turn down, and I’m guessing he ultimately won’t. My expectation is that Dotson will sign with Michigan in two weeks.
That will be a blow to Pitt’s class, of course, leaving the Panthers with one four-star prospect in defensive back
Mason Alexander and five high three-stars in linebacker
Justin Thompson and athletes
Tony Kinsler,
Damarion Fowlkes,
Synkwan Smith and
Josh Guerrier.
We’ll break down the class more in terms of what Pitt is getting and how the recruits fit, but for now, that’s our expectation for Signing Day:
21 of the 22 current commits will sign with the Panthers.
- Pitt had a big group of recruits visiting for Saturday’s loss to Clemson in the home finale at Acrisure Stadium. Here’s what we have gathered on that front:
The headliner was five-star defensive lineman
Javion Hilson. A five-week Alabama commit who reopened his recruitment last January, Hilson looked at Florida, Texas, UCF and Florida State over the summer before taking fall official visits to Syracuse and Pitt ahead of one more visit to Florida this weekend.
Hilson is coached by former Pitt defensive end James Folston, which creates a connection, but the prevailing sentiment is that his recruitment will come down to Texas or Florida or even Syracuse, with the Longhorns holding the advantage.
- Hilson was the only official visitor over the weekend, but there were a bunch of other recruits on the sidelines on Saturday - commits from the 2025 class and targets from the 2026 and 2027 classes. Here’s what some of those guys had to say about the experience at Acrisure Stadium.
Mason Alexander: “I loved it. Loved coming back to the crib, getting a chance to talk to the coaches and to watch the players.”
Mason Heintschel: “I thought it was good, obviously tough with the result and everything. Was definitely frustrated after and for the rest of the night but they battled for sure. Just came down to a few plays at the end, they’re definitely banged up which didn’t help, but like I said other than the result it was good!”
Max Hunt: “It was a tough game, good environment.”
Trevor Sommers: “I think it was a very competitive game. The defense played great besides letting up two fast touchdowns on Clemsons 2-3 play drives. The best is yet to come.”
Mekhi Graham: “It was a fun game and a great atmosphere!”
Marcus Jennings: “I thought it was a great game and Pitt played well and a good brand of football”
Tyler Duell, who received a scholarship from Pitt at the game: “It was my first time there so it was a completely new experience but I really enjoyed it. I think that Pitt sharing facilities with the Steelers is pretty cool and I liked how the crowd was getting into the game. They were getting pretty loud. I think the stadium is great and I thought it was a really good game.”
Chris Newell: “The Pitt game was great, great sights and sounds love the atmosphere. Got to talk with the coaches in my position, just catching up on what’s going on. Loved it and I can’t wait to be back.”
Jackson Ford: “It was a close game very exciting watch.”
Terry Wiggins: “I enjoyed myself at the game yesterday! I really liked watching the defense do their thing out there and seeing the fans into the game too!”
JaySean Richardson: “I liked it. It was a great atmosphere!”
David Moore: “I loved it. The energy in the stadium and the atmosphere was amazing. It felt like home! I was pleasantly impressed. Pitt is definitely feeling more and more like where I think I want to be."
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