Pitt Commit Adding Big 10 Competition

A Pitt Panthers Class of 2025 commitment is scheduling a Big 10 visit.

The Pitt Panthers are hosting Class of 2025 commitment in four-star defensive back Elijah Dotson on an official visit / Courtesy of Pitt Athletics

PITTSBURGH -- The Pitt Panthers have one of their top Class of 2025 football commitments looking to schedule an official visit to a Big 10 school.

Four-star defensive back Elijah Dotson, who plays for Belleville High School in Belleville, Mich., spoke to Allen Trieu of 247Sports and told him that he will schedule an official visit to Michigan State. He visited Michigan State this past weekend, who won 32-20 vs. Iowa at Spartan Stadium in East Lansing.

Dotson committed to Pitt back on May 18, picking them over Penn State, Michigan and Michigan State, who were in his final four schools.

Michigan State brought in a new coaching staff under Jonathan Smith, who came from Oregon State. They didn't recruit him hard initially, which led him to commit to Pitt, but recently, they've put the time in to

"They got the new coaching staff. They really weren't on me when they got in," Dotson said to Trieu. "They offered me as soon as they got in, but they didn't really apply the pressure for me to take them into consideration. But, once we had a 7-on-7 there, I balled out, won MVP … I was just balling, and they were like 'Dang, he's nice.' They've been putting the pressure on me since then. They've upped it a lot."

Dotson is also planning to make official visits to Michigan and LSU, but doesn't have anything set in stone. Trieu did write that he expects Dotson to make an official this weekend, as they host Michigan State in Ann Arbor, but that it isn't official yet.

LSU is pushing to land him, offering him on Sept. 19. Bryce Underwood, who plays quarterback for Belleville, is the No. 1 recruit in the Class of 2025, according to On3 and 247Sports rank Underwood, while Rivals has him at No. 2 in the country and is committed to LSU.

Dotson has continously reiterated that, while he is making these visits, he is still committed to Pitt. Secondary coach Archie Collins, who recruits the Detroit area, offered Dotson before anyone else and that relationship played a major role in his commitment.

Dotson visited Pitt made visits to Pitt back in March for a spring practice and for the spring game in 2023. He also made a visit for the Backyard Brawl vs. West Virginia in Week 3 along with a number of other Pitt Class of 2025 commits.

247Sports and ESPN have him as a four-star. 247Sports ranks him as the No. 2 recruit in Michigan, No. 10 safety and No. 110 in the Class of 2025, while ESPN rates him the No. 21 athlete, No. 5 in his state and No. 30 in the midwest region. 

On3 and Rivals rank him as a three-star. Rivals has him at No. 6 in Michigan and No. 52 at cornerback, while On3 has him No. 7 in the state and the No. 14 athlete, both for the Class of 2025, respectively.

He also has received offers from Vanderbilt, Iowa and Utah since committing to Pitt, with schools thinking they still have a chance to land him.

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