Pitt Football Commit Projected to Flip

Pitt Panthers have a football commitment who is projected to flip.

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 a strong Class of 2025 for football, but they may lose one of their top recruits to another school.

Elijah Dotson, a four-star safety who plays for Belleville High School in Belleville, Mich., a suburb of Detroit, made an official visit to Michigan this weekend, as they faced off against No. 1 Oregon, losing 38-17.

EJ Holland of The Wolverine at On3, projected that Michigan will flip his commitment from Pitt, with 60% confidence, following his official visit.

Holland thinks that Dotson wants to commit and that he will, depending on how the roster shakes up at the safety position for the Wolverines.

"While numbers are getting tight in the secondary, I do believe Michigan would make room for Dotson, whose trip this weekend is an OV," Holland wrote. "From what I’ve gathered, it’s clear he wants to be at Michigan. The only thing I can see preventing a flip is a numbers crunch. But again, I do think Michigan would make room. Taking Dotson would also help with five-star quarterback Bryce Underwood, his close friend and teammate."

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 has made a large NIL push to land Dotson's teammate at Belleville in Underwood, who 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.

LSU also offered Dotson and want him to make a visit there, which they believe will help keep Underwood at the school.

Dotson had a relationship with the prior staff at Michigan, but the program changed after head coach Jim Harbaugh departed for the Los Angeles Changers in the NFL.

New Wolverines head coach Sherrone Moore and his staff have worked to build a relationship with Dotson, keeping one of the best players in-state.

Michigan State is also a team to watch out for as, they hosted Dotson for a visit in October and will try to get him on an official visit soon.

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. 31 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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