Pitt Football Facing Competition For 2025 Commit

The Pitt Panthers are facing competition for a top Class of 2025 football commit.

Dominic Campbell | Oct 11, 2024

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 had one of their top football recruits in the Class of 2025 committed for the past few months in Elijah Dotson, but they're currently facing stiff competition before signing day.

Dotson, who plays for Belleville High School in Belleville, Mich., just outside of Detroit, committed to Pitt back on May 18, picking them over Penn State, Michigan and Michigan State, who were in his final four schools.

He has received attention from both Michigan and Michigan State in recent months, as well as LSU, who offered him in September.

He took a visit to watch Michigan face then ranked No. 4 Texas in Ann Arbor in Week 2, but spoke to Allen Trieu of 247Sports that he was still committed to Pitt. He also confirmed this to Brice March of The Michigan Insider on 247Sports, but that he enjoyed his visit and that he's communicating more with the coaching staff.

Michigan won the National Championship last season, but head coach Jim Harbaugh left to take the same job with the Los Angeles Chargers in the NFL. Sherrone Moore, who spent the previous six seasons in offensive roles, took over as head coach for Michigan this season.

Dotson had a great relationship with the previous staff, who he described as his first option. The new staff under Moore has worked to build a relationship with him especially since the season started. His father likes Michigan and he also will likely go on more visits there.

"I will probably just come down there and visit with the staff, but we definitely will make another visit up there," Dotson said to March. "Depending how that goes and how I fit into their scheme, we might do an official visit before signing day as well."

LSU is another team that 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.

Underwood is the one trying to get Dotson to LSU and they will probably go on an official visit together, according to Dotson. He also wants to see how LSU treats himself as a recruit, away from Underwood, and how much they actually value him.

Dotson also said that he may take an official visit to Michigan State, as they've been "pushing hard."

He did mention that Pitt is still constant with communication and was so throughout his whole recruitment. Secondary coach Archie Collins, who recruits the Detroit area, offered Dotson before anyone else and that relationship played a major role in his commitment.

"I think I'm going to take my visits," Dotson said to March. "I mean I'm committed and I won't say we're open, but keeping our options. It is a business because you never know what will happen. It will probably be around signing day when I know for sure what I'm doing, but right now I'm committed to Pittsburgh."

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. 3 recruit in Michigan and No. 24 at the safety position, 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.

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Published Oct 11, 2024

DOMINIC CAMPBELL

Follow Dominic Campbell on Twitter.