Inside The Panthers

Top Pitt Football Commit Flips to Michigan

Top Pitt Panthers football commit flipped to Michigan.

Dominic Campbell

Pitt Panthers Class of 2025 football commitment Elijah Dotson flips commitment to Michigan
Pitt Panthers Class of 2025 football commitment Elijah Dotson flips commitment to Michigan / Courtesy of Pitt Athletics
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PITTSBURGH --The Pitt Panthers lost one of their best recruits in the Class of 2025, as they decommitted and chose to take their talents elsewhere.

Elijah Dotson, a defensive back, a four-star safety who plays for Belleville High School in Belleville, Mich., a suburb of Detroit, flipped from Pitt to play for his hometown school, Michigan.

Dotson recently took an official visit to Michigan the weekend of Nov. 1-3, as they faced off against No. 1 Oregon, losing 38-17 in Week 10.

EJ Holland of The Wolverine at On3, projected that Michigan would flip his commitment from Pitt, with 60% confidence, following his official visit, and he ended up being right.

Michigan has made a large NIL push to land Dotson's teammate at Belleville in five-star quarterback Bryce 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. Landing Dotson gives them a better shot at flipping Underwood as well.

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

Panthers secondary coach Archie Collins, who recruits the Detroit area, offered Dotson before anyone else, which played a large role in him committing to them in the first place.

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.

He 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 put in the work to build a relationship with Dotson and will keep one of the best players in-state.

247Sports, ESPN, Rivals and On3 have him as a four-star. 247Sports ranks him as the No. 2 recruit in Michigan, No. 10 safety and No. 118 in the Class of 2025, ESPN rates him the No. 21 athlete, No. 5 in his state and No. 31 in the midwest region, Rivals has him No. 125 in the nation, No. 52 safety and No. 6 in Michigan, while On3 ranks him as the No. 31 cornerback and No. 3 in Michigan.

Pitt, even with Dotson's flip, still has some great recruits in the Class of 2025, including four-star defensive backs in cornerback Mason Alexander and safety Cole Woodson, plus three-star cornerbacks in Shawn Lee Jr. and Joshua Guerrier

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Dominic Campbell
DOMINIC CAMPBELL

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