Pitt FB Recruiting
Central Catholic Sophomore Star Elliot Donald Visits Pitt
Central Catholic defensive tackle Elliot Donald is quickly developing into not only one of the top sophomore recruits in Pennsylvania, but the entire country.
In the last four months, Donald has received offers from Pitt, Notre Dame, Penn State, Ohio State, Michigan, Mississippi State, Rutgers and Toledo.
It’s safe to say that by the time his senior season rolls around, he’ll hold an offer from nearly every major program in the country.
Wednesday night, Pittsburgh Sports Now talked with Donald about the way his recruitment has blown up this spring.
“I honestly, never really thought about it especially while the season was going on” Donald told Pittsburgh Sports Now. “I was just worried about playing, having fun and trying to win. I really never think too much about recruiting and offers that I’m getting.
“It’s not really been overwhelming to me, at least not yet. I’m just happy and very appreciative that this is all happening and that all of the work I’ve put in is paying off.”
Courtesy of Elliot Donald
Since the end of the season, Donald has been able to make a few unofficial to schools such as Ohio State and Penn State, and has gotten good feedback from those programs.
“A lot of them are telling me how much they like what they see on my film,” he said. “They like how big I play and can’t wait to see what position I eventually develop into.”
On Monday, Donald visited a place that he’s very familiar with and that’s the Pitt football complex. Unlike when he makes visits to other schools, going to Pitt doesn’t seem like a visit to Donald.
Courtesy of Elliot Donald
“Not really, because I know and am cool with a lot of the players on the team,” he said. “It really just seems and feels like home. That’s what I know. It’s a place that I’m also familiar with because of how much I work out down there.”
Was their a particular reason or thing that brought Donald to visit Pitt on Monday?
“Not really, I just called (recruiting assistant Karlo Zovko) and asked if I could come down on Monday. I just wanted to see them in meetings and watch them lift and workout. While I was there, they had defensive line meetings which I was able to watch and be in with coach (Charlie) Partridge. I also had a chance to talk with (Pitt director of player development Bob Junko), who’s a real cool dude. I also was chilling with Coach Karlo, took some pictures and played Madden together.”
Is Donald, who is the nephew of Pitt legend and two-time reigning NFL defensive player of the year Aaron Donald, starting to feel some internal pressure to attend Pitt because of his last name? Also, the thought that’s being put out there by some people that he should attend another school so that he doesn’t have to go through the comparisons that would sure follow him to Pitt.
“Honestly, I don’t feel any pressure to attend anywhere,” he said. “At the end of the day, I really don’t care where other people feel I should attend or what people think. I try not to think about that because I know I still have a lot of time. In the end, I’m going to go where I fit in best.”
