Pitt FB Recruiting
A Look at Pitt’s Five Offensive Line Commits in Class of 2024
The offensive line room is going to take a hit after the 2023 season when Jake Kradel, Blake Zubovic, Ryan Jacoby and maybe even Matt Goncalves look to head to the next level.
But as always, Pitt’s coaching staff is recruiting offensive linemen as heavily as any position on the roster this cycle.
The top recruit in the class is Caleb Holmes, a four-star interior offensive lineman from Georgia, and the newest recruit in the class is Moritz Schmoranzer, a three-star offensive tackle from Virginia, by way of Germany.
Pitt has landed five offensive linemen in the class 0f 2024, so let’s take a look at the five linemen currently in the class — and keep an eye out in the future for four-star offensive lineman Ryan Howerton. He did say he would be a package deal with Schmoranzer…
2024 Offensive Line Commits
Caleb Holmes — four-star interior offensive lineman
Holmes is one of the crown jewels of Pitt’s class of 2024.
Holmes — a 6-foot-3, 300-pound four-star interior offensive lineman from Creekside High in Georgia — committed to Pitt over offers from Auburn, Cincinnati, Florida State, Georgia Tech, James Madison, LSU, Louisville, Marshall, Maryland, Memphis, Mississippi State, Missouri, Oklahoma, Tennessee and UCF.
Dave Borbely loves Holmes’ aggression, whether it’s from his time at right tackle or at left guard throughout his time at Creekside, and he certainly loves his first step — his quickness in a 6-foot-3, 300-pound frame. “He likes how I move guys off the line,” Holmes said. “When he told me he analyzed my film, I think one of the things I point out is me dragging dudes 10, 15 yards down the field.”
Holmes models himself off current Pitt lineman (and former Creekside teammate) BJ Williams actually. As he’s watched Williams work on and off the field at Creekside over the last few seasons, he’s seen things he hasn’t seen from any other high school football player. There’s a certain level of respect and admiration that Holmes has for Williams.
247Sports rates Holmes as the 187th-ranked recruit in the class (ninth-ranked interior offensive lineman and 25th-ranked recruit from Georgia) while On3 rates him as the 254th-ranked recruit in the class (20th-ranked interior offensive lineman and 32nd-ranked recruit from Georgia).
Rivals rates him as the 15th-ranked offensive guard and 55th-ranked recruit from Georgia — holding a 5.7 Rivals Rating.
Moritz Schmoranzer — three-star offensive tackle
Schmoranzer created some fans when he committed to Pitt over his list of finalists which included Miami, Virginia Tech and West Virginia.
Schmoranzer — a 6-foot-4, 275-pound three-star offensive lineman from North Cross School in Roanoke, Virginia — held offers from Appalachian State, Coastal Carolina, Georgia Tech, Miami, James Madison, Liberty, Ohio, Old Dominion, Pitt, Virginia, Virginia Tech, West Virginia and Wake Forest before committing to Pitt.
And considering Schmoranzer’s inexperience in playing tackle football, playing soccer and running track (actually running, boasting a 13.01 100-yard dash at 275 pounds) in Germany before coming to the United States, his rise as an offensive lineman has been very quick.
He’s only played one season on the offensive line, spending his first season in the United States as a wide receiver, and that speed and athleticism are what jump off the screen when watching him play either tackle spot.
Schmoranzer said Pitt is getting a fast, athletic offensive lineman on the field, and a German off the field.
247Sports rates Schmoranzer as the 46th-ranked interior lineman and the 19th-ranked recruit from Virginia. Rivals rates him as the 15th-ranked recruit from Virginia — holding a 5.6 Rivals Rating.
Jiavani Cooley — three-star offensive tackle
Cooley has been committed to Pitt for a while now, locking in with the Panthers back during the spring.
Cooley — a 6-foot-6, 265-pound three-star offensive tackle from Erie Cathedral Prep in Erie, Pennsylvania — chose Pitt over offers from Akron, Boston College, Maryland, Massachusetts, Syracuse, Toledo and Western Michigan.
Pitt likes to add a handful of offensive linemen each cycle, especially when the losses on the line will be as great as last season’s and after next’s, and Cooley is the sort of mauler Pitt’s staff likes.
He pointed to his aggression as his best attribute, promoting his eagerness to jump into scrums and hit people, and that sort of play style is evident once you cut his film on.
247Sports rates Cooley as the 1,021st-ranked recruit in the class (80th-ranked offensive tackle and 28th-ranked recruit from Pennslyvania) while On3 rates him as the 1,141st-ranked recruit in the class (62nd-ranked offensive tackle and 22nd-ranked recruit from Pennsylvania).
Rivals rates him as the 30th-ranked recruit from Pennsylvania — holding a 5.5 Rivals Rating.
Adham Abouraya — three-star offensive tackle
Abouraya is another offensive lineman that has been committed to Pitt for a while, the first of Pitt’s five linemen to commit actually.
Abouraya — a 6-foot-5, 280-pound three-star offensive lineman from Downington East High in Downington, Pennsylvania — committed to Pitt over offers from Bowling Green, Cincinnati, Maryland, Pitt, Rutgers, Syracuse, Temple and West Virginia.
He fits the mold of a Pitt lineman to a T. He plays tackle at Downingtown East, but he’s capable of playing guard or tackle, and he’s quick and athletic in a very large frame — which is only helped by his wrestling exploits.
The Downingtown East teams run the ball a lot, so he has plenty of experience getting physical and opening up holes for running backs to explode through — which is also the kind of offense Narduzzi likes to run.
247Sports rates Abouraya as the 1,177th-ranked recruit in the class (88th-ranked interior offensive lineman and the 35th-ranked recruit from Pennsylvania). On3 rates him as the 1,270th-ranked recruit in the class (95th-ranked offensive tackle and 36th-ranked recruit from Pennsylvania).
Rivals rates him as the 31st-ranked recruit from Pennsylvania — holding a 5.5 Rivals Rating.
Mason Lindsay — three-star offensive tackle
Lindsay made it out to Pittsburgh for his official visit early last month and left as a Pitt Panther, even if he didn’t announce it right away.
Lindsay — a 6-foot-7, 300-pound three-star offensive lineman from DeMatha Catholic High in Hyattsville, Maryland — chose Pitt over offers from Boston College, Charlotte, Maine, Maryland, USF, Virginia Tech and West Virginia.
And as a junior at DeMatha last season, serving as a versatile piece across the offensive line, lining up inside and outside, Lindsay used his speed and power to overwhelm opponents. It’s his ability to maul opponents that attracted interest not just from Borbely but from college coaches across the nation.
247Sports rates Lindsey as the 1,355th-ranked recruit in the class (91st-ranked offensive tackle and 32nd-ranked recruit from Maryland) while On3 rates him as the 1,284th-ranked recruit in the class (108th-ranked interior offensive lineman 37th-ranked recruit from Maryland).
Rivals rates him as the 39th-ranked recruit from Maryland — holding a 5.5 Rivals Rating.
I like this format — where you show all of the recruits for a particular position, in order of ranking, and include their most-recent performance videos. Kudos to PSN.