Pitt FB Recruiting
Pitt Football Projected to Lose Top Commit in Class of 2025
Pitt may be on the brink of losing its top recruit in the class of 2025.
Elijah Dotson — a 6-foot-2, 180-pound four-star cornerback from Belleville High in Detroit, Mich. — took an official visit to Michigan over the weekend, watching the Wolverines lose to No. 1 Oregon at Michigan Stadium, and the in-state recruit is a flip candidate.
E.J. Holland of On3 predicted that Dotson will flip from Pitt to Michigan, citing Dotson’s desire to stay home with the Wolverines. He reported that Dotson wants to commit to Michigan, with only a potential numbers crunch standing in the way.
Michigan is also working hard to land Dotson’s high school teammate and good friend Bryce Underwood, a five-star quarterback committed to LSU.
Dotson committed to Pitt in May at a special ceremony at his high school, choosing the Panthers over a list of finalists that included Michigan, Michigan State and Penn State.
He held Power Four offers from Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Kansas State, Louisville, Michigan, Michigan State, Penn State, Purdue, Tennessee and Wisconsin. But the Panthers stood out largely because of the coaching staff.
“They were my first offer, I have a good relationship with coach Collins, he’s from Detroit and I’m from Detroit so we’ve kind of got that connection,” Dotson told Pittsburgh Sports Now when he committed. “And the last time I visited they showed me more than just football, they showed me the school and everything.
“They’ve been on me really heavy the last two months, the whole offseason really. I have a good relationship with coach Narduzzi, so everything just felt right.”
Dotson is an electric two-way playmaker, who is in the midst of a dominant two-way senior season at Belleville. And it makes sense that Vanderbilt, Purdue and LSU have extended offers this fall — with Michigan and Michigan State circling back around.
“My dad has been telling me that’s going to come even after you commit,” Dotson told Pittsburgh Sports Now in September. “They’re going to keep coming and coming, and it’s going to be a crazy season. Everything my dad has told me has been right. Personally, I’m not that surprised because I’m a talented player. I’ve always had the mindset that any offer I receive regardless of when I receive it, I consider it a blessing.”
247Sports rates Dotson as the 118th-ranked player in the class (10th-ranked safety and second-ranked recruit from Michigan) while On3 rates him as the 243rd-ranked recruit in the class (10th-ranked athlete and second-ranked recruit from Michigan).
Rivals rates him as the 52nd-ranked cornerback and sixth-ranked recruit from Michigan.
All about the top bidder now!
H2P!!!
Don’t blame him or Flinstone when we’re working with 6 million for a team of 85 players and probably half of that will go to Eli next yr there isn’t any money left. There’s a reason most of Pitts recruiting class are low 3 star types with a couple bottom feeder power 4 offers or just group of 5 offers besides the Pitt offer. We’re not a serious program our boasters suck they spend peanuts on this team. I give up on this 412 Alliance just a bunch of talkers.
I agree but the only way to improve it is for EVERY Pitt fan to chip in – rather than just complaining. 412 Alliance is the best thing to happen to Pitt in a long time. Without them we would be sub .500 every year.
H2P!!!
I’m good, Chief. I have season tickets, give extra through Panther Club. Occasionally donate additional funds during special events. But this whole NIL thing is for the birds until there is a framework and rules set. I have a family of my own and other priorities. Let the schools pay the players directly for all I care. But can you imagine pro teams having NIL deals? “Hey kids, need to keep Carr with the Saints. It’s going to be a light Christmas and I’ll put off paying house off so “we” can have a good team” Good God, college athletics… Read more »
Absolutely!
Then don’t complain as you always do. NIL is a reality we all must accept. Alliance 412 is what we have now. Our new A.D. will add to that.
No one should be surprised…
Happens every year to many teams. Recruits today don’t understand the definition of commitment. Don’t make a commitment until you’re absolutely sure.
The only reason kids commit now is to make sure they have a spot, then they can go shopping around and “return” their committment for better merhcandise.
Great point!
Until the ncaa makes a rule that players must sign contracts with colleges for say 1 to 5 yrs depending on the player at that point nobody can be surprised when a player leaves that becomes a free agent after a yr or two. Helps the teams as much as the players.
Power 4 plus Notre Dame (65 teams), typical 22 Athletes each. 250+ thousand to Choose from, Athletes 600 to 1100 ranked will do just fine.
Focus on the development not the Unicorns.
I don’t know or understand this, if he wanted to stay home, & play at the Mega-stadium,
he held a conmittable offer in the spring…..I don’t see what’s changed!
The offer $$$ changed
Can we stop acting like this is a new thing? There are no more commitment flips now than there were before the NIL era. Flips are just a fact of life when dealing with 17 and 18 year old kids. It could be fear of playing somewhere that you don’t know anyone, fear of being away from home, wanting to go to a bigger school, going somewhere their girlfriend is at, or any number of things past that. Yes money may play into it now, but it’s always been a thing. Other schools would flip commits to Pitt and Pitt… Read more »
Wonder if flipping to a better college education factors in with these dudes……. ???
Did it before? Div 1 athletes outside of the service academies and with the exception of a few have always chosen the bigger flashy programs with more prestige and recent championships, over the upper middle borderline programs with good education.
Being sarcastic here…. It ain’t college ball anymore…. Semi-pro!!!
Michigan is a better overall school/education.
It’s just like this in everything else nowadays.
Commit then keep looking to move up the ladder.
Commitment in Amy type doesnt mean anything in this day and age. Smh