Pitt FB Recruiting
Which Key Recruits, WPIAL Prospects Were in Attendance for Pitt-Virginia?
While it was not the outcome that Pitt wanted on Saturday night against Virginia, the Panthers still focused on a list of recruits they hosted for a game day experience.
There were a few four-star recruits in attendance, along with some intriguing WPIAL prospects. A pair of recruits even picked up an offer from the Panthers while on their visit.
Pittsburgh Sports Now has gathered a list of those key recruits that were at Acrisure Stadium on Saturday.
Marcello Vitti — 2026 4⭐️ DB from Divine Child High School in Dearborn, Mich.
Vitti — a 6-foot, 190-pound prospect — was one of the top prospects in attendance for Pitt-Virginia and is a top-150 recruit in the 2026 cycle. He holds a four-star rating from Rivals.com and is ranked as the second-best recruit in Michigan and ninth-best as a safety.
Had a great game day visit at Pitt last night! @ARCHIECOLLINS_ @Pitt_FB #H2P @RisingStars6 @ReggieWynns @claney101 @DCHS_Football14 @MikePanther247 @PittPanthers247 @PantherLair @AllenTrieu @GregSmithRivals @RivalsFriedman @adamgorney @LemmingReport @HSFBscout @TheUCReport… pic.twitter.com/Metou4ILvY
— Marcello Vitti-2026-Athlete (Safety/Nickel/CB/RB) (@Marcello_Vitti) November 10, 2024
Pitt is one of many schools pursuing the high-end recruit after offering him back in March of this year while on a visit to the South Side.
He holds offers from Penn State, Purdue, Tennessee, Arkansas, Auburn, Michigan, Michigan State, Maryland, Minnesota, Indiana, Iowa, Wisconsin, West Virginia, Wake Forest, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisville Boston College and several others.
Favour Akih — 2026 4⭐️ RB from Rutherford B. Hayes High School in Delaware, Ohio.
Akih — a 6-foot, 190-pound prospect — picked up an offer from the Pitt coaching staff while on his visit Saturday. This was the second time Akih visited the program after camping at Pitt for a Rising Stars Camp in June.
The 2026 recruit is rated as a four star by On3 and ranks as the 76th-best player in the class, seventh-ranked running back and the No. 5 player in the state of Ohio.
His recruitment has picked up steam recently, pulling in an offer from Penn State on Wednesday. He holds additional D-I offers from Michigan State, Iowa State and Toledo.
Demari Clemons — 2026 3⭐️ from Washington High School in Massillon, Ohio
Clemons — a 5-foot-10, 159-pound prospect — picked up an offer from Pitt in 2023 after previously camping at the program in 2022.
He is rated as a three star according to Rivals, 247Sports and On3 — holds additional offers from Penn State, Michigan, Michigan State, Syracuse, West Virginia, Maryland, Louisville, UConn, Buffalo and Akron.
Dariyon Gordon — 2026 3⭐️ CB from West Orange High School in Winter Garden, Fla.
Gordon — a 6-foot, 170-pound prospect — has yet to pick up an offer from Pitt, but does own offers from Georgia, Florida State, Kentucky, UCF, UAB, Liberty, FAU, Troy, Bethune-Cookman and Georgia State.
Colsen Gatten — 2026 3⭐️ LB from Central Catholic High School in Pittsburgh, Pa.
Gatten — the 6-foot-1, 210-pound prospect — is an intriguing recruit in the 2026 cycle that Pitt is attempting to keep home. He has made a few visits at Pitt up to this point, including a trip to the South Side in March.
Rivals.com rates him as a 5.7 three star as the 11th-best inside linebacker and 21st player in the state of Pa.
Pitt offered Gatten in June of 2023. He holds additional offers from Penn State, Michigan, Michigan State, Nebraska, Notre Dame, Oklahoma, Syracuse, Tennessee, Texas A&M, West Virginia, Wisconsin Boston College, California, Duke, Kentucky, Maryland and Temple.
Shep Turk — 2025 offensive line commit from Thomas Jefferson High School
Turk — a 6-foot-5, 285-pound Pitt commit — returned to his future home 24 hours after Turk helped his Thomas Jefferson football team punch its ticket to the Class 4A WPIAL championship game.
Reston Lehman — 2026 Edge Rusher from Peters Township High School in McMurray, Pa.
Leahman — 6-foot-4, 230-pound prospect — has become a frequent visitor at Pitt this season after making visits for the Syracuse game, Backyard Brawl and the season opener against Kent State. He originally told PSN that he would be visiting Penn State for the White Out game. However, he was at Acrisure Stadium on Saturday instead repping a Pitt jacket.
The junior has seen his recruitment skyrocket recently picking up offers from Pitt, Penn State, Boston College, West Virginia, Virginia Tech, Maryland, Minnesota and Eastern Michigan.
Xavier Jackson — 2026 DB from Bergen Catholic High School in Oradell, N.J.
Jackson — a 6-foot-2, 185-pound prospect — was the second player to pick up an offer while on his visit to Pitt from linebacker coach Ryan Manalac.
Along with Pitt, Jackson also holds offers from West Virginia, Purdue and Central Michigan.
Rhett Morris — 2026 IOL from Don Bosco Prep in Ramsey, N.J.
Morris — a 6-foot-3, 300-pound prospect — picked up an offer from Pitt back in May. He also owns offers from West Virginia, Wake Forest, Boston College, Virginia Tech and UMass
Ashton Blatt — 2026 OLB from Central Catholic High School in Pittsburgh, Pa.
Blatt — a 6-foot-4, 230-pound prospect — has yet to pick up an offer from Pitt, but does own offers from Michigan State, Duke and Eastern Michigan.
Owen Pollock — 2026 TE/DE from Big Walnut High School in Sunbury, Ohio.
Pollock — a 6-foot-4, 225-pound prospect — is forming a close relationship with Pitt tight ends coach Jacob Bronowski despite not holding an offer yet from the Panthers. He holds offers from Kent State, Eastern Michigan, Miami (OH) and Eastern Kentucky.
Robert Haynes — 2026 WR from Ridge Point High School in Missouri City, Texas.
Haynes — a 6-foot-1, 167-pound prospect — holds FCS offers from Texas Southern, Louisiana Monroe and North Dakota State.
Cayden Thomas — 2026 QB from Mitchell High School in Trinity, Fla.
Thomas — a 6-foot, 160-pound prospect — was making his first visit to Pitt. He holds one D-I offer from Troy.
Additional WPIAL Recruits
Greyson Beck — 2026 OLB from Mt. Lebanon High School in Mt. Lebanon, Pa.
Beck — a 6-foot-2, 210-pound prospect — holds an offer from Eastern Michigan. This is his first game day visit at Pitt, but he did camp on the South Side in June.
Jaivin Peel — 2027 QB from Western Beaver in Industry, Pa.
Peel — a 6-foot-1, 185-pound prospect — is one of the top young quarterbacks in the WPIAL after breaking the freshman passing record last season.
While Peel awaits his first Division I offer, he has made several visits to Pitt, including a camp in June, the spring game and a few visits last year.
Gio Colon — 2026 WR/CB from Mt. Lebanon High School in Mt. Lebanon, Pa.
Joshua Carr — 2025 ATH from Hampton High School in Allison Park, Pa.
Brayden White — 2025 WR/CB from Thomas Jefferson High School in Jefferson Hills, Pa.
Tasso Whipple — 2025 RB/OLB from Penn-Trafford High School in Harrison City, Pa.
Joe Malone — 2026 DE/ATH from Mt. Lebanon High School in Mt. Lebanon, Pa.
