Pitt lands DT target
The Pitt football team added a second commitment in the class of 2010 Thursday when Penn Hills defensive tackle Aaron Donald gave a verbal pledge to the Panthers.
"I committed to Pitt today," Donald told PantherLair.com. "Me and my parents have been talking about it all week, so I made the call after school today."
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Donald, 6'1" 260, chose Pitt over offers from Toledo, Rutgers, and Akron, and he was also receiving interest from Syracuse, Duke, Purdue, and North Carolina State. But in the end, Pitt was always Donald's top choice.
"After the first time I went down there, I fell in love with Pitt," Donald said. "It's really the perfect fit.
"I remember one time when I met their defensive tackle Mick Williams, and I was looking at him and I was like, 'Wow, I can play like him. I would be a perfect fit in this defense."
Donald was recruited for Pitt by defensive line coach Greg Gattuso, and he was the first call Donald made when he picked Pitt.
"I called Coach Gattuso and he was really excited. He was telling me he was glad I made that choice. Then I talked to Coach Wannstedt and he said the same thing. Actually, he said he was starting to worry about whether or not I was going to commit, but I was always all about Pitt."
Not only was Donald always sold on Pitt, but he also had the full support of his parents in the decision.
"We had been talking about it all week and my parents felt just like I did. They felt like it was the perfect fit."
Now Donald will turn his attention to his teammates, Brandon Ifill and Cullen Christian, who both have offers from Pitt.
"I've been talking to them and telling how Pitt's a big-time program. They're listening."
Pitt also has a commitment from Wilmington Area running back/safety Derrick Burns in the class of 2010.