The highest-rated recruit in Pitt’s class and the biggest name in the WPIAL this year, Elliot Donald was a huge get for Pitt when he committed in late July, choosing the Panthers over offers from LSU, Kentucky, Maryland, Michigan, Michigan State, Mississippi State, Notre Dame, Ohio State, Penn State, Rutgers, Syracuse, Texas A&M, Virginia Tech, West Virginia and Wisconsin.

Donald is, of course, the nephew of former Pitt standout Aaron Donald, and the family connection certainly helped the Panthers in pursuing him. But Elliot Donald made the decision on his own, and while his uncle’s influence is undeniable, he had plenty of reasons to choose the hometown team.

“It’s just home. I get to stay home,” Donald told Panther-Lair.com after he committed. “I trust Coach (Charlie) Partridge and the rest of the staff to get me where I want to be. And I just feel like this is the best decision for me.”

A 5.9 four-star prospect, Donald is the highest-rated recruit to commit to Pitt since Paris Ford in the class of 2017. He is the No. 93 overall prospect in the class of 2021 and the No. 8 defensive tackle recruit in the nation. Donald is also the No. 5 recruit in the state of Pennsylvania, according to Rivals.com.