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Pitt Athletics

Look out, college football, another member of the Donald family is headed to Pittsburgh. Elliot Donald, a four-star defensive tackle, committed to the Panthers on Friday over Texas A&M, West Virginia, Notre Dame, Penn State, Michigan, Ohio State and LSU. The No. 116 overall player and the No. 9 defensive tackle in the Class of 2021 is the nephew of former Pitt defensive lineman Aaron Donald, a current six-time NFL Pro-Bowler for the Los Angeles Rams.

Donald announced his decision in a video posted to social media.

Donald is a 6-foot-2, 250-pounder from Central Catholic High School in Pittsburgh. He clocked a 4.53 second shuttle run and posted a 29-inch vertical jump at a regional for The Opening in 2019. He has 25 tackles and 15.5 tackles for loss through two high school seasons. Brian Dohn, national recruiting analyst for 247Sports, compared him to San Francisco 49ers star Sheldon Day and provided the following scouting report.

"Frame and length ideal for edge rusher," Dohn wrote. "Must add 20 to 30 pounds. Fast twitched and explosive. Athletic with body control and ability to change re-direct. Quick hands to disengage. Relentless and physical. Has speed and can bend and dip shoulder to get around edge. Has impressive swim move. Understands how to roll shoulders to squeeze through gaps. Must get stronger. Needs consistency staying low at snap. Developing technique and adding combination move sets needed. High level player for a top-20 program. Third day NFL draft pick."

Donald is the highest-ranked player in Pitt's 2021 recruiting class, which now sits at 17 players. The class is ranked No. 27 in the nation and No. 6 in the ACC.