Sophomore Trio Visiting Pitt Following 2027 Commitments

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Over the last six days, a pair of 2027 recruits announcing commitments to the Pitt Panthers created an advantage for the ACC program.
The perks of those pledges can be measured across several factors. Multiple early commitments often draws positive attention from prospects in that class. It’s worth keeping in mind as the Pitt coaching staff is set to host a handful of rising juniors over the coming weeks.
Two offensive skill position prospects are cemented in the Pitt 2027 class. On March 22, the Panthers will host a trio of sophomore linemen who already carry plenty of scholarship offers.
Below is a quick look at those prospects.
LUAL ALEU
The Winton Woods High School offensive line was unusually large in 2024. Yet Lual Aleu fit right in as only a sophomore who started every game last year.
Aleu is already 6-foot-5 and 295 pounds and boasts a massive 82-inch wingspan. With the right measurables in place for a youngster aspiring to play Power Four football, Aleu also carries a notable concoction of athletic tools given his athletic background.
“I used to play soccer and basketball, so I say the fact that I played those two sports definitely helped my football ability right now,” Lual said last month.
Kentucky, Maryland, Missouri, Vanderbilt, and West Virginia sit alongside many programs not in the Power Four conferences on Aleu’s offer list. On March 22, he’ll be in Pittsburgh where he hopes to work toward adding the Panthers to his expanding college options.
LORENZO TARTAMELLA
From the Jersey program that produced Quenton Nelson - Red Bank Catholic - 2027 defensive end Lorenzo Tartamella has so far picked up offers from Boston College, Duke, Pitt, and West Virginia.
At 6-foot-3 and 235 pounds, he’s already looking the part.
Pitt was the first school to offer Tartamella in October of 2023. During the Panthers spring camp that followed, the Jersey product attended one of the April practices.
This should be an interesting recruitment to track with a potential ACC battle ahead.
REED GERKEN
Gerken will hit Georgia, Indiana, Kentucky, Ohio State, Penn State, Purdue, and Tennessee over the coming weeks.
He will also be in Pittsburgh on March 22 alongside Aleu and Tartamella.
At 6-foot-5, 290 pounds out of Perrysburg High School in Ohio, the 2027 tackle prospect has so far scooped up offers from Bowling Green, Central Michigan, Kent State, Kentucky, Miami of Ohio, and Toledo.
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Kevin Sinclair writes coverage of the Pitt Panthers along with the Baltimore Ravens, the New England Patriots, the Pittsburgh Steelers, and the Tennessee Titans for On SI. Previously, he was a recruiting reporter and managing editor at Irish Illustrated, the privately-owned Notre Dame site within the 247Sports Network, for over seven-and-a-half years. Kevin studied multimedia journalism and has been a sports writer for nearly a decade.