Pitt Football Offers Five-Star Maryland Commit

PITTSBURGH -- The Pitt Panthers are looking for new players in the Class of 2026, and extending offers to athletes who already are committed elsewhere.
Zion Elee, a defensive end for powerhouse St. Frances Academy in Baltimore, announced on Twitter that Pitt offered him a scholarship.
Blessed to receive an offer from The University of Pittsburgh #r2p @CoachJdubSFA @lbcoachchris @Pitt_FB pic.twitter.com/QZ79KfWVII
— Zion Elee (@D1zion26) January 9, 2025
Elee committed to Maryland back on Dec. 7, sticking with the home town school, over offers from all over the country.
He started out at Joppatowne High School in Joppa, Md., 25-30 miles northeast of Baltimore, playing there for two seasons. He made 64 tackles, 23 tackles for loss and 13 sacks as a sophomore in 2023, before transferring to St. Frances Academy for his junior year.
On3 ranks Elee as the best player in the country in the Class of 2026 and 247Sports has him at No. 2. ESPN also has him as a five-star and ranks him No. 8 in the nation and No. 2 in the state. Rivals is the only major recruiting site that has him at a four-star, ranking him No. 22 in the United States, No. 3 in Maryland and the No. 2 strongside defensive end.
Elee holds offers from ACC schools in Florida State, Miami, North Carolina, Syracuse and Virginia, Big Ten schools in Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Michigan State, Minnesota, Ohio State, Oregon, Penn State, Purdue, Rutgers, UCLA, USC and Wisconsin, Big 12 schools in Texas Tech and West Virginia, SEC schools in Alabama, Auburn, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Missouri, Oklahoma, Ole Miss, South Carolina and Tennessee, plus James Madison and Notre Dame.
He stands at 6-foot-5 and 225 pounds and is incredibly quick off the snap. He maneuvers well and knows how to outsmart offensive tackles, cutting inside or going around to get to the quarterback or the running back behind the line of scrimmage.
FULL JUNIOR SZN https://t.co/varrcRKMeA
— Zion Elee (@D1zion26) December 27, 2024
+ number 1 player in the country
+ AGTG@SFAPantherFB_ pic.twitter.com/ob9Ivmxyqe
Pitt has a connection to St. Frances Academy, as rising redshirt sophomore defensive lineman Isaiah "Ghost" Neal also played there.
The Panthers don't have any commitments in the Class of 2026 yet, but will host their junior day soon and the coaching staff is traveling across the country, finding new talent to bring in for the future.
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