Inside The Panthers

Pitt Adds Three Official Visits

The Pitt Panthers will host some talented Class of 2025 Recruits this summer on official visits.
Dominic Campbell|
Sep 30, 2023; Blacksburg, Virginia, USA; Pittsburgh Panthers head coach Pat Narduzzi reacts before
Sep 30, 2023; Blacksburg, Virginia, USA; Pittsburgh Panthers head coach Pat Narduzzi reacts before | Peter Casey-USA TODAY Sports

PITTSBURGH -- The Pitt Panthers continue to increase their recruiting efforts, as they got three Class of 2025 recruits to schedule official visits.

Defensive end Donovan Darden, linebacker Denim Cook and athlete Quante Gillians all scheduled their official visits to Pitt for the month of June. Darden and Gillians will come June 13-15, while Cook will visit June 20-22.

Darden plays for Havelock High School in Havelock, N.C., and features at both defensive end and outside linebacker on defense, while also playing quarterback on offense.

He made 46 tackles (31 solo), 9.0 tackles for loss, one sack, two interceptions and six passes defended on defense last sesaon. He also completed 16-of-26 passes for one touchdown and rushed 23 times for 143 yards and two touchdowns as a junior.

Darden works well in coverage and on the line of scrimmage, giving him the versatility to play at both linebacker and as an edge rusher. Standing at 6-foot-4 and 225 pounds, Darden is difficult to block for an offensive lineman. He also has a great eye for the ball carrier and makes tackles with ease.

Darden holds offers Power Four offers from rival West Virginia, ACC foe Boston College, South Carolina and Missouri, American schools in Charlotte and East Carolina, Sun Belt schools in James Madison and Marshall, plus Old Dominion and UConn.

He has one other official vist set up to South Carolina June 21-23.

Gillians plays for the Aquinas Institute in Rochester, N.Y. , playing at both tight end and edge rusher.

He made 27 tackles (15 solo), 5.0 tackles for loss, 10.5 sacks, two forced fumbles, one fumble recovery and two passes defended on defense last season. He also made 10 catches for 169 yards at tight end in 2023. He received All-State honors as a junior and served as a team captain.

Gillians, who stands at 6-foot-4 and 250 pounds, easily overpowers offensive linemen and makes any quarterback's day a miserable one. He's also a solid tight end, but it looks like he'll play as an edge rusher in college.

Pitt was the first school to offer Gillians, with former tight ends coach Tim Salem doing so. The new coaching staff built a new relationship with Gillians, who will now make an official vists.

He also holds offers from Big Ten schools in Michigan State and Minnesota, ACC foes Boston College and SMU, rival West Virginia, MAC schools in Buffalo and Toledo, USF, plus FCS schools in Bryant, Colgate, Fordham, Lafayette,Monmouth and New Hampshire.

Gillians also scheduled official visits to Boston College on May 31 and Michigan State on Jun 21.

Cook is the closer of the three recruits, playing for Bishop Hartley High School in Columbus, Ohio.

He made 116 tackles, 22 tackles for loss, 15 sacks, one interception, three passes defended and two fumble recoveries as a junior in 2023. For his efforts, he earned First Team All-Conference and First Team All-Metro honors.

Cook has the vision needed to excel as a linebacker. This allows him to execute the right moves to make tackles and also to stay strong in coverage. His 6-foot-4 and 225 pound frame are great for the collegiate level and even going forward.

Pitt made Cook's final six schools back in April, joining ACC foes Louisville and Virginia, Big Ten schools in Indiana and Purdue, plus Toledo.

He made previous visits to Pitt in January 2023, for the Florida State game on November 4 and then the Spring Game back in April.

Cook will also make an official visit to Virginia June 7-9, with the two ACC schools battling for his services.

247Sports ranks him as a three-star, the No. 62 recruit in Ohio and No. 112 linebacker in the Class of 2025, respectively. Rivals rates him as a two-star.

Pitt will have a number of other recruits make official visits this summer. Quarterback commit Mason Heintschel and defensive lineman Sherrod Henderson will visit June 6-8, while wide receiver Giyanhi "Geo" Kontosis and defensive lineman Julian "JuJu" Anderson will visit June 20-22.

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Dominic Campbell
DOMINIC CAMPBELL

Dominic writes for Pittsburgh Pirates On SI, Pittsburgh Panthers Pn SI and also, Pittsburgh Steelers On SI. A Pittsburgh native, Dominic grew up watching Pittsburgh Sports and wrote for The Pitt News as an undergraduate at the University of Pittsburgh, covering Pitt Athletics. He would write for Pittsburgh Sports Now after college and has years of experience covering sports across Pittsburgh.

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