Pat Signal: Aveon Grose commits to Pitt

Pat Narduzzi and the Pitt coaching staff landed their first commitment of the 2022 recruiting cycle on Sunday, as Aveon Grose, a defensive back out of Mansfield Senior High School in Mansfield, Ohio, announced he would continue his athletic and academic career at Pitt.

The 5’11”, 170-pound defensive back, holds a three-star rating from 247Sports but has not been rated by Rivals or ESPN. Grose is considered the No. 43 safety and the No. 31 prospect in Ohio, according to 247Sports, and he ultimately chose Pitt over offers from MAC programs Akron and Eastern Michigan.

Grose is the younger brother of Michigan State commit Angelo Grose, who was the runner up for Mr. Football honors in Ohio in 2019. However, he has made a name for himself in the Buckeye State, as he led Mansfield in interceptions last season, with four, and had 70 tackles. And thanks in part to his defensive contributions, Mansfield Senior High School reached the Division III state title game.

At Pitt, Grose will have a chance to make an impact as part of a Panthers secondary that will be reloading after the departures of Paris Ford and Damar Hamlin in the near future. And given Grose’s proven big-play ability, it should be interesting to see how quickly he can rise in the Pitt pecking order once he arrives.