Pitt makes top 11 of five-star recruit Gabriel Dindy

Over the last two years, the Pitt defense has been molded into an elite unit by Pat Narduzzi and Randy Bates. As a result, it has begun to attract elite prospects, and the latest to give Pitt serious consideration is Gabriel Dindy, a five-star defensive lineman out of Lakeland High School in Lakeland, Florida, who placed the program among his top 11 finalists.

Joining Pitt in Dindy’s top 11 are Clemson, Florida, LSU, Nebraska, Ohio State, Oklahoma, South Carolina, Texas A&M, USC and USF, and that list was made by cutting 10 programs from contention. The cuts included Florida State, Illinois, Kentucky, Miami, Ole Miss, Southern Mississippi, Tennessee, UCF, Vanderbilt, Virginia Tech and West Virginia.

The 6’3”, 275-pound defensive lineman holds a five-star rating from ESPN as well as four-star ratings from 247Sports and Rivals. ESPN considers Dindy the No. 7 prospect in the 2022 class. 247Sports and Rivals actually rank him higher despite giving him lower star ratings, as they put him at No. 5 and No. 6, respectively.

Dindy began to earn national recognition after a sophomore season in which he amassed 11.5 sacks, 29.5 tackles for losses, 19 quarterback hurries and three forced fumbles in 11 games. And with his help, Lakeland went 12-1 and won a district title in 2019.

At Pitt, Dindy could be a force to be reckoned with alongside fellow blue-chip recruit Elliot Donald and Dorien Ford on the Panthers defensive line, as he has drawn comparisons to former Houston star Ed Oliver for his style of play. In addition, Pitt has proved that it can do right by prospects of Dindy’s ilk, as it has sent a multitude of stars to the NFL. And more are on their way, as former Pitt linemen Patrick Jones II, Jaylen Twyman and Rashad Weaver are all expected to go in the early rounds.

Given all that, the Pitt could be a solid landing spot for Dindy. However, Oklahoma is currently considered his favorite due to his family ties to the university. So the Pitt staff will have its work cut out for it in prying him away from a perennial playoff contender, but it should also have a strong pitch for the elite prospect.