Pitt makes top seven of linebacker Mekhi Mason

Mekhi Mason, a linebacker out of Monsignor Pace High School in Miami Gardens, Florida, announced his top seven on Monday and included Pitt among his finalists. The list was rounded out by Florida State, Georgia Tech, Indiana, Ole Miss, Syracuse and West Virginia.

Mason’s list was derived from an offer sheet with 15 programs represented, and the ones cut from contention included Coastal Carolina, Liberty, Louisville, LSU, Mississippi State, Tennessee State, UCF and Wake Forest.

The 6’2”, 220-pound linebacker holds three-star ratings from 247Sports and Rivals, and the former considers him the No. 27 inside linebacker in the country and the No. 113 prospect out of Florida in the 2022 class.

At Monsignor Pace, Mason served as a starting linebacker for a Spartans team that made the state playoffs in 2020. His contributions to the team included 42 tackles, including 12 tackles for losses and six sacks, in six games.

Mason has been in contact with Pitt associate head coach Charlie Partridge and Pitt linebackers coach Ryan Manalac during his recruitment, and Pitt officially offered him a scholarship in February. However, Pitt was late to the party, as Syracuse and West Virginia offered in 2020. But with that said, early offers did not help Louisville or Wake Forest.

At this point, Mason does not have a decision date set, but he previously said he is looking forward to taking visits to Pitt, Syracuse and West Virginia, and he is scheduled to visit Indiana in June. Given all that, a decision from Mason is likely several months away.