“It was a real honor to receive an offer from the same college my father attended. I was really excited. It means a lot to me, “said Gilbert. “Pitt actually offered me a scholarship last spring. My father forgot to tell me. Pitt had a coach recently visit my school and we had a great conversation. He mentioned the offer while we were talking. I was surprised and happy at the same time. Nearly half a year went by and I didn’t realize they had offered.”
Gilbert is a powerful defensive end prospect with a great nose for the ball. He’s capable of running a 4.55 forty-yard dash. Zach primarily plays linebacker, defensive end in certain packages and running back on offense.
“I had a great conversation with the coach that visited me. I could really relate to him. We discussed Aliquippa and the Pitt football program. He told me they mostly have sophomores and freshman playing. He mentioned that they want vocal leaders as well. I’m very vocal. I speak with my defensive line, my cornerbacks and my safeties. That’s my style. If Pitt needs leaders, I could fill that role.”
“I can relate to Pitt’s current position. They are fighting to get from the bottom to the top. My high school team was 2-9 last season. We’re currently 6-1 heading into homecoming. I know what it’s like to be in that position.”
When asked about his strengths as a defensive end, he stated, “I bring speed and power to the position. I’m a pass rusher. I love to squeeze the tackle and pressure the quarterback.”
“Nobody runs on my side. I would love to get my statistics up but nobody wants to run at me. It’s frustrating but I’m all about team. If my team is winning, I’m happy. I’ve made an impact on the field since my freshman year. I bring leadership and tenacity on the football field.”
When it comes to Pitt connections, Zach’s lengthy list includes a few names generally considered “Pitt royalty”. Zach’s father Sean is no stranger to Pitt fans. The former Panther standout defensive tackle was named an All-American in 1991. He had 99 tackles (21 for a loss) and 6 sacks in his final two seasons at Pitt. Gilbert was the 3rd overall selection in the 1992 NFL draft by the Los Angeles Rams. His cousin happens to be former Pitt All-American cornerback Darrelle Revis. Like his father, Revis was another NFL first round draft pick. He was the 14th overall pick in the 2007 NFL draft by the New York Jets. “I have a lot of family in Aliquippa, PA. I visit there very summer. I’m actually related to Darrelle Revis, (former Pitt defensive end) Brandon Lindsey and (2015 Pitt commit) Jordan Whitehead. Jordan recently committed to Pitt,” he said.
“Pitt’s an eight hour drive from my house, but I have a ton of family in Aliquippa,” he said. “It would be like leaving family and moving towards family. I would like to take an official visit there when go back up to Aliquippa.”
“I can’t say I have an outright favorite school at the moment. Pitt’s offer really changes my list. It helps that Jordan will be there. It’s good to know I would have a family member on the team. I look forward to visiting and see what they have to offer.”
DreamBackfield.com’s Harry Psaros can be found on Twitter at @PittGuru