Pitt QB Commit Angelo Renda Is Quietly One of the Most Productive Passers in the Country - and He’s Just Getting Started
In the heart of Texas high school football, where Friday nights feel like college Saturdays and quarterbacks are practically minted into legends, Angelo Renda has carved out a name worth knowing. The Southlake Carroll senior has been nothing short of prolific, and while the recruiting buzz around him never quite reached a national roar, Pitt saw something that others didn’t - a poised, productive, high-floor quarterback with the kind of leadership you build a class around.
Let’s start with the numbers, because they’re hard to ignore. As a junior, Renda threw for 3,901 yards and 40 touchdowns, guiding Southlake Carroll to a 15-1 record in his first season as a starter.
That’s not just solid - that’s elite production at one of the most competitive levels of high school football in the country. And this season?
He’s somehow upped the ante: 3,749 passing yards, 39 touchdowns, a completion rate north of 75%, plus another 463 yards and eight touchdowns on the ground. That’s video game stuff.
Despite all that, the Power Four offers never came flooding in. Size concerns reportedly cooled interest from some bigger programs, but Pitt offensive coordinator Kade Bell didn’t blink.
He saw a quarterback who could process, deliver, and lead - and he didn’t wait around. Bell made the trip to Texas early in the cycle, and the connection between coach and quarterback clicked immediately.
Renda committed before ever setting foot in Pittsburgh, a rare move that speaks volumes about the trust built in those early conversations.
Since then, Renda has been as solid as they come - the first commit in Pitt’s class, and a vocal leader throughout the process. He made two visits to Pittsburgh during the fall, watched the Panthers in action, and never wavered. His offer list may not have been loaded with household names - Jacksonville State, SMU, Tulsa, and UTSA were in the mix - but Pitt landed a quarterback who’s done nothing but produce and win at a high level.
And the accolades have followed. Renda was named one of 10 finalists for the MaxPreps National Player of the Year award, rubbing shoulders with five-star talent from across the country.
Southlake Carroll is undefeated at 13-0 and very much in the hunt for a state title, thanks in large part to the play of their quarterback. He’s not just managing games - he’s taking them over.
So what does this mean for Pitt?
The Panthers will enter next season with three scholarship quarterbacks eligible to return: Mason Heintschel, Eli Holstein, and Cole Gonzales. Add in Renda and fellow Texas QB commit Corey Dailey, and it’s clear that the quarterback room is going to be crowded - and competitive. Heintschel is expected to be the starter heading into 2026, but Renda will get his shot sooner rather than later.
The plan is for Renda to enroll early and be on campus for spring ball. That’s a big step - it gives him a head start on learning the offense, adjusting to the speed of the college game, and competing with Dailey for the long-term future of the position. And based on everything we’ve seen so far, don’t be surprised if Renda makes a strong impression right out of the gate.
He’s not the flashiest name in the class, and he didn’t come with the five-star fanfare. But Pitt believes in what they’ve got - a battle-tested, accurate, and efficient quarterback who’s proven he can lead and produce under pressure. And if his high school career is any indication, Angelo Renda is just getting started.