After committing to Pitt, North Allegheny’s Lincoln Hoke out to be even more dominant

By: John Grupp
Saturday, June 21, 2025 | 11:01 AM

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North Allegheny all-state defensive lineman Lincoln Hoke made two commitments this summer.

One to Pitt, and one to his NA teammates.

“I’m not the kind of guy where I’m committed (to college) and I’m going to take a backseat,” he said. “I want to be a lot better than I was last year. I want to dominate and be the best player in the WPIAL at the end of the day, and then I want to take the team to win multiple championships.”

Hoke, a 6-foot-2, 270-pound rising senior, committed to Pitt during an official visit in the first weekend in June. Hoke, the son of Super Bowl-winning Pittsburgh Steelers defensive tackle Chris Hoke, had more than a dozen offers ranging from MAC programs to Ivy League schools, but his choices came down to Pitt or West Virginia. A close bond with the Panthers coaching staff was the main factor in his decision.

“I built a really strong relationship with coach (Pat) Narduzzi and D-line coach (Tim) Daoust,” Hoke said. “Those are two guys I want to go out and play for and fight for. I also think my playing style fits really well into Pitt’s defensive scheme.”

Rated a three-star recruit by Rivals and the 37th-best recruit in Pennsylvania by 247sports.com, Hoke landed his first Division I scholarship offer, from Penn, in early January. Many others followed, including Pitt in early February and West Virginia in early April. While on a three-day official visit to Pitt from June 5-7, Hoke stood before the other potential recruits at dinner and announced his commitment. He was the first of 10 recruits who pledged to Pitt that weekend.

“Since I was 6 years old, I’ve had that vision,” Hoke said. “From as early as can remember, that’s all I wanted to do: play Power 4 football at a high level and go on to play in the NFL. I’ve had that goal for a long time.”

With the recruiting process completed, Hoke is focused on his senior season and helping North Allegheny reach the WPIAL Class 6A title game for the fourth consecutive year.

Hoke, who also starts at right guard, finished his junior season with 66 tackles with nine tackles for loss, 6.5 sacks, two forced fumbles, two blocked kicks and one interception.

North Allegheny coach Art Walker said Hoke had a “phenomenal offseason” and expects another dominant year from his star lineman.

“He doesn’t know any other way than to work hard and try to do everything he can to exceed expectations,” Walker said. “He’s very driven. He’s very focused. I still think he has that I-have-something-to-prove attitude because some people passed on him because of his height. He’s a great player, and I have no doubt that he will work extremely hard for us every single day.”

Hoke vows to be more of a vocal leader this season for the Tigers, who graduated eight all-conference players from a 10-2 team that lost to rival Central Catholic, 45-14, in the 2024 WPIAL finals.

“I definitely realize I will need to take more of a leadership role,” Hoke said. “I’ve always been a lead-by-example guy. … But this year I’m definitely not afraid to take on that role of having a little bit of a voice.”

With quickness, strength and excellent technique, he is a disruptive force on the Tigers defense. He also can lean on his father, who played for the Steelers from 2001-11, for advice on the position. At Pitt, he will play at the same stadium that his father did for the Steelers.

“He’s seen everything that I’ve seen and that I’m going to see in a game,” Lincoln Hoke said. “His role in my development as a player has definitely meant a lot to me.”

The younger Hoke has continued to get bigger and stronger. He estimated he weighed about 225 pounds as a freshman. He has added 10 pounds during this offseason, up to 270.

Hoke is an outstanding student — his offers included Harvard and Princeton — and he carries a 4.0 GPA. His passion for football also passes any test.

“His work ethic, his tenacity, his drive — he’s so explosive off the ball,” Walker said. “Combine all of that with another year of experience and a phenomenal offseason in the weight room — his strength has increased a lot. I think he puts all that together, and he’s really going to be a menace to a lot of teams.”

Tags: North Allegheny