I've met Aaron a few times, dating back to his high school days at Penn Hills. I saw him play in high school, more than a few times. His school is just about 15 miles, in a straight line, from where I live. He was always a good guy.
I have a cousin who was Danny Marino's tight end in high school and roomie and played together at Pitt. My cousin has stayed involved with Central Catholic football over the years and one night after a Central game at Penn Hills he called me and said that he just watched the best high school defensive lineman that he had ever seen.
In high school when Central played against Penn Hills in the western Pa. playoffs my cousin had to try and block Billy Fralic, then himself just a sophomore at Penn Hills. Also, as a freshman at Pitt in practice he was supposed to block Hugh Green and Rickey Jackson, so I take him at his word.
Also, what I saw in person was incredible, even before he got to Pitt. I think Aaron's only other scholarship offers coming out of Penn Hills were Toledo and Akron, and possibly Rutgers. Many had him ranked as a three-star. Perhaps a bit of editing was done to name him a four-star.
It was just a joy to watch him play throughout his entire career, from Penn Hills to Pitt and then the Rams.