National Signing Day 2014: Breaking Down Pitt’s First Six Signees
By Matt Shetler
TE Brian O’Neill, Salesianum High School, Wilmington, Del.
Already with a couple of solid young tight ends on board, the Panthers added the 6-foot-6 O’Neil as the third member of their recruiting class.
O’Neil has size, but isn’t one of the Panthers top recruits during the offseason.
He is called the fifth-best recruit out of Delaware by Rivals, but is rated only a two-star and Scout doesn’t rate him at all.
His offers were from Pitt, Old Dominion, Coastal Carolina, Tulane, William & Mary, Youngstown State and Colgate:
OL Connor Hayes, Traverse City West High School, Traverse City, Mich.
Pitt landed a nice offensive lineman prospect in Hayes, who was listed as a three star by both Rivals and Scout.
At 6-foot-4, 270 pounds, Hayes projects as a guard and was Pitt’s first verbal commitment after Chandler Kincade de-committed. Hayes is a nice grab for the Panthers as Chryst continues to prioritize the offensive line.
Hayes chose Pitt over offers from Duke, Indiana, Syracuse, Bowling Green, Central Michigan, Western Michigan and Toledo.
He’s a power blocker and very physical and should be a part of Pitt offensive lines for the future. Of the 15 or 16 offensive linemen expected to be on the roster this summer, three are seniors and only one of those is a starter, so there will be an opportunity for some younger guys to make an impact early in their careers.
A three-year starter, Hayes was one of only four freshmen to play on the Traverse City varsity team during the past 20 years, also playing in Michigan’s largest classification: