How Does the Pitt DE Unit Look Without Dayon Hayes?

Sincere Edwards will have a new person sitting beside him during meetings with Tim Daoust in the Pitt defensive line room.

Edwards has sat by Dayon Hayes since he arrived as an early enrollee in January, and he looks up to the veteran edge rusher as a role model. He will have to admire Hayes from afar now.

News broke Monday afternoon that Hayes will enter the transfer portal when it officially opens at midnight Tuesday, and he will be an in-demand defensive end for more than a couple of Power Four programs. He was expected to take the next step at Pitt in 2024, but he will now look to do so elsewhere.

It’s a tough blow for the Pitt defense for a number of reasons.

Hayes was expected to lead this season, and he was expected to shoulder a heavy load on the defensive live. Even after four seasons, it still felt like Hayes was just scratching the surface of his potential. Double-digit sacks and tackles for loss potential.

Hayes was expected to be a star, one of the best players on the roster (and some of that was hoping he would take that step), but he’s also made an already thin unit even thinner.

So, who’s on the roster right now?

Nate Temple (out for the season)

Bam Brima — sixth year

Nate Matlack — fifth year

Jimmy Scott — redshirt sophomore

David Ojiegbe — redshirt freshman

Antonio Camon — redshirt freshman

Maverick Gracio — redshirt freshman

Zach Crothers — freshman

Sincere Edwards — freshman

That’s not ideal. Not saying there isn’t some intriguing potential with that unit, but more than half of the unit hasn’t taken a snap at Pitt.

The expectation was that Hayes and Nate Matlack would start. Bam Brima is going to play inside and outside, likely more than expected. After that, it’s uncertain.

Matlack looks like he’s going to have a good season. He’s more suited as an edge, which he is able to be in Pittsburgh. He’s a good player to have, a veteran voice who should produce on the field. Brima has been around for a while, but he’s likely more of a rotational player than anything else.

Jimmy Scott showed some flashes last season, but he’s only taken 109 defensive snaps in his career. That is more than any of the younger defensive ends though.

David Ojiegbe was a highly-ranked recruit out of high school in 2023, but he only played a handful of snaps for Clemson last season. I think he’ll be in the two-deep. He’ll have to be. Antonio Camon, Maverick Gracio, Zach Crothers and Edwards have never taken a snap at the college level — Crothers and Edwards just got to Pitt in January.

Edwards has turned heads throughout the spring, and while he’s young, he himself expects to make an impact this season. It wouldn’t be a surprise if he’s able to work his way into the two-deep by the time the season starts.

The transfer portal will take Hayes away, but it can also be used to bring in further reinforcements, of course. Tim Daoust and the coaching staff will surely look to add to the room.

Potential Defensive Ends Depth

DE — Nate Matlack — Sincere Edwards – Antonio Camon

DE — Bam Brima — Jimmy Scott OR David Ojiegbe