Penn State has Contacted Former Pitt DL in Transfer Portal

Originally posted on Nittany Sports Now | By Joe Smeltzer | Last updated 4/17/24

Penn State is among the school’s that’s contacted a Pitt defensive end who entered the transfer portal earlier this week.

It’s Dayon Hayes, who has one season of eligibility remaining.

Hayes told Pittsburgh Sports Now that Penn State is among the schools that’s contacted him, others being the Colorado, Virginia, Louisville, Washington, Duke, Central Florida, North Carolina, Missouri, Michigan State, USC, Colorado State, Minnesota, Indiana, Syracuse, Texas A&M and Baylor. He hasn’t scheduled any visits yet.

Hayes finished the 2023 season with 45 tackles (25 solo), 10.5 tackles for loss, four sacks, a forced fumble, four pass breakups and many of pressures, hurries and quarterback hits to make up for not having many sacks.

He ended his Pitt career with 81 tackles (45 solo), 26.5 tackles for loss, 13 sacks, three forced fumbles and five pass breakups.

Some Penn State fans might remember Hayes for a shot he took at PSU’s program last spring, claiming Penn State was “scared” to play Pitt.

Yesssssssssssssssss @PennStateFball they scared https://t.co/k3JT6C4qBn

— DayonHayes (@dayonhayes00) April 7, 2023

Upon entering the transfer portal, Hayes raised plenty of eyebrows with comments he made to the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, of which he apologized.

“It’s just that I don’t believe we can win now,” Hayes messaged the Post-Gazette. “I believe we [were going to] win games, but I believe we are [in] a developmental stage. And I just can’t do that right now.”

Penn State has plenty of talent at defensive end as it is, so its hard to see it adding on in the transfer portal.

Even with likely first-round draft pick Chop Robinson and possible early-second rounder Adisa Isaac departed, the team is loaded at the position.

Third-year former five-star Dani Dennis-Sutton is an All-American candidate, and PSU moved one of its best players, Abdul Carter, to the EDGE over the winter.

PSU also isn’t lacking in depth at the position. Veterans Amin Vanover and Zuriah Fisher are set to be back in the fold, and second-year DE Jameial Lyons is a guy that’s drawn rave reviews going back to his freshman season.

Like Fisher, who played at Aliquippa, Hayes is from the Pittsburgh area. He came to Pitt after a standout career at Westinghouse, which plays in Pittsburgh’s City League.

This article first appeared on Nittany Sports Now and was syndicated with permission.

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