Inside The Panthers

Brian O'Neill Is NFL's Best OT

The former Pitt Panthers tackle has turned into the best at his position in the NFL.

Stephen Thompson

Brian O'Neill Is NFL's Best OT
Brian O'Neill Is NFL's Best OT /
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PITTSBURGH -- Former Pitt Panthers offensive tackle Brian O'Neill has grown into one of the best left tackles in the NFL since turning pro in 2018 and this season, he's lived up to his reputation. 

O'Neill, who the Minnesota Vikings took with their second-round pick when he came out of Pitt five years ago, has been the league's highest-graded offensive tackle through two weeks of the 2023 regular season, according to Pro Football Focus. 

O'Neill originally committed to Pitt as a three-star tight-end recruit in the class of 2014 coming out of Salesianum High School in Willmington, Delaware. After redshirting his freshman season, he made the switch to offensive line and started every game for the rest of his career - 37 consecutive starts - except for the season opener in 2015. 

After the Vikings took him with the 62nd overall pick of the 2018 draft, it took all of six weeks into the regular season for O'Neill to earn a starting job, one he's held onto ever since. 

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Stephen Thompson
STEPHEN THOMPSON

Stephen Thompson graduated with a bachelor's degree in communications and political science from Pitt in April 2022 after spending four years as a sports writer and editor at The Pitt News, the University of Pittsburgh's independent, student-run newspaper.  He primarily worked the Pitt men's basketball beat, and filled in on coverage of football, volleyball, softball, gymnastics and lacrosse, in addition to other sports as needed. His work at The Pitt News has won awards from the Pennsylvania News Media Association and Associated College Press.  During the spring and summer of 2021, Stephen interned for Pittsburgh Sports Now, covering baseball in western Pennsylvania. Hailing from Washington D.C., family ties have cultivated a love of Boston's professional teams and Pitt athletics, and a fascination with sports in general.  You can reach Stephen by email at stephenethompson00@gmail.com and follow him on Twitter. Read his latest work:

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