Inside The Panthers

Former Pitt DE Re-enters Transfer Portal

A former Pitt Panthers defensive end re-entered the transfer portal.

Dominic Campbell

Oct 23, 2021; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA; Pittsburgh Panthers defensive lineman Dayon Hayes (50) reacts after recording a sack against the Clemson Tigers during the second quarter at Heinz Field. Mandatory Credit: Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images
Oct 23, 2021; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA; Pittsburgh Panthers defensive lineman Dayon Hayes (50) reacts after recording a sack against the Clemson Tigers during the second quarter at Heinz Field. Mandatory Credit: Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images / Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images
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PITTSBURGH -- Former Pitt Panthers defensive end Dayon Hayes re-entered the transfer portal and will look for another school to end his college career.

Hayes, who transferred to Colorado following the end of spring practices at Pitt, is back in the transfer portal. He has one year left of eligibility.

He started the first three games of the season and would play in the fourth one, before suffering an injury that kept him out the rest of 2024, finishing with 163 snaps played.

This will allow him to use his redshirt to play for a sixth season in 2025, as he used his COVID-19 extra year of eligibility in 2024.

Hayes finished the regular season with 16 tackles (10 solo) and two sacks. He had those two sacks in the 28-9 road win over Colorado State in Week 3, a season-high five tackles in the 31-26 home win over North Dakota State in Week 1, four solo tackles in the 28-10 road loss to Nebraska and then three tackles in the 38-31 overtime home win over Baylor in Week 4.

He came out of Westinghouse High School in Pittsburgh as one of the top recruits in the Class of 2020. 247Sports rated him as a four-star, No. 183 in the nation, No. 8 strong-side defensive end and No. 4 in Pennsylvania. Rivals also rated him as a four-star, No. 15 weakside defensive end and No. 3 in the commonwealth.

Hayes played in five games in 2020, with two sacks and a forced fumble in his first collegiate game, a 59-0 blowout at home of Austin Peay.

He then played in all 14 games in 2021 as a reserve defensive end. He had 16 tackles (eight solo), two sacks, three quarterback hits and one pass breakup on the season, with a sack in the ACC Championship Game vs. Wake Forest and three tackles vs. Michigan State in the Peach Bowl.

Hayes played in eight games in 2022, with his sole start coming in the Sun Bowl, a 37-35 victory over UCLA. He made five tackles, including four for loss in the regular season finale road win vs. Miami.

He played his last season at Pitt in 2023, starting 11 games and playing in all 12 contests. He made 45 tackles (25 solo), four sacks, one forced fumble and four pass breakups. His best game came in the home win vs.. Boston College in Week 12, as he made six tackles (five solo), two sacks and two pass breakups.

Hayes had an unceremonious departure from Pitt. He spoke to Christopher Carter of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette and said that he didn't believe that Pitt could win and wanted to go somewhere that would, joining Deion Sanders at Colorado.

He will now look to find his future home and try to end his collegiate career with a good season in 2025.

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Dominic Campbell
DOMINIC CAMPBELL

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