How Pitt Replaces Dayon Hayes

Following the departure of star defensive lineman Dayon Hayes to the transfer portal, Pitt Panthers football must scramble to assemble its defensive line of the future.

PITTSBURGH -- Following the conclusion of the spring season for Pitt Panthers football, star defensive lineman Dayon Hayes has entered the transfer portal. The Pittsburgh City League product has 81 tackles, 13 sacks and three forced fumbles in his career.

The Panthers staff now has the tall task of replacing a stalwart of their line, and it won't be easy. Here are a couple of different paths they can take.

Firstly, they can promote younger players and winter transfers upwards. The Panthers were able to land Nate Matlack from Kansas State and David Ojiegbe from Clemson, aiding a line that had already lost Samuel Okunlola to Colorado.

Ojiegbe redshirted last year for the Tigers, while Matlack had 15 tackles, 7.5 tackles for loss and four sacks in his 2023 campaign. With Hayes' departure, defensive lineman Elliot Donald will likely also get a chance to prove himself. Donald has just six tackles as a reserve defensive lineman over two years.

Another option, one that, in all likelihood, will be stressed, is looking at the portal again. Hayes was not the first and will be far from the last defensive lineman to enter the portal following spring football. While there is no obvious solution right now, it is very possible that a plethora of players that can fit Pitt's needs will enter the transfer portal and take visits to Pittsburgh.

All in all, the Panthers coaching staff will have their work cut out for them replacing a high caliber talent in Hayes. In this new age of the transfer portal, however, it is always possible to figure out another solution.

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