CU Buffs transfer to Pitt Dayon Hayes – Longmont Times Call

Pittsburgh defensive lineman Dayon Hayes, 50, sacks Duke quarterback Riley Leonard, 13, during the second half of an NCAA college football game in Pittsburgh, Saturday, Nov. 19, 2022. did. Pittsburgh won 28-26. (AP Photo/Keith Slakočić)

For the second time this offseason, head coach Deion Sanders and the Colorado Buffaloes have acquired the former Pittsburgh defender.

On Sunday, defensive lineman Dayon Hayes announced his commitment to the Buffs.

“I want all #SkoBuffs,” Hayes wrote to X.

Hayes played four seasons at Pitt, appearing in 39 games and starting 12 of them. He will be a fifth-year senior with the Buffs, taking advantage of the bonus year given to all players starting in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

During his time with the Panthers, he recorded 81 tackles, 25.5 tackles for loss and 12 sacks.

After playing in a reserve role for the first three years, Hayes started 11 games last season and set career highs in tackles (45), TFLs (10.5) and sacks (4). He also had four passes defended and forced a fumble.

Hayes was a four-star recruit who graduated from Westinghouse High School in Pittsburgh in 2020. According to Pitt's biography, Hayes was “the most notable recruit in the Pittsburgh City League in at least 20 years.”

He had 23.5 sacks as a senior in high school and 49.5 in his final two years.

At CU, Hayes will be reunited with his former Pitt teammate, defensive lineman Samuel Okunlola, who joined the Buffs in January.