Colorado football jumped from eight sacks in 2022 to 27 in 2023, and with players like Pittsburgh transfer Dayon Hayes now on board, another uptick is likely coming in 2024. The Buffs have dramatically remade their defensive front this offseason, adding pass rushers such as Hayes and other transfer talents such as B.J. Green II, Samuel Okunlola and Quincy Wiggins.
Hayes comes to Boulder after four productive seasons with the Panthers and is set on playing for a winning team during his final college season. If Hayes and Colorado’s other new playmaking pass rushers can make an impact this fall, the Buffs are a legitimate threat in the Big 12.
Here’s everything you need to know about Hayes:
Player Biography
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Hometown: Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
High School: Westinghouse
Height: 6-foot-3
Weight: 265 lbs
Class in 2024: Senior
Recruiting Rankings
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Hayes was a blue-chip level four-star prospect coming out of high school in 2020, and he has just about maintained that recruiting status as a transfer. According to 247Sports, Hayes was rated as a three-star transfer, receiving an 89 grade. This would put him on the border of being a four-star (90) player.
College Production
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Hayes lived in opponents’ backfields during his four seasons at Pitt. Fifteen of his 25 career tackles for loss and 7.5 of his 12 career sacks have come in the past two seasons. With the volume of rushers that Colorado added, Hayes should have opportunities to set new career marks in 2024.
Where does he fit on CU’s depth chart?
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Hayes is likely in line for a starting spot, but it will depend on the defensive scheme the Buffaloes run in 2024. Given his size and experience playing on the strong side for the…
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