Everything is starting to click for junior defensive end Dayon Hayes. The third year player out of the Pittsburgh City League is an emerging force on Pitt’s defensive line, and could be one of the breakout stars for the Panthers defense in the 2022 season.

Hayes played sparingly as a true freshman in 2020. He worked his way into the rotation in 2021, and late in the season came on as strong as anyone. Hayes really emerged late in the season racking up 5.5 tackles for loss and two sacks in Pitt’s final three games, including three tackles for loss in the Peach Bowl against Michigan State.

“I believe my progress is going great right now,” Hayes told reporters following Pitt’s spring practice on Thursday. “Definitely just starting to come into the game, like I’m really understanding and basically believing in my position. I’m starting to get it now, I’m starting to become a vet and understanding the defense and making plays through the defense.”

Hayes admitted last season that he was one to get to practice, go through what he needed to get through, and leave the facility. He said it’s different this year.

“This year I’m trying to be the last one out,” he said.

The work ethic has been well documented from the defensive line under coach Charlie Partridge. Former Panthers Patrick Jones and Rashad Weaver both achieved All-American status in 2020 leading the Pitt defensive line. Hw saw the extra work those two put in, and has started to follow that same mindset.

“It feels good because my first year I just thought I had to change everything honestly,” he explained. "But now coming into this year it just takes time and repetition. I’m feeling great now.”

The time and repetition is paying off, and the coaches are starting to take notice.

“Dayon is a world ahead of where he was last season,” Pitt head coach Pat Narduzzi said of his junior defensive end. “Dayon is playing at a high level right now.”

Hayes struggled at the beginning of the 2020 season, with veterans Deslin Alexandre, Haba Baldonado, and John Morgan earning most of the reps at defensive end. Hayes only had six tackles through the first six games.

“Honestly my mindset was messed up at the beginning,” he admitted. “I was not really in the right mindset. I was counting my plays and not making my plays count. So the last five games I told myself make my plays count when I’m in.”

He made his opportunities count towards the end of the season, and now finds himself in a position to be a breakout star for this defense.

Hayes noted he changed his diet around and worked on his body. He said he was a vegan for much of last season, but changed as felt he wasn’t getting enough protein. Oh, and a trip to grandma’s house may have played a role.

“It was hard man,” Hayes said with a laugh. “I was going to my grandmas and she was making steak, it was just too hard.”

Who knew what a steak could do? But now he’s looking like the player many felt he could be coming out of Westinghouse High School. A former four star recruit, and a Pittsburgh kid, he was given high expectations right away.

On Thursday, a former Pitt star who was also a big recruit from Pittsburgh was at the team’s practice. Damar Hamlin also faced high expectation due to where he was from and also his recruiting ranking. Hamlin was Hayes’ host when he took his official visit a few years back, and has considered him a role model ever since.

“Well he was really just paving the way honestly,” Hayes said of the current Buffalo Bills safety. “He changed my mindset more like he did it, so I definitely can do it.”

Hayes is looking to take that next step as a player, and obviously the competition for snaps is still there, but he believes he has the right mindset this year.