Three WPIAL Stars Feature in Rivals Top 15 2025 Recruits in Pennsylvania

The recruiting processes for the WPIAL recruits in the class of 2024 have largely wound down, with many of the top recruits in the area having committed to their schools of the future, and some of the attention has started to shift ahead.

Rivals has released its Top 15 Pennsylvania recruits in the class of 2025, and three WPIAL recruits feature prominently in the ranking.

Aliquippa’s Tiqwai Hayes, Imani Christian’s Dayshaun Burnett and North Catholic’s Brady O’Hara are ranked fifth, seventh and 11th, respectively, in the state.

Pitt has been recruiting all three over the last year, attempting to secure more local talent — with two WPIAL recruits committed in the class of 2024 — and there are plenty of additional WPIAL recruits from the class of 2025 that Pitt is interested in.

Photo courtesy of Tiqwai Hayes’ Twitter account.

Tiqwai Hayes — 209th overall, fifth in Pennsylvania

Hayes has been one of the top recruits in Pennsylvania since he emerged as Aliquippa’s bell-cow running back as a true freshman — on the way to WPIAL and PIAA titles.

He’s a dynamic threat at running back, standing at 6-foot-1, 190 pounds, racking up 1,759 yards and 23 touchdowns as a freshman and 1,981 yards and 33 touchdowns as a sophomore — earning MaxPreps All-American (freshman and sophomore) honors.

Hayes currently holds offers from Cincinnati, Connecticut, Louisville, Maryland, Michigan, Michigan State, Ohio, Ohio State, Penn State, Pitt, Syracuse, UNLV and West Virginia.

Pitt offered Hayes way back on Dec. 10, 2021, fresh off Aliquippa’s PIAA title run.

Photo courtesy of Dayshaun Burnett’s Twitter account.

Dayshaun Burnett — seventh in Pennsylvania

Burnett is one of the top linebackers in the class, standing at a huge 6-foot-4, 210 pounds, and Pitt has been heavily involved in his recruitment for nearly a year now.

Burnett holds offers from Akron, Central Michigan, Duke, Kentucky, Massachusetts, Michigan, Michigan State, Penn State, Pitt, Temple and West Virginia.

He made it out for Pitt’s Junior Day in January, a winter practice prior to that in December and the Backyard Brawl back in September — and the coaching staff will certainly be attempting to land him for additional visits throughout the season.

Pitt was Burnett’s fifth Division I offer, with Karlo Zovko and Cory Sanders extending an offer last August.

Photo courtesy of Brady O’Hara’s Twitter account.

Brady O’Hara — 11th in Pennsylvania

O’Hara is one of the most versatile athletes in the class of 2025, with schools seeing him as a tight end offensively and a defensive end defensively, but Pitt is recruiting him as a tight end — a 6-foot-6, 235-pound tight end.

He holds offers from Connecticut, Marshall, Penn State, Pitt, Pitt, West Virginia and Wisconsin.

O’Hara picked up his first Division I offer from Pitt back in September, and he’s been back for the Pitt-Duke game last November, Junior Day in January, a spring practice in April and camped at Pitt earlier this month.

“I really like the program down there,” O’Hara told PSN after Junior Day. “I’ve been there a few times because of how close it is to where I live. All the coaches are super nice down there, they’re all so welcoming, and they all have a great perspective on the game.