WPIAL Football Products Find New Homes at Power Four Level

Former WPIAL and City League football players are capitalizing on the transfer portal to find new homes at the Power Four level.

Pittsburgh Sports Now is tracking which players from the area have landed at new schools in the Power Four.

Raion Strader — Miami (OH) Auburn 

A Penn Hills graduate, Strader made a name for himself as one of the top defensive back transfer options in the portal. He built a long list of suitors that included offers from Wisconsin, Auburn, Mississippi State, Nebraska, West Virginia, Cincinnati, Northwestern, Iowa State, Georgia Tech, Louisville, Oregon State, Kansas, Virginia, Utah, Wake Forest and more.

The 6-foot, 160-pound defensive back committed to Auburn on Dec. 16 and quickly signed with the Tigers.

Strader put together an impressive sophomore season in which he earned All-MAC First-Team Defense honors. He led the FBS and conference in passes defended with 19, along with 53 total tackles and two interceptions.

He ranked as the 10th-best cornerback in the transfer portal, according to On3.

Dayon Hayes — Colorado Texas A&M

Hayes has landed at his third home in college football. After departing from his hometown team in Pitt, Hayes spent one season at Colorado and now has committed to Texas A&M.

The City League product from Westinghouse recorded 16 total tackles, 3.5 tackles for loss and two sacks with the Buffaloes in three games before suffering a season-ending injury.

Hayes, a 6-3, 265-pound defensive end, committed to play at Texas A&M on Dec. 20. He was rated by On3 as an 88.4 three-star transfer prospect.

Tyreese Fearbry — Kentucky Wisconsin

The Perry Traditional Academy star entered the portal after three seasons at the University of Kentucky and landed in the Big 10 at Wisconsin.

In 11 games this past fall, Fearbry registered 14 total tackles and two quarterback hurries. As a redshirt freshman, Fearbry played in all 13 games, posting six tackles and a tackle for loss.

After entering the portal, Fearbry committed to the Wisconsin Badgers on Dec. 22.

Levi Wentz — Albany Kansas

After two seasons at the University of Albany, the Pine-Richland High School product has committed to the Kansas Jayhawks.

Wentz — a 6-2, 205-pound wide receiver — played in 11 games this season for the Great Danes, hauling in 40 passes for 621 yards and a touchdown. As a junior, he recorded 12 receptions for 153 yards and a touchdown. Prior to Albany, Wentz suited up for Old Dominion for two seasons.

Once in the portal, Wentz added a strong list of offers from San Diego State, North Texas, East Carolina, UMass, Liberty, James Madison, Akron and others before eventually landing on Kansas on Dec. 20. He has one season of eligibility remaining.

Nikhai Hill-Green — Colorado  Alabama

Hill-Green — a former North Catholic product before spending his final high school season at St. Frances Academy in Baltimore, Md. — was the second-leading tackler at Colorado this past season with 82 total tackles and led the Buffaloes with 11.5 tackles for loss, along with two sacks.

The 6-foot-1, 220-pound linebacker will be on his fourth school after starting his career at Michigan for three seasons before transferring to Charlotte for a year and then Colorado.

Hill-Green committed to Alabama on Dec. 21 with one final season of eligibility.

NiJhay Burt — Eastern Illinois Michigan State

The Steel Valley graduate is making the jump from playing at Eastern Illinois in the FCS to Michigan State in the Big 10.

In 12 games as a junior this season, the defensive back totaled 64 tackles, three interceptions, three tackles for loss, two pass breakups and a forced fumble. Burt appeared in 19 games in his first two seasons at Eastern Illinois with 19 tackles and an interception.

Burt committed to Michigan State on Dec. 20.