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Former Pitt S Signs Reserve/Future NFL Contract

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Former Pitt defensive back Erick Hallett II

Former Pitt safety Erick Hallett is going to stick around with the Detroit Lions during the offseason.

Hallett — a 5-foot-11, 190-pound safety from Cypress, Tx. — signed a reserve/future contract with the Detroit Lions, Aaron Wilson of KPRC2 reported. He spent most of the season with the Lions’ practice squad.

Hallett was initially selected by the Jacksonville Jaguars in the 2023 NFL Draft, picked in the sixth round, after a stellar senior campaign with the Panthers.

Hallett spent the 2023 season with the Jaguars, spending it on the practice squad, and signed a reserve/future deal last January. He was released last summer and latched on with the Lions. He’s still looking for his first NFL regular season action.

Hallett arrived at Pitt as a three-star safety out of Cypress, Texas and got better and better each season — breaking out in 2022 with an All-ACC campaign.

He was the top playmaker in the Pitt secondary in 2022, recording a team-high six turnovers. His three interceptions and three fumble recoveries (which lead the ACC) point to his nose for the football.

With 47 tackles (34 solo), three tackles for loss, three interceptions, nine pass breakups and two forced fumbles and three recoveries, Hallett’s impact as a leader of the defense — vocally and with his play — was apparent.

In his Pitt career, he recorded 158 tackles (109 solo), 7.5 tackles for loss, seven interceptions (including one for a touchdown), 22 pass breakups, four forced fumbles and five recoveries.

He was the MVP of the 2021 ACC championship game, picking off Wake Forest quarterback Sam Hartman twice, and he chose to end his career at Pitt with a win in the Sun Bowl over UCLA — one of the few senior draftees who didn’t opt out.

“My memories of Pitt are going to be about happiness,” said Hallett. “I came up here not knowing a lot of people, not knowing a lot about the north in general being a Houston guy, a Texas guy, traveling 20+ hours to come up here. It wasn’t the easiness of transitions, but I’d definitely say that my class along with the guys that were already here and guys that came after me welcomed me with open arms. I honestly couldn’t have asked for a better brotherhood to be a part of.”

Sandy Schall, Coldwell Banker

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