Tyreese Fearbry didn't always want to play football. In fact, he didn't start playing for his high school, Perry Traditional Academy, until his sophomore year. Originally from Pittsburgh, Fearbry was growing up in Las Vegas with his family before they moved back to his hometown.
When he did, something changed for him.
"It was when I moved back to Pittsburgh that made me want to play football," Fearbry said to DK Pittsburgh Sports. "I don't know exactly, but when I got back to Pittsburgh it just clicked in my mind that I had to play football."
After just two seasons, the 6-foot-5, 223 lbs. edge rusher quickly worked his way into being a the number one ranked football WPIAL 2022 prospect:
🔴⚫️ Your 2022 WPIAL/CITY Top Prospect List 🔴⚫️
— WPIAL Insider (@WPIAL_Insider) April 14, 2021
🔘Presented by Restore Hyper Wellness pic.twitter.com/Vdo14au8iV
Now he's earned a four-star prospect ratings from both Rivals and 24/7 heading into his senior season and being highly recruited. He liked his growth as a rising junior, and sees more ways to sharpen his raw football skills with one more season before he's a collegiate athlete.
"My sophomore year I didn't really have any technique," Fearbry said. "I needed to learn different abilities I have now. I had to work on technique. I got a concussion at the end of the 2019-2020 season but it made me want to bounce back to be a better player. That's what I strove to do all season."
But before he can get there, Fearbry has a big decision to make on which program he wants to commit to, and that decision is set to be announced by him on July 4. Among his top four schools are Penn State, Kentucky, Auburn, and Pitt. All of which he's visited in recent weeks:
Had a tremendous time at PITT loved everything about it @CoachDuzzPittFB @coachcsanders @CoachPartridge @Pitt_FB @HayesDayon @RivalsFriedman @247Sports @SnyderLinwood @Evolve2tenths @210ths pic.twitter.com/tS5MyddKBk
— Tyreese Fearbry (@FearbryTyreese) June 6, 2021
Fearbry said that Pitt's coaches appealed to him when he visited, but the big draw to joining the Panthers would be teaming up with his cousin, and City League alumnus via Westinghouse, sophomore edge rusher Dayon Hayes:
"They had a really cool coaching staff," Fearbry said when asked what he liked about Pitt. "Also, my cousin goes there. Not a lot of guys from the City League play at Pitt, but Dayon playing there is a big thing. Being related to someone I could potentially be playing football with for another school, that was a really big thing. To have that family connection, it would be real easy to communicate on and off the field."
Hayes was also a four-star edge rusher when Pitt recruited him in 2019. During his freshman season he only played a in limited games, but he did register a sack in the Panthers' season opener blowout of Austin Peay.
Family is important to Fearbry, and their support has kept him focused and motivated to get this far as a high school athlete.
"I mainly talk to my family and my head coach Darnell Farrow," Fearbry said. "I don't really talk too much about to other people about recruitment because people will try to ask for things when I get to the next levels. That's why I keep to myself and my family. Every game they come to see me, it pushes me. Even when they're not there to support, I feel them. Having them as a support system is a big help off the field, but knowing when I'm on the field I got people who support me."
But whether family will be the draw that pulls Fearbry to Pitt remains to be seen. He still has been leaning more towards Penn State after visiting their campus and his recent visit to Auburn also put them into serious consideration. He tells DKPittsburghSports he's still weighing his options, but that Pitt is still among the leaders for his July 4 decision.
Pitt could use a four-star commitment from a player like Fearbry as Pat Narduzzi has yet to land one in the early stages of recruiting for his 2022 class. And reinforcements with edge rushers will be needed soon after both All-American defensive ends Rashad Weaver and Patrick Jones were picked in the middle rounds of the 2021 NFL Draft.
If Hayes steps up in 2021 he could be part of the future at the position. But the prospect of having two tall edge rushing cousins starting across from each other wouldn't look too bad either.