Pitt coach Pat Narduzzi and his staff kicked off Christmas by flipping a coveted recruit from Auburn, as Phillip O’Brien, a defensive back out of Deerfield Beach High School in Florida, announced his commitment to Pitt on Friday. The pledge came 12 days after Auburn fired longtime Tigers head coach Gus Malzahn, which prompted O’Brien to decline to sign with Auburn and rethink his initial decision.
The 6’2”, 190-pound safety is considered a three-star recruit, according to Rivals and 247Sports, both of which count him among the top 50 safeties in the 2021 class.