P.J. O'Brien

Former defensive back at Pittsburgh. 2024: 1 interception, 1 pass breakup, 33 tackles.

DB · Pittsburgh · Sr. · #5

6′0″ · 185 lb · Pompano Beach, FL

CFB Index 32 · #421 of 537 safetiesLow confidencePittsburgh 2024 — college career complete

Recruiting

3★

S recruit

No. 535 nationally · Signed with Pittsburgh

No college snaps yet.

His career numbers, season by season

The story

Former defensive back at Pittsburgh. 2024: 1 interception, 1 pass breakup, 33 tackles.

Signed as a 3-star recruit to Pittsburgh in 2021.

His career, year by year

How it ended

Four seasons at Pittsburgh, 97 tackles — his college career is complete.

His career

He was on the field for 4 seasons. That is rarer than it sounds.

20217 games

Signed with Pittsburgh3-star out of Deerfield Beach

Career arc

Recruit

★★★

#535 national

CFB

College

Pittsburgh

2021–2024

NFL

NFL Draft

—

Not drafted

Coaching lineage · 2021–2024

1 coach

2021–2024

Pat Narduzzi

Pittsburgh

Played his entire career under Pat Narduzzi.

2024 snapshot

Season context · Team result + system

4 seasons under Pat Narduzzi — 30-22 over that span.

2021Pittsburgh11-3HC: Pat Narduzzi · Balanced, fast tempo

2022Pittsburgh9-4HC: Pat Narduzzi · Run-leaning

2023Pittsburgh3-9HC: Pat Narduzzi · Balanced, slow tempo

2024Pittsburgh7-6HC: Pat Narduzzi · Balanced

Where this defender ranks vs the field

Box-score production percentiles vs the position cohort

32Below cohort / limited sample #421 of 537?

Medium confidence8 metrics · season cumulative

Concern: tackles for loss (18th percentile).

Box-score production (8)

Solo tackles#1048 / 2892 · 63rd pct

Tackles#1219 / 2892 · 57th pct

Passes defended#1155 / 2892 · 49th pct

Forced fumbles#55 / 700 · 46th pct

Interceptions#314 / 862 · 32nd pct

Sacks#1455 / 2892 · 25th pct

0.0

QB hurries#1536 / 2892 · 23rd pct

Tackles for loss#2296 / 2892 · 18th pct

0.5

Percentiles are versus same-position peers with enough snaps this season, based on box-score production. There are no play-by-play efficiency bars here: CFBD's play-value model credits offensive players only, so no defensive EPA exists to rank.

Splits & context

Splits · Per-game

2024 season · 13 games

Home/Road · Season halves

Home vs Road

	TKL/g	TFL/g	SACK/g	PD/g
Home7g	2.7	0.1	0.0	0.1
Road6g	2.3	0.0	0.0	0.0

First half vs Second half

	TKL/g	TFL/g	SACK/g	PD/g
Weeks 1-77g	2.6	0.1	0.0	0.1
Weeks 8+6g	2.5	0.0	0.0	0.0

Supporting cast · Scheme

Staff and system around the player

2026 season

Head Coach

Pat Narduzzi

Scheme reads (pass share, tempo, sack rate) need at least 3 team games — 2 games in so far.

Awards

Player standing · 2024

Rotational

Tackle volume for the position in rotation-piece range.

Recognition

Roster2-deepStarterRecognizedEliteApex

Production · CFB Index Score

32 · #421 of 537 safeties

Three-star recruit. Now #421 at the position.

Career stats

Season	Team
2024	Pittsburgh	33	20	0.5	1	1	--
2023	Pittsburgh	41	24	0.0	2	3	--
2022	Pittsburgh	8	7	1.0	--	--	--
2021	Pittsburgh	15	6	0.0	1	--	--
Career		97	57	1.5	4	4	--

Signature game

SIGNATURE GAME · Week 4 · 2024

W 73–17

vs Youngstown State

2 TOT · 2 SOLO

Dominant 56-point win at home against Youngstown State.

With E. Holstein — 247 yds · 3 TD · 0 INT · QBR 83.9 · 93 rush yds (9 car) · 2 TD · C. Lee — 4 rec · 108 yds · 1 TD

Game log

Game log · Week-by-week

2024 season · 13 games

Box score · CFBD

Wk	Opp	TKL	SOLO	TFL	INT	PD	Note
Wk 1	W 55-24vs Kent State	3	2	0.0	—	0
Wk 2	W 28-27@ Cincinnati	2	2	0.0	—	0
Wk 3	W 38-34vs West Virginia	3	1	0.5	—	0
Wk 4	W 73-17vs Youngstown State	2	2	0.0	—	0
Wk 6	W 34-24@ North Carolina	1	1	0.0	—	0
Wk 7	W 17-15vs California	6	3	0.0	—	1	Season-high 6 tackles
Wk 9	W 41-13vs Syracuse	2	1	0.0	1	0
Wk 10	L 25-48@ SMU	4	2	0.0	—	0
Wk 11	L 19-24vs Virginia	1	1	0.0	—	0
Wk 12	L 20-24vs Clemson	2	2	0.0	—	0
Wk 13	L 9-37@ Louisville	2	2	0.0	—	0
Wk 14	L 23-34@ Boston College	4	1	0.0	—	0
Bowl	L 46-48@ Toledo	1	0	0.0	—	0
Total		33	20	0.5	1	1

Stats from CFBD · ESPN · fan discourse. Every figure computed from source tables — not invented. Methodology

P.J. O'Brien

20217 games

2024 snapshot

Splits & context

Awards

Rotational

Career stats

Signature game

Game log

How he plays

DNA match

Hybrid Nickel

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