Bryce Hargrove declares for the 2021 NFL draft

On Saturday, Pitt guard Bryce Hargrove declared for the 2021 NFL draft, becoming the fifth Panther to do so in the last two days. The interior lineman had an additional year of eligibility remaining and would have been an asset to the team in his senior year, but he should fare well in the draft, given his talent.

“I feel truly blessed to even have an opportunity like this coming from the city of Akron, Ohio,” Hargrove posted in a message on Twitter. “Not many people have a chance to even make it out of there. And with that being said, after weeks of talking and praying with my family and people that want the best for me, I’ve decided to forgo my last year of eligibility and officially enter the 2021 NFL draft.”

The 6’4”, 320-pound guard formed a brick wall in the middle of the Pitt offensive line with Pitt center Jimmy Morrissey over the last three years. During that time, Hargrove took part in all 38 of Pitt’s games, and in 2019, he allowed just one sack during the entire season.

One unfortunate aspect of Hargrove’s decision is that, as of Saturday, he is not considered a top-10 recruit at his position by ESPN, CBS Sports or Pro Football Focus despite his reliable play over the last three seasons in Pittsburgh. However, he has earned ACC Player of the Week honors twice this season and earned third-team All-ACC honors in 2019.

At this point, it is unclear if Hargrove plans to take part in any postseason all-star events, such as the Reese's Senior Bowl. Should he decide to do so, he could vastly improve his draft stock by turning a few heads.