Glenwood’s Cameron O’Neil signs with Pittsburgh

There was no drama for Glenwood wide receiver Cameron O’Neil when it came to signing his national letter of intent Wednesday.

O’Neil signed to play college football at Pittsburgh in a ceremony at Glenwood. O’Neil’s decision comes after he verbally committed to Pitt in August.

“It’s a big relief, knowing I don’t have to stress anymore about being recruited by anybody,” O’Neil said. “Everything is official now. Everybody knows where I’m going, so I don’t have to worry about coaches coming after me. It’s a good feeling.”

O’Neil was a highly productive player in the last two seasons at Glenwood, making 75 receptions for 1,500 yards and 15 touchdowns during that time. His talent caught the eyes of several schools this past summer, including Illinois, Memphis, Troy, Virginia and Wisconsin.

For O’Neil, it was the connection he felt between himself and the Pitt coaching staff that put them over the top at the end of the summer and left them there Wednesday.

“(It was) the relationship we had,” O’Neil said. “From the first time they talked to me when they offered me, I just felt a bond with them that I didn’t feel with any other school.”

O’Neil said he decided to sign now rather than in February because he had no reason to wait. He had made up his mind on going to Pitt, and waiting would just allow other coaches to constantly contact him with offers he had no interest in. O’Neil said his signing would also show his new team how committed he was.

The Panthers went 5-7 in 2017, which included a 24-14 win over No. 2 Miami on Nov. 24. The team’s season-ending win illustrated its potential going forward, something O’Neil will soon have some say in.

“It’s a young team,” O’Neil said. “I’m just ready to take my talents to Pittsburgh.”

O’Neil was a menace to many defensive backs in his time as a Glenwood Gator. Now that his ticket to Pittsburgh is officially punched, he hopes to show Panthers fans that he’ll be just as dangerous decked out in blue and gold.

“They’re getting a talented football player,” O’Neil said. “I’m just going to put in the work to make Pitt a better team and try to bring the best of my talents to the team.”

This story was originally published December 20, 2017 at 3:11 PM with the headline "Glenwood’s Cameron O’Neil signs with Pittsburgh."