2023 Trib HSSN Preseason Football All-Star Team: North Catholic’s Brady O’Hara

By: Chris Harlan
Sunday, July 30, 2023 | 4:56 PM

Purchase Photo Options

Being tall isn’t a new experience for North Catholic’s Brady O’Hara.

“In my kindergarten class, I remember there was everyone else and then there was me, two heads taller than everyone,” said O’Hara, now a 6-foot-6 junior who plays tight end and defensive end for the Trojans.

His size has enticed a number of college recruiters to offer him scholarships, but O’Hara has shown on Friday nights that he’s more than just a big body. He continued to grow bigger over the past year and says he feels comfortable in his own skin nowadays.

“Yes, completely,” he said. “Before, I was skinnier. Last year, I was 220. This year, I’m 245, so I’ve gained 25 pounds. I’m looking forward to seeing what I can bring to the team.”

O’Hara intends to be a difference-maker on both sides of the ball.

He flashed his athleticism on defense a year ago as a tough-to-block pass rusher who earned first-team all-conference honors as a sophomore. However, on offense, he mostly was an extra blocker with just a handful of catches.

In the months since, O’Hara worked to become a better receiver by focusing on his route running and boosting his ball skills. He also played a season of high school lacrosse, showing he’s more mobile than many guys his size.

“I’m excited about what Brady is going to bring for our program, not from just a defensive standpoint, but from an offensive standpoint, as well,” new North Catholic coach Chris Rizzo said. “He’s got a great work ethic and a great demeanor about him. He’s had a really good summer.”

O’Hara became more involved in the offense as last season progressed but seems ready for a bigger role under Rizzo, a Bethel Park native who coached last fall in Arizona. Rizzo said his coaching staff will find ways to use O’Hara on both sides of the ball.

“When you have a young man that is blessed with the kind of size and athleticism that Brady has, you’ve got to get creative,” Rizzo said. “Thankfully for our end, there aren’t a lot of guys in high school football that are able to match up with a guy like that.”

Pitt, Penn State and West Virginia all have offered O’Hara scholarships, along with Wisconsin, UConn and Marshall. He said some college coaches see him as a defensive end, but most are recruiting him for offense.

Rizzo said O’Hara likely will move around North Catholic’s offensive formation. He was lined up in the slot for his one touchdown catch a year ago, a 12-yard score.

While he has gotten bigger and stronger since last season, O’Hara said the area of most improvement might be his hands.

“I went to a few camps because my hands were bricks before,” he said. “I needed to get those better so I don’t have any drops.”

His new coach agreed after watching last season’s game film.

“He had a pretty raw set of hands last year,” Rizzo said. “But that’s the part of his game that I’ve watched develop most this summer.”

Brady O’Hara

North Catholic

Junior

6-6/245

TE/DE

Committed to: uncommitted

Division I offers: Pitt, Penn State, West Virginia, Marshall, UConn, Wisconsin

Chris Harlan is a TribLive reporter covering sports. He joined the Trib in 2009 after seven years as a reporter at the Beaver County Times. He can be reached at charlan@triblive.com.

Tags: North Catholic