Notre Dame Football: How can Irish draft prospects improve their stock?
By Andrew Hall
Daelin Hayes – Defensive End – Graduate Student
Daelin Hayes originally stepped on campus at Irish Invasion and flashed his elite combination of size and athleticism. He initially committed to Southern California before flipping to Notre Dame. Hayes was a borderline 5-star prospect but injuries limited his college projections.
Despite barely playing high school football, Hayes navigated the first three years of his college career with minimal injuries. He only missed the Virginia Tech game with a stinger in 2018.
In 2019, Hayes suffered a season-ending shoulder injury against Virginia. Because the injury occurred in the fourth game of year, he was able to preserve a season of eligibility.
His best season occurred in 2017. Hayes tallied 30 tackles, 3 sacks and 6.5 tackles for loss. After that Sophomore campaign, he posted similar numbers in 2018 but failed to progress like his other teammates.
Can Hayes post numbers similar to his former running mates Julian Okwara and Khalid Kareem in 2020? He certainly possesses the potential and will receive the opportunity to vastly improve his draft status during his fifth year.
Obviously, following the conclusion of his Irish career, Hayes needs to have a solid combine to prove that he is medically prepared to battle at the NFL level. If he is cleared medically, Hayes will definitely be a sought after commodity. Irish Breakdown’s Bryan Driskell wrote:
"Hayes is a very intriguing player. His combination of size and athleticism is truly special, and I would argue his physical traits are first round worthy. The Belleville, Mich. native is almost 6-4 and weighs 270 pounds, but he can run, can cover tight ends and is rangy in zone coverage. That’s not something you’ll find very often."
His draft position depends greatly on how well he performs this season. Ultimately, he is likely drafted on the final day of selections.
What can Hayes do to improve: Completing an injury free season would ease the concerns of some NFL general managers who might balk at selecting him in the first half of the draft. Additionally, Hayes always produced well but never led the team in pressure categories. If a healthy Hayes produces more like Junior Julian Okwara then his stock will rise rapidly because he already possesses the physical tools necessary to play at the pro level.
Projection: 5th Round
High-Low Range: 3rd Round to 7th Round