Notre Dame football: Daelin Hayes has a great opportunity in Baltimore
By Brad Weiss
The Notre Dame football team will need to find a replacement for Daelin Hayes, who is in a great spot with the Baltimore Ravens in Year 1.
The Baltimore Ravens have some work to do in terms of adding to the pass rush this offseason, this after losing both Matt Judon and Yannick Ngakoue via free agency. To help in that loss, the team added a former Notre Dame football star in the 2021 NFL Draft, selecting Daelin Hayes with the No. 171 overall selection in the fifth round.
Hayes was a standout player for the Irish and then impressed in a big way during the draft process, cementing his place as a legitimate draft prospect. Now, with the Ravens, Hayes is in the perfect spot to get his NFL career started on the right foot, landing with a team with a significant need in a role he thrives in.
Notre Dame football star has a chance to earn a big role
Recently, the talented Moe Moton from Bleacher Report listed one position group for each team that is up for grabs during training camp. For the Ravens, that role is the edge rusher role, one that the team tried desperately to improve during the offseason.
Outside of adding Hayes via the 2021 NFL Draft, they also brought in Odafe Oweh in the first round, adding the talented edge rusher from Penn State. Oweh was widely considered one of the top edge rushing talents in the draft, but he and Hayes are on equal footing entering training camp, as both are rookies looking to earn a role at the next level.
Hayes has the perfect blend of size and speed NFL teams look for, and while he may not have been an early-round draft pick, he has the work ethic to earn the respect of his coaches and teammates. That will go a long way in him getting off to a strong start to his NFL career for a team that should be one of the best in the AFC this season.
Tyus Bowser and Pernell McPhee will return to the Ravens this season, and they have an inside track to earn significant playing time. However, Hayes was very impressive during the spring, and if he can show during training camp that he is ready for a legitimate role at the next level, he is going to get every chance to earn it.