LB Daelin Hayes
Measurables: 6-3, 256.
School: Ann Arbor (Mich.) Skyline
Rivals ranking: Five stars, No. 7 OLB.
247Sports ranking: Four stars, No. 10 OLB.
Notable numbers: Hayes played in just three games as a senior before his season was ended by a torn labrum in his right shoulder.
First scholarship offer: Michigan State.
Best advice I received through the recruiting process: Focus on football.
One word to describe Brian Kelly: Intense.
The one thing I won’t miss about the recruiting process: Everyone asking where I’m attending school.
Moment I knew I wanted to be Irish: Oct. 17 (his official visit for the ND-USC game), I had a pretty good idea.
My secret off-the-field talent: Public speaking.
Song on my iPod I’m embarrassed to tell people about: Sorry by Justin Bieber.
Sports idol: Jaylon Smith
Preferred social media: Twitter.
Favorite football accomplishment: Being a U.S. Army All-American.
Dream job (other than the NFL): To be determined.
Head coach Brian Kelly on Hayes: "We're really excited about him. He's a bright, articulate kid. He knows what he wants. The thing I like about Daelin more than anything else is if you give him something that is really definitive and tangible, he's going to go after it. And it's an approach that I love about a kid at that age, and he'll work towards that.
Whatever it's been. 'I want to be a mid-year enrollee. I want to go to Notre Dame.' Once he had settled on that, there was nothing that was going to get in the way of it, and that's why we're going to really enjoy coaching him and his experience."
We just feel like with the shoulder surgery, he hasn't really been able to weight train. He's already a pretty big kid. He's only going to get bigger. We just think that he has such a range of positions that he can play. We're just going to kind of let it naturally happen, and where there's an area that he can help us, I think we all know that getting after the quarterback would be a great start for him."
Defensive line coach Keith Gilmore on Hayes: "I think he can help us at defensive end. That’s kind of what he was more of an outside linebacker kid. He can be an ideal rush player. He’s a rare talent, a special breed of kid. He’s a freshman that probably could do it. He’s got enough athleticism. He’s over 250 pounds right now, a special athlete. He’s a kid that if there’s a freshman that can come in and help us on the defensive line, he’s one of those guys that really could do that."
Linebackers coach Mike Elston on if he will fight to keep Hayes at linebacker: "I’m definitely going to fight, but he’s already a Whopper away from already being out of it. He’s 250-some pounds. He’s got to slow down on his training table if I’m going to keep him at linebacker."
Gilmore on Hayes' shoulder injury: "Everything went well with the injury and the surgery. He’s recovering well. He’s on time to be in pads when they said he would be. He’s a gym rat type guy. So he’s in here doing extra work on the weekends. He’s learning the defense. He’s a prototype player. He’s a guy I think will do everything possible to get himself ready to play. It means a lot to him. He wants to get in here and contribute and be the player everybody anticipates him being."
Gilmore on his timetable to return: "He’ll do some things in spring practice. He won’t be full go as far as hitting is concerned. He’ll be able to run around and do some physical things but not hitting. Hopefully he’ll be ready to go in the summer when it’s time to go.”
Defensive coordinator Brian VanGorder on Hayes: "Short term, he’s got to get familiar with our base defense. That’s what he’s going to have to do during meetings and during spring ball. We’ve got to try to paint a picture of concepts to him where he gets ahead of the game, at least intellectually right now, being here mid-year. Physically, until we get to training camp we’re just not going to know. Obviously we like a lot about him from high school physically, but we just have to see him play."
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Audio: Notre Dame defensive line coach Keith Gilmore talks about Hayes' potential.
