2014 OL Hayes commits to ND
Notre Dame's success on the field looks like it is translating to success off the field. Jay Hayes, offensive lineman from Brooklyn (N.Y.) Poly Prep, committed to the Fighting Irish today. Hayes, a member of the 2014 class, explained why he committed.
"Just knowing that Notre Dame is a great place, nothing really compares to it academically and on the football field," said the 6-foot-5, 270-pound Hayes. "The tradition at Notre Dame, the titles and the academics there make it a great school to build connections for the future."
Advertisement
Notre Dame defensive coordinator Bob Diaco, Hayes recruiting coach, played a big part in getting him to commit this early in the process.
"He (Coach Bob Diaco) is a great guy. I've been getting familiar with him," he said. "I've only spoken to him about three times but it seems just incredible up there and I really want to be part of that program."
Hayes will switch sides of the ball when he goes up to South Bend.
"I'm going to play defensive line for them," Hayes explained. "I'll be playing defensive tackle and defensive end in their 3-4 scheme."
Early commits sometimes have a way of de-committing further down the line. Does Hayes think he will be one of those guys?
"I'm pretty solid right now. At the moment, Notre Dame is where I want to be," he said. "The atmosphere and prestigious I hear about Notre Dame is really cool."
Hayes has never been to the Notre Dame campus but will be visiting some time in the net two weeks.
Hayes was considering offers from many schools, including Wisconsin, Michigan, Oregon, Penn State and others.