Daelin Hayes Making Impact During Notre Dame Practices

The imposing 6-foot-3 ½, 250-pound defensive end from Ann Arbor (Mich.) Skyline High School looks the part, and through 10 preseason practices is standing out on a Notre Dame defensive line in need of a pass rush.

Hayes — a former five-star prospect by Rivals.com and the No. 31 overall player in the class of 2016 — has made several flashy plays during the three practices open to the media and has drawn praise from coach Brian Kelly.

Even when the 18-year-old Hayes goes up against star left tackle Mike McGlinchey in practice — a teammate three years older than Hayes and a future high NFL pick — Kelly said the freshman is “faring quite well.”

"I think he's that hybrid guy that can drop, that can come off the edge,” Kelly said of Hayes, who enrolled at Notre Dame in January and participated in spring practice. "I mean, I see him in our sub-package, you know. He can play over the tight end. I mean, he's been impressive, yeah. He's going to be a good player for us."

Hayes was on Notre Dame’s second-team defensive line Saturday in the team’s odd-front nickel package, lining up alongside sophomore Elijah Taylor inside and junior defensive end Jonathan Bonner.

Hayes had a sack during Thursday morning's practice, bringing 6-4, 230-pound quarterback DeShone Kizer to the ground and showing no signs of a surgically-repaired shoulder that limited him during the spring.

On Saturday, Hayes combined with sophomore outside linebacker Te’Von Coney for a tackle for loss.

“No question in the fall he should be full speed, and we will be counting on him,” defensive line coach Keith Gilmore said in the spring. “He’s a special athlete, you see the flashes, and you just can’t wait to see, ‘OK, how is this going to develop over the course of a year? How is he going to be able to contribute?’”

Kelly mentioned several freshmen who could have an impact this season, including receivers Chase Claypool, Javon McKinley and Kevin Stepherson. Hayes, as well as defensive backs Julian Love, Troy Pride, Devin Studstill and Donte Vaughn, have the look that Kelly is looking for in a young player.

"Generally, (we're looking for freshmen) that possess the want-to. In other words, they want to play, they're not afraid to play," Kelly said. "There can't be a hesitancy when you look at them in a sense that, 'Hey, I'm here to play, I want to play, I'm excited about playing.'

" ... If they don't kind of have that look in their eye, that would be my first concern. All these guys expect to and have a bit of a swagger to them, that they want to play."

Kelly pointed out that Hayes — a USC verbal commit before flipping to the Irish in December — is a versatile player in Notre Dame’s “speed package” on defense. Hayes complements junior Jay Hayes, a more stout defensive end at 285 pounds who figures to hold up better against power teams like Stanford, Kelly said.

Against tempo teams that aren’t as aggressive at the point-of-attack, Daelin Hayes could get his share of opportunities, Kelly said.

“The thing that (Daelin Hayes) has is the ability to play in coverage, similar to (Andrew) Trumbetti, but a bigger kid,” Gilmore said in the spring. “It gives you a little bit different player that can probably hold up in a little more solid against the run and have the ability to play the pass as well. He’s a special athlete.”

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