Hello, fan of an NFL team. MGoBlog excruciatingly scouts every Michigan play, and scores them to inform our coverage. Since mi atleta es su atleta now, here we share what we're sharing.
Quickly: Tall former HS TE who moved to OL and became Michigan's starting LT for each of the past two seasons, a capable performer in both the run and passing game but who was never the feature of the line.
Draft Projection: Hayes appears to be in the later round territory (5th-7th), with a decent chance of slipping into the UDFA zone. Hayes was a solid starter for Michigan who earned All-B1G honors, but he never seriously threatened for first team honors nor was ever considered the best OL on his own offensive line. He has multiple years of starting experience on an elite NCAA line with ideal size for the tackle position, but his results against elite pass-rushers leave reason for concern. Hayes lacks the sort of high-end traits scouts are looking for but his experience and success at the collegiate level may be enough to get him a later round draft slot and if not, a free agent deal to get his shot in a training camp setting.
NFL Comp: I am not an NFL OL or NFL Draft expert, but I will note that Teven Jenkins and Brady Christensen are two comparables I saw pop up in scouting reports of Hayes when I was collecting material for the "what others say" section.
What's his story: Ryan Hayes arrived at Michigan in the fall of 2018 as a 4* in-state recruit out of Traverse City, part of a two-man tackle class with Jalen Mayfield (2021 3rd round pick), during the brief (second) tenure of Greg Frey. Frey was known for taking massively tall HS tight ends who brought athleticism but lacked muscle and trying to turn them into future starting tackles. He didn't stay at Michigan long enough to see the project out but both tackles he recruited in that class eventually became starters. Of the two, Hayes was even more raw than Mayfield, the ultimate Frey style tackle recruit at 6'7" and somewhere between 255 and 265 in his HS days.
The expectation was that Hayes would spend many years in the Crock Pot marinating, needing to add immense amounts of weight and muscle to be in playing shape. Which is why it was moderately surprising to see it be Hayes who got a shot to start at LT at the outset of the 2019 season when Jon Runyan Jr. was injured, only one year into his collegiate career. His first appearance against Middle Tennessee State was shockingly good for a player who was still inexperienced at tackle and skinny, but that was followed up by a sharp come-down against Army. Michigan then had a bye week, Runyan returned for Wisconsin, and Hayes went back on the shelf.
Hayes was next seen in 2020, his RS So. more year, starting at LT opposite his classmate Mayfield at RT. He played two games and didn't look particularly great but then got injured and his season was finished, as Michigan only played six games in the COVID year. It wasn't until 2021 that Hayes finally became a week-in, week-out starter, which was roughly around the time we'd always expected Hayes to emerge anyway. That season he rounded into a solid LT, putting together a statement game against Washington to begin the year. Hayes proved himself easily able to defeat linebackers and bad DEs, but was ripped apart in brutal fashion by PSU's Arnold Ebiketie (2nd round pick, 2022), the first elite, NFL-caliber passrusher he faced that year. We all were on edge for Hayes in The Game, but he had few problems, taking care of the Buckeyes and helping Michigan snap their rivalry drought. For his efforts, Hayes was named 2nd Team All-B1G by the coaches and got an honorable mention from the media.
Hayes opted to return to Michigan for his fifth year in 2022, one of three returning starters on the defensive front and an anchor of the line at LT, with Michigan plugging multiple faces into the RT spot after the departure of Andrew Steuber. Hayes missed week one against Colorado State, but then returned to being himself, a solid tackle in every phase of the game. The Michigan running game was right-handed this season, built around the interior presence of RG Zak Zinter and C Olu Oluwatimi, so Hayes didn't get as many moments to shine as a mauler, but he held the blindside well and posted consistently strong grades in our UFRs. His performance against Michigan State was a highlight, followed by injury against Rutgers, before returning to close the year well, including a second-straight excellent showing against Ohio State. He was named 2nd Team All-B1G by the coaches and 3rd Team All-B1G by the media.
Positives: Experienced, veteran tackle with who is smart and possesses decent athleticism, strong in the run game and a decent pass protector too.
Negatives: Shorter arms and limits on his athleticism and playing strength have left him vulnerable to elite pass rushers and limit his upside at tackle.
[After THE JUMP: What others say, grading, video, and final thoughts]
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