Texas A&M football lands portal DE Dayon Hayes; Experienced defender played at Pitt, Colorado
Texas A&M football came into this portal cycle with several distinct needs. The Aggies' most pressing need was clearly at wide receiver, and the Aggies have attacked that position well already, gaining commitments from Micah Hudson and Mario Craver.
Another position of need that has emerged, however, is defensive line. As Nic Scourton, Shemar Stewart, and Shemar Turner have all declared for the NFL draft, the Ags will be searching for experience to replace them.
Of course, the Aggies have some pretty good players in the hopper themselves with Cashius Howell, Rylan Kennedy, and others. But seniority up front is always a big plus, and the Aggies needed some experience.
They've just gotten some with their latest commitment. Edge defender Dayon Hayes announced yesterday that he would be committing to Texas A&M football.
— DayonHayes (@dayonhayes00) December 21, 2024
Hayes is a sixth-year player who spent his last season at Colorado. In only four games with the Buffaloes, Hayes registered 3.5 TFLs and 2 sacks.
Before that, he was a star defender at Pitt, where he played for four seasons. In his final season with the Panthers, he registered 10.5 TFLs and 45 total tackles, as well as a forced fumble.
For that reason, Hayes was a preseason all-Big 12 selection this past year, and he has the chance to make a huge impact with the Aggies. I love this pickup not only for the production he has proven, but for the experience he clearly has.
The Aggies are in dire need of some more seniority up front, and it looks like that's exactly what they picked up in Hayes. This is a big move for A&M— though he's hopefully not the last portal player they add along the defensive front when all is said and done.