Clark is a pretty bad comparison. Hayes decommitted but let's face it - SC is on pretty shaky ground with a lot of kids with everything that's gone on there this season. Since then all we as fans have gotten is second or third hand information speculating that he's been wrestling with his decision. Based on his actions right now I'd say he's trying to find the best school for him - Notre Dame being one of his choices. He's visited quite a few times already.
Sorry for the following very long post, but this will hopefully prevent people from having to go back through 33 pages. I did my best to copy all of the tweets, updates, etc from Daelin and several recruit analysts with dates of the post. Here is why I believe it is similar to Clark (not as bad but very drama filled).
As Casey posted #1228 "What i don't get is, he went from not ever mentioning Ohio State and only talking about USC and Notre Dame to now only focusing on Michigan State, Ohio State, and Notre Dame. He now believes in Urban Meyer does he not know what he did at Florida or Ohio State. If we get him cool if not whatever i don't care. I think he just loves the attention."
Wiltfon talks with a family member very close to his recruiting and is basically told it comes down to just MSU and ND on November 12th. Now, 5 days later, he is returning to OSU and moved his commit date up and is singing the praises of OSU and Urbie. With all of this I cannot really believe ND was ever a real option. I don't know how it is basically an ND-USC battle with ND being the main competition...even after committing to USC with no mention of anyone else for 17 months and after a couple of weeks with Urban Liar and its "I've been here a thousand times and it feels like home". I truly hope I am wrong because he does appear to have a high ceiling. Won't be terribly upset if we lose out because he could also be an injury bust.
Top100 2016 LB Daelin Hayes on Notre Dame offer. "I love that school with every existence of my body."
— Steve Wiltfong
June 21, 2014
If Daelin gets an offer, he will commit asap – Scott Schrader after his visit to USC
July 24, 2014
West Bloomfield (Mich.) Cass Tech four-star linebacker and USC commit Daelin Hayes is planning a trip to Notre Dame on one of two dates — Nov. 15 for the Northwestern game or Nov. 22 for the Louisville game. – Tom Loy
October 19, 2014
Notre Dame is a special school." Per Hemoldt This recruitment is wide open right now and Notre Dame is really in a strong position. They are a school that fits his personality well, and I would keep a close eye on him over the next 15 months.
October 27, 2014
I recently mentioned that the recruiting process for 2016 four-star linebacker Daelin Hayes, an early USC commit, may have a chance to get interesting now that he was moving back to Michigan. His move, plus the arrival of several big-time offers over the last month, has definitely accomplished this. A few of the new offers that have caught his attention at this time include Notre Dame, LSU and Oklahoma, but it is the Fighting Irish who are most on his mind. While he remains a USC commit, some sources believe that Notre Dame is actually his current leader. Expect more and more visits to South Bend for Hayes over the coming months. – Mike Farrell
October 29, 2014
USC commit tells Josh Helmboldt that ND and Ohio State are pushing him hard
— Adam Gorney (@adamgorney)
December 15, 2014
Notre Dame continues to recruit USC commit Daelin Hayes. The 5-star linebacker talks with our BGI
— BlueandGold.com (@BGInews)
April 27, 2015
5-star linebacker and USC commit Daelin Hayes says “time will tell” with Notre Dame
— Andrew Ivins (@BGI_aivins)
June 6, 2015
Scout (VIDEO): The Opening: Daelin Hayes is all USC
July 10, 2015
"Coaches hit me up all the time via [direct messaging on Twitter] but I'm solid man. I'm not even worrying about recruiting, rankings, I'm just worried about the team, the team, the team. I just want to play at a high level. That's all I'm worried about right now not the recruiting."
August 10, 2015
“I spoke to head coach Brian Kelly and defensive line coach Keith Gilmore,” said Hayes. “With the recent events going on at USC, I’ve wanted to keep doors open. I talked to Coach Kelly and Coach Gilmore about setting up an official visit to Notre Dame. My official visit date will be predicated on when I’m free and when we don’t have something going on with my team, because they’re my first priority. I’m going to get down to South Bend and see what they’re talking about and hopefully continue to build a relationship with Notre Dame.”
“He’s a real genuine guy,” said Hayes. “He just got to Notre Dame and one of the biggest things is that coaches get to schools and there job is to sell you on the school, but I never felt like it was a false sense of everything from Coach Gilmore. He’s been a real genuine guy from day one. I feel comfortable talking with him. He genuinely feels like Notre Dame is the best fit for me. I’m going to go down there and see what it’s about.”
“I’ve talked to Coach Kelly just as much as I’ve talked to Coach Gilmore, as far as via Twitter or on the phone,” said Hayes. “Coach Kelly hits me up all the time. That also played a big role in my decision to take an official visit to Notre Dame. I’ve talked to Coach Kelly more than any other head coach, including Coach ‘Sark’. That genuineness and the effort that they’ve put in to recruit me has played a huge role in me making this decision.”(outworked)
“His play and who he has become has been in the back of my mind for a long time,” said Hayes. “He actually messaged me on Twitter the other day. It was pretty cool. He said ‘Good luck little bro.’ That’s my dude. Even the coaches told me he doesn’t usually do that. I was pretty fired up.”(talking about jaylon)
“I’m committed to USC, but I look forward to getting down on my official visit to Notre Dame and seeing what they Irish have to offer,”
“I’ll graduate early,” said Hayes. “I might early enroll. I have that choice. I’ve been a year ahead since my freshman year. I put in the work early to have this opportunity at this point. So, I’m still deciding if I’ll enroll early.” – 247
August 27, 2015
Put in a CrystalBall for Irish to flip Daelin Hayes from Trojans; Tom Loys has been all over it — Steve Lorenz (@TremendousUM)
September 3, 2015
Anna asked a source "very close" to Hayes if a flip could happen, reply was: -
September 8, 2015 after visit for Texas game
Trojans getr Hayes back to campus: Much needed visit back home... Great to be back #FightOn — ⚡️Daelin Hayes⚡️
September 15, 2015
per 247--everyone in and around the Ann Arbor (Mich.) Skyline program believes Hayes will end up at Notre Dame...even usc doesn't feel good about their chances...he wouldn't even have gone to usc this past week had he not injured his shoulder –
September 17, 2015
2016 USC LB commit Daelin Hayes signs early financial agreement with Trojans. Doesn't bind him to school in any way. — Irish Sports Daily
September 24, 2015
If today were Signing Day ... Hayes is a mid-year enrollee so we will not have to wait until National Signing Day to find out his destination. He has already signed a grant-in-aid form with USC, but in the end I think he ends up at Notre Dame – Josh Helmboldt,
October 1, 2015
and now per tv---it appears usc has gone back in the lead and will be tough to reclaim it –
October 1, 2015
“Seeing the two front-runners go at it and seeing who comes out on top,” Hayes said of what he’s looking forward to. “It will be my first time seeing USC in a game setting. I’ve never seen a game of USC live.” will official for usc at the usc vs ucla game. He added the final decision is “probably going to be my gut.” – 247
October 6, 2015
At this time my family and I feel that it is in my best interest to de-commit from the University of Southern California and open up my recruitment process. I’d like to thank the USC coaching staff for the opportunities that they have placed before me. – Daelin Hayes
October 11, 2015
Daelin Hayes, one of the top linebackers in the country, has opened up his recruitment again and Michigan State is near the top of his list. The Spartans will have to battle Notre Dame, where Hayes will be taking his first visit since informing the college football world that he was decommitting from USC on Twitter on Sunday. "I've been loving Notre Dame since my sophomore year when I attended camp and they offered me on the spot," Hayes said Monday. "I'm confident with how they want to use me because they're recruiting me like they did Jaylon (Smith) and they want me to come in and do the same things he's doing (at the hybrid defensive end / linebacker spot). I'm confident the coaching staff would get me to where I need to be at that level. And, I've also talked to 'Bama. 'Bama contacted me today and they want me to set up an official." –
October 13, 2015
Official Visit scheduled with Ohio State per Josh Helmholdt – Rivals
October 13. 2015
Official Visits - Notre Dame Oct. 17 Ohio State Nov. 7 ❗️⭕️ Michigan State Nov. 14 ✅◻️✅◻️ Oklahoma Nov. 21 ⚪️⚪️ LSU Nov. 28 — ⚡️Daelin Hayes⚡️
October 15, 2015
per tv---they were told he was committing this weekend, then that changed....but the other teams are feeling he prob commits this weekend to ND...he also has been cleared by ND to EE -
October 15, 2015
Hayes released the five official visits he will be taking Wednesday night. He already had locked in an official visit to Notre Dame for this upcoming weekend, but in just the last few days, he has scheduled Ohio State for Nov. 7, Michigan State for Nov. 14, Oklahoma for Nov. 20 and LSU for Nov. 27. Prior to the de-commitment, Hayes told me Notre Dame was the only school he was in regular contact with outside of USC. The Fighting Irish are the team to beat in this recruitment and Hayes is a mid-year enrollee. – Josh Helmboldt
October 15, 2015
Scout: ND did what they needed to do. Very good visit covering all bases. He will take the other visits but feel is ND solidified top spot. Decision expected early December.
October 18, 2015
“Went well, went real well,” Skyline head coach Chan Brock said. “Coach Kelly is good. He’s doing a good job of recruiting him. He’s been doing it a long time and he was enlightening and engaging. Spent 40 minutes just talking about where we are as a program and what they see in Daelin, it went really well.” – 247
October 20, 2015
Just heard 5⭐️ Daelin Hayes recruitment is down to MSU and ND. He will officially visit Michigan State on Nov 14th. — Spartan Designs
October 26, 2015
per 247--sources saying that there is a better chance he ends up at msu or osu over nd
November 6, 2015
Nothing really to report, he liked his OSU visit. Kurelic think it's a MSU OSU battle. OSU leads –
November 9, 2015
“All are even right now,” “Notre Dame, it’s Notre Dame,” Hayes said Sunday night regarding his high interest in the Irish. “Notre Dame is where everyone thinks I’m committed too.”
“With Ohio State, they’re new, but with Coach (Tony) Alford, I’ve known him since I was a sophomore,” Hayes said. “I’ve known Coach Alford for so long and my mom loves Coach (Urban) Meyer more than any coach I’ve talked too. My pops loved Ohio State. This was his first trip he’s come on. I had a great time.”
“There were lots of things I took away from Ohio State. The opportunity after football. Coach Meyer does it with Real Life Wednesdays where players get a chance to talk with Fortune 500 companies and ESPN Analysts. Guys are leaving as seniors, or me coming as mid-year so I’ll grad in three and a half years, guys are leaving with degrees and degrees don’t promise you a job. At Ohio State players are leaving with degrees with four or five jobs offering six figures because of the opportunities Coach Meyer is presenting them. You’re getting a chance to establish relationships with his contacts and it’s not what you know it’s who you know. That was fantastic, their development of the man.
“My mom loves Coach Meyer and getting on campus and meeting him for the first time, it was great and I really enjoyed myself.” “Where it all started and they’ve been with me for the entire process,” Hayes said.“This visit is getting back to where it all started. Where my recruiting process started. They’ve been with me through it all. It will be interesting. I can’t wait to get back down. I just look forward to seeing them play. I haven’t seen them play in a real game since my sophomore year.”
regarding a return trip to Notre Dame? “I took one official and one unofficial, I’ve already seen everything I need to see from them,” – Wiltfong 247
November 9, 2015
Buckeye linebacker target Daelin Hayes said his Ohio State visit was “amazing,” phenomenal,” and he left “believing in coach Meyer.” – Bucknuts
November 10, 2015
After talking with my family, I've decided to cancel my scheduled Officials to LSU and Oregon to focus on my top 3 -ND -OSU -MSU ✳️✳️— ⚡️Daelin Hayes⚡️
November 12, 2015
wiltfong-spoke w/ a source (got a chance to really talk to Daelin about the process) for an hour today who is close w/ family...said it comes down to ND or msu –
November 12, 2015
247 - returning to OSU for this week's game. Quotes from today:
“It was great man, “The point of emphasis was consistency. They believe in me. That’s huge.”
“Just how comfortable I am there,” “They were the first school to start recruiting me. I know the coaching staff well, I’ve been up there a thousand times, I know the players, I’m very comfortable, feels like home. That’s huge. When you’re comfortable and you know what the deal is and you trust the coaches, I believe it makes you play better. It’s like playing in high school. You know the guys there. You don’t have to remake friends, it’s comfortable, you come in and get to work
“That and being so close to home, I think it would help.”
“It was great, we went out and bowled and had fun,”
“I had a great time, very comfortable with the guys.”
“I might have my official (decision) date sometime this week or next week,” –
November 17, 2015
