Blue and Gold Illustrated

FOOTBALL RECRUITING Rankings: Listed as a four-star recruit, and the na- tion's No. 14 outside linebacker and No. 148 overall player by Rivals … ESPN rates him as the No. 16 ath- lete and No. 270 overall recruit nationally. Statistics/Honors: Earned third-team All-Wash- ington Catholic Athletic Conference honors as a line- backer following his junior season. Recruitment: Took an official visit to Notre Dame Sept. 19, when the Irish took on Georgia Tech … Came away from the visit with a high opinion of the Irish, putting them in position to stay near the top of his list moving forward … Also went to Michigan State Sept. 12 and Oregon Sept. 26, and will choose between Ohio State, UCLA, Duke, Penn State and Maryland for his final two official visits. BGI's Take: The Irish defense under coordinator Brian VanGorder is built around speed and attacking. That makes Hansford a perfect fit for the defense. He has tremendous speed and range, with an explosive first step and elite open-field acceleration. He shows good agility and quickness, flashing easy change-of- direction ability. He is excellent in space and plays under control. His speed and range allow him to excel as a blitzer and coverage player. Hansford is also an instinctive linebacker that takes good angles to the football. He is a willing tackler with above-average strength for his size. Moving forward he must get stronger and add girth, but he can hold his own at the point of at- tack. He will have to improve his footwork and start playing with a better base. His combination of size potential and athleticism is a fit for the Will and Sam linebacker positions in the Irish defense. DAELIN HAYES Ann Arbor, Mich. (Skyline) Measurables: Checked in at 6-3½ and 249 pounds at The Opening in Beaverton, Ore. … Posted a 40- yard dash time of 4.84 seconds, had a 41.5-inch power ball throw and leaped 31.2 inches at that event. Rankings: Ranked as a five-star recruit, the top player in Michigan, and the No. 3 outside linebacker and No. 13 overall player in the country by Rivals … Rated as a four-star prospect by ESPN, Scout and 247Sports. Statistics/Honors: Missed most of his junior sea- son due to moving back to Michigan after playing just three games at Ventura (Calif.) St. Bonaventure … Named to the preseason watch list for the But- kus Award, which is given to the nation's top prep linebacker. Recruitment: Committed to USC on July 26, 2014, and continues to say he is solid to the Trojans … Despite his public commitment, has maintained a relationship with the Notre Dame staff … Made an unofficial visit to Notre Dame Sept. 5, when the Irish hosted Texas … Plans on returning to Notre Dame for an official visit Oct. 17, when the Irish take on USC. BGI's Take: Right now, the ranking for Hayes is all about raw talent, athleticism and potential. Injuries and transferring from Michigan to California and back to Michigan have kept him from playing a full season of high school football. Despite his lack of experience, the talent is ob- vious, and players with his combination of size, strength and athleticism do not come along very often. He has excellent size and natural power, al- though his frame could stand to be reshaped a bit moving forward. Athletically, he possesses an explosive first step that allows him to fly downhill. He stays light on his feet, has smooth hips and is able to redirect with ease. His in-the-box power fits well for the inside po- sitions, his range and athleticism make him a perfect fit outside, and his power-speed combination could easily project at defensive end. JONATHAN JONES Orlando, Fla. (Oak Ridge) Measurables: Listed at 6-0 and 209 pounds at The Opening regional in Orlando, Fla. … Ran a 4.68 in the 40-yard dash and leaped 35.5 inches at The Opening in Beaverton, Ore. Rankings: 247Sports lists him as the No. 33 pros- pect in Florida, and the No. 20 outside linebacker and No. 207 overall player in the land … Rated as the No. 66 player in the Sunshine State and No. 17

• Cover