Ravens selected Notre Dame DE Daelin Hayes with the No. 171 overall pick in the 2021 NFL Draft.
Daelin Hayes (6’3/253) was a heralded four-star recruit who was ranked as the 10th best outside linebacker and 133rd overall prospect in the nation according to 247Sports. The Michigan native originally committed to USC but backed off the pledge when HC Steve Sarkisian was fired, eventually flipping over to Notre Dame. An intriguing prospect with verifiable athletic traits, Hayes endured multiple shoulder injuries in high school and college that cost him a significant amount of playing time, slowing his development. Though he logged 1,706 snaps over his collegiate career, he only managed to accrue 9.0 sacks in total, with a single-season high of only 3.0 sacks. A senior captain who was named honorable mention All-ACC last year, he displays enough bend, burst and agility to play at the NFL level. However, he failed to make the kind of impact you would expect considering his natural gifts. His 4.71-second 40-yard dash, 26 bench reps and 4.29-second shuttle are all exceptional marks that contributed to his strong 8.85 RAS. Hayes projects as a developmental prospect with intriguing physical attributes and a very troubling injury history with his shoulder. His situation is reminiscent of Joe Ostman. Baltimore is the ideal landing spot for Hayes, who can develop his technique while sitting behind a talented group of pass-rushers. As the Ravens’ defensive line ages, Hayes could get the chance to take on a larger role.
