Name: Ryan Hayes
Height: 6’7″
Weight: 271 lbs.
High school: Traverse City (MI) West
Position: Offensive tackle
Class: Redshirt freshman
Jersey number: #76
Last year: I ranked Hayes #81 and said he would be a backup tight end (LINK). He redshirted.
TTB Rating: 84
When Hayes moved to campus last year, it was clear that the process for him would take some time. He was listed at 262 lbs. last season, which was naturally going to prevent him from playing offensive line. He spent some time at tight end, as promised, but that didn’t get him on the field.
Now Hayes is listed as an offensive lineman at 271 lbs. While I have heard he is a bit heavier than that, his lack of size and strength is still going to be an obstacle. Michigan has at least three tackles ahead of him (Jon Runyan, Andrew Stueber, and Jalen Mayfield), along with some incoming freshman who are already bigger. Size isn’t always the deciding factor, but you generally have to meet a certain threshold to have a chance. Hayes will likely start to see some playing time in blowouts this season.
Prediction: Backup offensive tackle