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Three-star cornerback Damon Hayes made his commitment to Rutgers official on Wednesday, when he signed with the Scarlet Knights on National Signing Day.
Hayes initially committed to Rutgers last June, but many thought he'd flip after Kyle Flood and his staff (who recruited Hayes to the banks in the first place) was fired. There were even reports soon after the season that Hayes had decommitted. Those reports were obviously untrue, but that didn't stop Boston College and Wake Forest from pursuing him heavily. He even took official visits to both. But last weekend, Hayes took an OV to Rutgers, which reaffirmed his dedication to Rutgers.
#CHOP pic.twitter.com/yMmQQtsX9K
— Damon Hayes (@DamonHayes22) January 31, 2016
Rutgers is pretty short on defensive backs in this recruiting class. By that, I mean Hayes is currently the only defensive back committed to the Scarlet Knights for the 2016 class. A look at his film shows that Hayes is a solid cover corner who is a strong tackler. Even if his receiver beats him on a play, rarely does Hayes give up much additional yardage.
Freshman Impact Index: 4 - A lot was made out of Rutgers' overmatched, inexperienced secondary in 2015, but the good news about having such a young defensive backfield is that all of those players gained a valuable year of game experience. With Rutgers returning its entire secondary from last season, Hayes' biggest impact as a freshman will likely come on special teams if the DBs stay healthy.
Take a look at Hayes' film right here:
Welcome to the banks, Damon!
Stick with On the Banks all day for continued National Signing Day coverage.