Making Moves: 2020 Athens OL Garrett Hayes

Making Moves is a monthly recruiting feature that highlights an A&M recruit whose stock is on the rise.

This month’s D&D Moving and Storage biggest mover is Athens OL Garrett Hayes. While Hayes has now found a home amongst the most highly rated prospects in the state, his stock really didn’t start to rise until the earliest stages of 2019. So maybe this piece is a little late, but it’s certainly warranted due to his rapid ascent up our TexAgs rankings after our team watched his junior tape. 

If you haven’t seen it yet, take a look for yourself.

Maybe it was the style of offense Hayes played in last year. Maybe it’s because he isn’t an active member of the spring camp circuit. Maybe it’s the fact that Athens is nestled amongst the east Texas pines. Whatever it was the kept Hayes covered up for so long is completely non-existent as spring starts to fade into summer. 

The 6-5, 280 pounder made his debut in our rankings somewhere amongst the final 20-30 prospects. From there, he’s shot into the top 20 and essentially cemented his name amongst Texas’ best. In fact, if you wanted to argue that he is the best ‘big ugly’ in the Lone Star State, you could do so with some legitimate credibility. 

Hayes’ basketball background shows up big time on tape. He moves around so easily for a kid of his length and frame. He’s got exceptional feet, powerful hands, and a mastery streak – the combination of those three qualities results in a lot of defenders finding themselves on their backsides when the whistle is blown. He’s explosive at the point of attack and flashes elite pass blocking qualities despite being in a run heavy offense for the majority of his high school career up to this point. Next season, Athens is set to move to a more traditional, spread type concept which will give Hayes a chance to put some pass sets on tape. 

Recruiting wise, A&M, Oklahoma and Arkansas seem like the early front runners. Hayes’ mother played basketball at Texas A&M, so the Maroon and White has a bit of an ‘in’ there. The Aggies have ratcheted up their campaign to land Hayes this spring as well. New offensive line coach Josh Henson and head man Jimbo Fisher are leading the line. Hayes keeps things very close to the vest. He hardly does any interviews, and like I said above, doesn’t turn up to many camps. Therefore, getting a read on the direction this one will go is difficult. Regardless, he’ll have the A&M staff’s full attention up until Signing Day.