How freshman WR Donielle Hayes will fit into the Gophers wide receiver room
Over the next few weeks, Minnesota will be welcoming its new freshmen onto campus as the 2023 season slowly creeps closer. With that, we will begin taking a look at the freshmen who will be enrolling on campus this summer starting with wide receiver Donielle Hayes out of Pine Forest in Pensacola (FL).
It's worth reminding you that the following players have already enrolled early; QB Drew Viotto, RB Darius Taylor, WR Kenric Lanier, WR TJ McWilliams, OL Reese Tripp, OL Greg Johnson, DT Martin Owusu, DB Kerry Brown, and DB Garrison Monroe.
Hayes committed to Minnesota over notable offers from Arkansas State, Florida Atlantic, South Florida, Tulane, UAB, and Washington State. Minnesota was the only school he took an official visit to, doing so in mid-June of last year and committed just two days after his official visit.
WHAT HAYES BRINGS TO THE GOPHERS
Hayes is an explosive wide receiver who best projects as an X wide receiver at the next level. A very good long and athletic wide receiver with good straight-line speed and consistently strong hands. Shows great vision as both as a wide receiver and a return man with a great feel of reading holes and opportunities in the opposing defense to take advantage of.
WHERE HE FITS ON THE ROSTER
Hayes seems likely to redshirt this upcoming season barring major injury issues for the Gophers. The Gophers are quite set at each of the three wide receiver spots for the most part, their X position having a bit of question after Daniel Jackson and La'Meke Brockington.
This upcoming season should all be about adding a bit more mass to Hayes' frame. He's already got solid size at 6-foot-1 and 170-pounds but adding another 15-20 pounds of muscle would probably be best for him going forward in order to stand up to the rigors of college football especially in the physical Big Ten.
Hayes is likely a year or so away from cracking the wide receiver rotation consistently. Daniel Jackson, Chris Austman-Bell, and Corey Crooms could all be gone after this season, so there will be significant opportunities available as soon as next season.
Also a tremendous return man, it wouldn't be shocking to see Hayes utilized as a return man a few times this season when he is on the field. Quienten Redding is one of the better return men in the Big Ten but he has a very good protege potentially in Hayes.
2023 Outlook: Redshirt likely, should see playing time in his four allotted games.
Long-term Outlook: Potential multi-year starter at wide receiver / starting return man.
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