Ryan Hayes will enter his 5th year at Michigan this fall, his second full season as the starter at LT. While Hayes was not getting a lot of chatter for the 2022 NFL Draft, expectations have quickly elevated for the blind side protector in Michigan's Joe Moore Award-winning offensive line. Expectations, Harbaugh has had since Hayes arrived in Ann Arbor.
"Love Ryan. Every way, since he came in, kind of a tweener, undersized offensive lineman. Tight end, he was a tight end," Harbaugh said at an event at Ferris State. "Saw a great vision for him to turn into an elite offensive tackle with that potential. He's living that, he's living that dream. Expectation, the thing that he's working towards is putting a real exclamation point on a fabulous senior year."
In fact, a scout I have spoken with echoes what too-early 2023 NFL mock drafts are saying, that Ryan Hayes has first-round potential. "Watching tape on their guys in this draft, sneak preview for next year. Adding Oluwatimi, I think they'll be the same or better, and he'll be a big part of that."
Harbaugh's reasoning seems to be the same for NFL teams. Hayes was a tweener who is now reaching his full potential. "If he has that great year, you're talking about a guy at 6'7" 320, high agility, who has started two years on the best offensive line in college football. That's a first-round pick."
NFL Mock Draft Database currently has thirteen mock drafts since the 2022 NFL Draft took place and each one has Hayes in the first round including three that have Hayes going in the top 10.
The left tackle position at Michigan is one of the one more legendary in Michigan history, especially recently. Jake Long was the first overall pick of the 2008 NFL Draft. Taylor Lewan was chosen 14th overall in 2014. Under Jim Harbaugh Mason Cole, Ben Braden, and Jon Runyan Jr. all saw success at LT and made it to the NFL. Current tight ends coach Grant Newsome surely had an NFL future before a career-ending injury in 2016.
Hayes is certainly in that group of tackles who have played under Harbaugh, but can he reach the levels of Lewan or Long? Harbaugh thinks if everything Hayes is working towards comes together, he could be. "Hopefully, he's one of the best offensive tackles in the Big Ten and in the country."
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