After missing almost all of last season, Daelin Hayes has more than made up for lost time. In fact, he has proven to be a real role model both on and off the field. One reward for that is being named one of 20 national semifinalist for this year’s Jason Witten Collegiate Man of the Year Award. The criteria for the award includes high marks in integrity, courage and sportsmanship.
Returning from a serious injury proved easier said than done when COVID-19 hit and suspended team football activities. But you never would have known that with how dominant Hayes and his fellow defensive linemen have been, and they’ve been crucial in giving Notre Dame the fifth-best rushing defense in the nation. A captain in his fifth season, he also spoke at the Juneteenth Rally on campus, is part of the football team’s Unity Council and also active in the South Bend community. He also regularly leads his team when it performs community service.