Pine Forest (Pensacola, Fla.) 2023 three-star wide receiver Donielle Hayes has been in contact with Clemson wide receivers coach Tyler Grisham and will be visiting Clemson on Monday, March 14.
The Clemson Insider caught up with the talented Sunshine State wideout, prior to his first-ever visit to campus on Monday.
“The Clemson visit coming up should be good,” Hayes said last week. “I’m happy to get up there and ready to get the visit started. I’m just hoping to be in a good environment, just like a welcoming environment.”
Grisham got in contact with Hayes at the end of January and they’ve kept in constant contact since then.
“He’s real cool, I love him,” he said of Grisham. “I’m ready to get to him. We’ve been building a bond over the past month and it’s been really good.”
According to Hayes, Grisham likes the way that he’s competitive, how he comes out and gets out of his breaks. He also likes how Hayes is a playmaker, who can make things happen with the ball in his hands.
What does that mean to Hayes to hear that from Grisham?
“It meant everything,” he said. “I had a big smile on my face when he hit me up. I was just so excited, especially coming from him and just knowing everything and all the good talent coming out of Clemson like eventually one day that could be me.”
For Hayes, it’s eye-opening to hear from a school like Clemson, especially when considering the program’s history at the wide receiver position.
“I’m really just ready to get up there and I’m ready to be there,” Hayes added. “I’m ready to be around the staff and everybody there. I’m ready to have a good time and enjoy this. This is gonna be my first visit ever and for my first visit, I really hope everything goes good.”
As far as his recruitment is concerned, Hayes feels like it’s only a matter of time before it starts to take off. He’s starting to get a lot of attention from Power Five programs and in the past couple of months, he’s earned offers from Arkansas State, UAB, UMass, Southern Miss and FAU.
“The offers I’m picking up now, I think that’s mostly coming off my film,” Hayes said, “but after my camp circuit, I think my recruitment is gonna pick up.”
When you turn on his junior year film, you’ll see Hayes trying to make something happen whenever he could. He finished his junior campaign with 30 catches and 722 receiving yards.
“When I got the ball in my hands, it’s a good percent chance that it’s always gonna be something positive with it,” Hayes said. “It’s like I’m never gonna disappoint you on what you came to see. If you came to see me do this or do that, you’re most likely gonna get a run for your money.”
I Will Be in Clemson March 14th🟠⚪️@Coach_Grisham @Ryan_Vandervort @ClemsonFB pic.twitter.com/uij6LlAt8G
— Donielle“Nuke”Hayes1️⃣4️⃣⭐️ (@HayesDonielle) March 3, 2022
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