2024 DE Jewett Hayes Recaps "Amazing" Notre Dame Visit
Jewett Hayes has some connections to Notre Dame.
The 2024 Ohio defensive lineman’s uncle, Jay Hayes, coached defensive linemen and outside linebackers for the Irish back in the late-1980s and early 1990s.
The Archbishop Moeller standout also knows several teachers at his school who attended Notre Dame.
But none of that will matter much when Hayes is making his college decision.
The 6-foot-4, 190-pounder already has offers from Kentucky, West Virginia and Iowa, where his father, Jonathan, played tight end in the 1980s.
Hayes is receiving interest from other schools as well, including Notre Dame.
He made a trip out to South Bend a couple weeks ago for the Irish’s home game against UNLV.
“It was amazing,” Jewett told ISD. “I really liked it.
“Just the atmosphere, how everyone was talking to me, the guys were chill. Everything was great.”
Jewett had the chance to talk with multiple Notre Dame staffers during the trip.
“I didn't get to talk to Coach (Marcus) Freeman, but I got to talk to Al Washington and Coach (Al) Golden,” he said.
“They just want to build like a friendship with me, all that stuff. They want me to them on Mondays and start having regular conversations and getting to know them.”
Hayes is looking forward to doing that and hopes to return in the future.
He’s grateful for the offers he has already.
“It feels pretty good,” he said. “It's a blessing that I don't have to pay for college. You're not guaranteed anything, but to know that I have those and feel secure about where I'm at right now, it's a relief to say the least.”
It’s still early, but Hayes is starting to get an idea of what he’s looking for in a college.
“I need to think about this more, but definitely not just good programs, but good people within them where the energy's good, feels like home, a safe environment,” he said. “Outside of football, preparing me for later things and being able to get a job after and having a plan after football because football's not going be for me forever.”
Hayes’ brother Jaxson was drafted with the 8th overall pick in the 2019 NBA Draft after a standout freshman season at Texas.
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