Adarius Hayes, elite 2024 Edge prospect out of Florida, announces SEC commitment

Adarius Hayes is a big-time prospect and a top-75 recruit nationally in the 2024 recruiting class. On Saturday, Hayes announced his pledge to begin his college career.

A 6-foot-4 linebacker out of Largo, Florida, Hayes is committing to Billy Napier’s Gator program to remain in-state. It’s a nice win for Napier and his staff on the recruiting trail.

Though Hayes has played mostly as a linebacker in high school, the 247 Sports Composite Rankings project Hayes as an Edge prospect in college. He checks in as a 4-star recruit and the No. 7 Edge prospect nationally for the 2024 recruiting class.

Hayes is the 4th commitment in Florida’s class for 2024 and gives the Gators a trio of top-75 prospects to this point. Hayes is rated as the No. 61 player in the country and the 12th overall player out of the state of Florida.

Here’s a glimpse at what Hayes can do on the field via his Hudl highlights:

View Comments

  • That’s more like it and what CBN was hired for. Footprint. If Billy can make it to 2024 he might be able to do something. Next season is going to be the winter of our discontent

      • Les, ignoring the blowhard below who refers to himself as Negan, I disagree that 2023 will be the winter of our discontent. I think we'll see a good rebound of a Gator team that is very little of a hybrid. It won't be a championship season by any stretch - I don't think we'll get close to that until 2024 - but I really do see it as much better. We can all revisit it in August when we have a better idea one way or another, or at least some data to go on.

        • I see it similarly doc, I think a lot of players will find their footing and get experience in 2023 and the 2024 team will be more competitive. These players that CBN is bringing in seem more hungry and eager to work hard.

        • IMO, those are the combat multipliers that count, GatorFan, especially the willingness to work hard and function as a team, versus laisse-fair attitudes and individualism. With those liabilities removed from the equation we'll fairly be able to tell if Napier either has or doesn't have what it takes to win in the SEC. Put differently, I think it's pretty well established what was wrong in the locker room at the end of CDM's tenure and the reasons for it - it'll be much clearer to hold Napier accountable either way by 2024. He has a pretty good endorsement from none other than Kirby Smart, who said, "He'll win big in the SEC". We'd all like to see that happen, so let's give him the chance! If he steps on his poncho liner by then, we can justifiably run him out of town on a rail and start all over again.....maybe even seeing the light and hiring Gatorlakelife as head coach.

        • Neal, to show some realistic improvement, the 2023 Gators must beat Vandy, Mizzou, Kentucky, SCAR and Arkansas. That’s not a heavy lift IF they can play disciplined defense for a full season and find an consistent QB, which is something they failed to do in 2022.

          Those five teams are middle to bottom SEC feeders they must beat just to be taken seriously. Coupling those five wins with the two cupcakes will get the Gators to seven wins. Then, all they’ll need is one upset from among the five games they’ll be underdogs in to end the season at 8-4, which still won’t satisfy Lakelife, but will definitely show improvement over 2022.

          The 2024 team should be even better, but still not good enough to make a NC run.

        • Lol doc, if gagator gets hired as coach I may have to avoid games during his tenure so I wouldn’t have to deal with all the negativity. ;)

          StL, I hear what you are saying, but I’m hesitant to put that as the floor until I see how those teams do with the changes and players they’ve brought in. As we saw with TCU and Duke and other teams a team with improved coaches and/or players can become a contender - which also goes for Florida but I believe 2024 will be the year when they perform at a higher level.

        • Point made GFA, but the improvement I’m suggesting is a modest two wins better than last year. I’m basing it on the fact that three of last year’s six losses, UK, Vandy and FSU, were the result of the Gators beating themselves. Reduce that tendency and they can pick up a couple of more wins next season, as their talent level also rises..

          More disciplined play, particularly at QB and on defense, is what the huge roster turnover was meant to achieve. Not achieving more disciplined play next season would be considered a huge coaching failure for CBN and there’d be no sugar coating that!

        • I agree that more disciplined play is a must! I think the extra wins this coming season depend on finding a QB that is a good game manager at the very least and can make the necessary throws with minimal turnovers. Plus the oline needs to jive and protect the QB.

          For the sake of the threads on here I hope that QB is Mertz and you all can write epic stories about his conquests. :)

    • In another article that I read, he seems very excited to become a Gator, a very important quality along with talent and drive.

  • Nice get for the Gators. I wonder why this blue chipper would even commit to UF. Doesn’t he know the Gator collective doesn’t honor NIL deals?

    • StL.........They might have forgotten but you reminded them!!!!! In all honesty. If the gator collective did pay Rashada would be a WAAAAAAAY OVERPAID Florida gator QB!!!!! He probably isn't as good as Emory Jones. Some QBs never make 13 million in the NFL!!!!!!!!!

      It's insanity offering a very average overrated, so-called 5 star high school QB with 2 seasons under his belt. It's insanity to offer a kid with 50 touchdown passes in 2 years 13 million to be a true freshman who has proven nothing!!!!!

      I still say. Buy 13 really good players and forget the Rashada's of the world. If Florida had elite weapons at receiver. Y'all would have lots of QBs possibly begging to play at Florida if you had the weapons and O line!!!!!

      PS. If Napier had anything to do with offering Rashada that kind of money. That probably was proof he ain't up to it!!!!!

      JMHO

      Negan

      • Negan, nobody outside some folks in the Gator collective and the folks in Rashada’s camp KNOW what was agreed to and who reneged on his NIL deal. The $13 million story is just that, a story.

        I find it silly, that DJ Lagway, who’s a clearly better QB prospect than Rashada, has stuck around after the circus left town. Now, this high 4-star recruit commits to UF and NOBODY in the media shows the least bit of interest in either of their NIL deals.

        • In other words, if the $13 million deal was real, why didn’t Lagway make an issue of it in his NIL negotiation.

      • I am curious if you really are thatbstupid to think UF or ANY school would pay a unproven high school coach 13 million. Most coaches at large schools make 3-4 million per year, do you think they are going to pay an unproven player MORE than a coach?

        Even considering Napier atb7 million or so, Saban and Smart at 9-10 million a year, do you think an unproven qb is worth 30-50% of a hbc salary?

        Come on man, at least make your trolling intelligent.

      • Back to back Georgia buffoon …

        Isn’t it interesting that Negan’s Georgia’s QB just got arrested and put in the slammer…

        What an outstanding knucklehead…

        Great example for young kids…

        Negan… the buffoon.

        lol!

  • WHY IT LIKELY NEVER HAPPENS!!!!

    The reason this ain't happening is simple. Billy Napier would have to drastically improve just to guarantee Napier has a 3rd year!!!! To drastically improve. Your QB situation has got to drastically improve!!!!!! No great you defensive player or otherwise wants to sign with a losing team. To not even know who your coaches would be!!!!!

    FLORIDA HAS AN ACE IN THE HOLE. THEY CAN PROMISE A KID 13 MILLION DOLLARS!!!! AS LONG AS PAYING THE MONEY ISN'T IMPORTANT!!!! LOL

    Nope y'all need drastic improvement at the QB position!!!! Wait a minute. I forgot y'all just got MEEEEEEEEEEEEERTZ!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

    PS. How could I have forgotten Mertz????????? LOL

    Negan

    • Back to back Georgia buffoon …

      Isn’t it interesting that Negan’s Georgia’s QB just got arrested and put in the slammer…

      What an outstanding knucklehead…

      Great example for young kids…

      Negan… the buffoon.

      lol!

  • Hillary approves!...gave UF the green light to make the offer. Thanks Hillary...you are much loved.

  • Warriors from near and far flock to the Land of Mertz. One and all want to join The Man named Mertz in his upcoming domination of the football world

Leave a Comment
Published by
Paul Harvey