Bears Pick up Talented RB Ashton Hayes

The Bears pulled off a recruiting surprise today, adding a commitment from 3 star McQueen (Reno, NV) running back Ashton Hayes.

The 5-11/185 speedster had a strong senior season, picking up 1,784 yards and 27 td’s for McQueen.

Hayes originally committed to Nebraska not long after taking official visits to both Cal and Lincoln but with the recent turnover in the Cornhusker’s offensive staff, the Bears once again became a potential destination for the talented running back after their strong first impression.

“He had a phenomenal year,” said McQueen head coach Jim Snelling. “He ended up being named Offensve Player of the Year. He was a guy we put in periodically on defense if we had a receiver we needed to lock down, just because he’s such a good athlete. He was a team captain week in and week aout and was a key component in what we were doing here.

“As good an athlete as he is, he’s even a better teammate. He’s just a solid, solid kid who the other kids respect and he definitely led by example.”

Hayes becomes the 12th commit from the 2022 class, joining fellow Reno prep OG Sioape Vatikani in the offensive side of the ball.

The commitment comes just two days before Wednesday’s early signing day following this weekend’s official visitors hosted by Cal.

In addition to Cal and Nebraska, Hayes was also offered by Stanford, Utah, and a host of other programs.