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A Waiting Game
WSSU's Hayes eager to see if he gets drafted
File Photo Courtesy of Winston-Salem State University
William Hayes was a four-year starter at Winston-Salem State and led the team with 8.5 sacks last season.
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Published: April 22, 2008
This is a big week for William Hayes, a defensive end from Winston-Salem State.
Hayes has been poked and prodded and asked plenty of unusual questions by NFL scouts and assistant coaches.
In the process, he has learned a lot about the NFL.
"Oh, definitely I've found out that it's all business," Hayes said.
Over the last month or so, Hayes has visited several teams for evaluations. That's a good sign he might be selected in this weekend's NFL Draft, because the NFL limits the number of college prospects that a team can bring in.
He has had visits with the Jacksonville Jaguars, New York Giants, Tennessee Titans, Detroit Lions and Indianapolis Colts, and a scout for the Atlanta Falcons was on campus yesterday to talk with Hayes one more time.
If anything, Hayes said he has gotten a sense of how much NFL teams examine all prospects.
He said that some of the personal questions caught him off guard at first.
"I was just myself, and I didn't mind the questions because I'm not hiding anything," Hayes said. "They get real personal with the questions because they want to see what kind of character you have."
Hayes, a 6-2, 272-pounder and a graduate of High Point Andrews High, started at WSSU for four seasons. He led the team with 8.5 sacks last season and was second in tackles with 78. Earlier this month, he ran a very good 40-yard dash time for scouts, 4.62 seconds.
"I'm hearing that I'll get drafted," Hayes said. "I'm going to watch the entire draft to get a feel for what's going on."
The draft will have three rounds Saturday and four Sunday.
Hayes dropped out of school for the spring semester so that he would have more time to train for workouts in front of NFL scouts and coaches. He was not invited to the NFL Draft Combine, but he did impress scouts at Wake Forest's pro day last month. He also went to Naples, Fla., last month to train with other prospects.
Hayes said that if not for his family, particularly his grandfather, Robert Hayes, Sr., he wouldn't be in the position he is in. Hayes' mother, Vivian, works two jobs, and his father, Robert Jr., has been on disability and out of work.
"My whole family is getting drafted, not just me, and that includes my aunts and uncles who have always been so supportive," Hayes said. "If I get drafted and get a signing bonus, the first thing is my mom won't ever work again. She'll be stress-free."
Hayes could become the first player recruited by Coach Kermit Blount to be drafted. Blount, who has been at WSSU 15 seasons, has had others sign free-agent contracts and play in the NFL.
The last WSSU player drafted was running back Richard Huntley, a fourth-round pick (117th overall) by the Falcons in 1996. Pete Richardson, Blount's predecessor, recruited Huntley.
Hayes, who is few credits short of his degree, has promised his family and Dennis Felder, the coordinator of WSSU's sports-management program, that he will graduate.
"I think I've set the record for getting thrown out of the sports-management department, but Dr. Felder took me back each time," Hayes said.
"So I'm going to get that degree because he's going to stay on my butt until I come back to school."
Felder said that Hayes had a long list of excuses for missing classes or not doing projects early in his career, but that he eventually straightened out.
"I guess I just saw something good in him, and he knows how I feel about him," Felder said.
"I had to let him suffer a long time on several occasions before I let him back in the program."
■ John Dell can be reached at 727-4081 or at jdell@wsjournal.com
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