Elite Tackle Machine with Injury Concerns
Hayward is a productive inside linebacker who demonstrated elite-level tackling ability at Western Michigan, recording 142 tackles (3rd nationally) in 2020 with 10.5 TFLs. The 6-1, 200-pound Ann Arbor native earned All-America honors and transferred to Arizona in 2021. However, durability is a red flag—he played only five games for the Wildcats in 2021 before missing the remainder of the season. Teams should value his instinctive play-recognition and tackle production, but must thoroughly evaluate injury history before committing.
