Adarius Hayes Impressed By First Look at Iowa
'24 Four-Star Florida Linebacker Discusses Feelings About Hawkeyes
Few college football venues capture the excitement of the sport like Iowa’s Kinnick Stadium. Hawkeye fans are loud and proud.
That scene shined brightly on Oct. 9 when then No. 3 Iowa topped fourth-ranked Penn State, 23-20. At game’s end, the crowd spilled onto the field in celebration. Recruits visiting campus for the contest joined in the excitement.
“My experience up at Iowa was amazing and the atmosphere was lit,” 2024 four-star linebacker Adarius Hayes told HawkFanatic.com.
Hayes (6-4, 210) hails from Largo (FL) High, where former Hawkeye safety Marcus Paschal is the head coach. Paschal could tell his pupil about his alma mater, but there’s nothing like experiencing it.
“Some things that stood out to me was the program and the campus itself. And, again, I really like the atmosphere,” Hayes said.
Assistant Ladell Betts, in his first year at Iowa after coaching high school in Florida, is leading the Hawkeyes’ recruitment of Hayes. Position coach Seth Wallace also is building a bond.
“I’ve gotten a chance to talk to coach Seth Wallace. I took a picture with him up there. He asked me how I liked the atmosphere up there and I told him it’s amazing,” Hayes said.
“Coach Wallace is an amazing coach, and I would like to get to know him even better.”
Iowa offered Hayes a scholarship in June, before he started his sophomore season. Florida State, Miami, Louisville, Maryland, Ohio State, Oklahoma, Penn State and South Florida also have reportedly offered.
Rivals and 247 rank Hayes as a four-star recruit. The latter sees him as the 74th best player overall in the ’24 cycle and the No. 16 player in Florida.
While he has plenty of time to choose his college destination, his trip to Iowa has it well positioned at this point in the process.
“Hawkeyes got them dogs,” he said.