Buffs Beat

Former Colorado Defensive End Dayon Hayes Earns Big Pre-NFL Draft Opportunity

Former Colorado Buffaloes defensive end Dayon Hayes, who closed his college career at Texas A&M, has accepted an invitation to the Panini Senior Bowl.
Jack Carlough|
Oct 11, 2025; College Station, Texas, USA; Texas A&M Aggies defensive end Dayon Hayes (50) celebrates after recovering a fumble during the fourth quarter against the Florida Gators at Kyle Field. Mandatory Credit: Maria Lysaker-Imagn Images
Oct 11, 2025; College Station, Texas, USA; Texas A&M Aggies defensive end Dayon Hayes (50) celebrates after recovering a fumble during the fourth quarter against the Florida Gators at Kyle Field. Mandatory Credit: Maria Lysaker-Imagn Images | Maria Lysaker-Imagn Images

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Just one day before Saturday's 77th annual Panini Senior Bowl, former Colorado Buffaloes defensive end Dayon Hayes was announced as a late addition to the prestigious college football all-star game.

Hayes spent just one injury-shortened season at Colorado but was a force when healthy, recording 16 total tackles, including 3.5 for a loss, and two sacks in four games in 2024. Before his time with the Buffs, Hayes racked up 25 tackles for loss and 12 sacks in four seasons at Pitt.

Colorado Buffaloes Defensive End Dayon Hayes Pre-Draft Stock NFL Panini Senior Bowl Roster Texas A&M Aggies College Football
Sep 27, 2025; College Station, Texas, USA; Texas A&M Aggies defensive end Dayon Hayes (50) lines up in the second half against the Auburn Tigers at Kyle Field. Mandatory Credit: Maria Lysaker-Imagn Images | Maria Lysaker-Imagn Images

As a surprise to some, the veteran defensive end entered the transfer portal last offseason and soon found an SEC home with the Texas A&M Aggies. Healthy, Hayes recorded 18 total tackles, including five for a loss, 4.5 sacks and a forced fumble for an Aggies team that reached the College Football Playoff.

"Coach (Sean) Spencer (Texas A&M defensive line coach) is here, me and him got a good relationship, so when I seen that y'all had two ends drafted, I was like, 'Why not here, man?'" Hayes said in August, per Texas A&M Aggies on SI. "I think coach (Mike) Elko does a great job with putting us in game-time positions, we do a lot of two-minute, four-minute drills, he puts us in situations that's really going to help us in game and know what's going on."

Hayes will get an opportunity to shine in front of countless NFL scouts during Saturday's Panini Senior Bowl (12:30 p.m. MT) at Hancock Whitney Stadium in Mobile, Alabama. NFL Network will provide live coverage.

Former Colorado standout Colton Hood, one of the top cornerbacks in this year's NFL Draft class, is also slated to play in the Senior Bowl. After totaling two interceptions with the Buffs in 2024, Hood transferred to the Tennessee Volunteers and put up another impressive season this past fall with eight passes defended and an interception.

Colorado Buffaloes Defensive End Dayon Hayes Pre-Draft Stock NFL Panini Senior Bowl Roster Texas A&M Aggies College Football
Oct 19, 2024; Tucson, Arizona, USA; Colorado Buffaloes cornerback Colton Hood (3) tackles Arizona Wildcats wide receiver Devin Hyatt (13) at Arizona Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images | Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

"I had already transferred before so it wasn't too bad," Hood said of transferring to Knoxville, per Tennessee Volunteers on SI. "Especially with the group of guys that I had, they all welcomed me in, so it wasn't too bad. It was pretty easy."

No players from Colorado's 2025 roster are set to play in the Senior Bowl.

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MORE: The Most Impactful Transfer Portal Addition For Colorado

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Colorado Buffaloes' 2026 NFL Draft Outlook

Colorado Buffaloes Defensive End Dayon Hayes Pre-Draft Stock NFL Panini Senior Bowl Roster Texas A&M Aggies College Football
Sep 6, 2025; Boulder, Colorado, USA; Delaware Fightin Blue Hens offensive lineman Cole Snyder (77) holds Colorado Buffaloes defensive end Arden Walker (53) in the second half at Folsom Field. Mandatory Credit: Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images | Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images

There's a decent chance that Colorado won't have any players from its 2025 roster selected in April's NFL Draft. Defensive ends Arden Walker and Keaten Wade, defensive lineman Amari McNeill, wide receiver Sincere Brown, quarterback Kaidon Salter, kicker Alejandro Mata, linebacker Jeremiah Brown, and offensive linemen Zarian McGill and Zy Crisler are among those who've formally declared.

Depending on how things shake out in the draft, at least one of those aforementioned players will likely sign an undrafted free-agent contract.

The 2026 NFL Draft is set for April 23-25 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.

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Jack Carlough
JACK CARLOUGH

Jack Carlough is lead reporter for Colorado Buffaloes on SI. Jack graduated from the University of Colorado with a bachelor's degree in journalism and minors in business and sports media. Born and raised in the Boulder area, Jack began covering Colorado athletics in 2018 and was the head sports editor of the CU Independent during his college career. More recently, he spent over three years as the managing editor of the USA Today Sports Network's Colorado Buffaloes Wire, where he covered Colorado's hiring of head football coach Deion Sanders. Other publications Jack has written for include the Boulder Daily Camera, Left Hand Valley Courier and SB Nation’s Ralphie Report. In 2022, the Colorado Press Association awarded Jack second place in its annual Class 5 Best Sports Column Writing category.

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