Who Is Brandon Hayes? Why Eagles Latest UDFA Signing May Be Nick Sirianni's Version of Adam Thielen

The Eagles signed Hayes just as voluntary minicamp began

Bill Streicher-Imagn Images

Rookie minicamp produced at least one player who made the Philadelphia Eagles 90-man roster.

The Eagles announced the signing of Brandon Hayes on Wednesday, during the first week of voluntary minicamp. Hayes takes up one of the two available spots on the Eagles' 90-man roster, and is another intriguing undrafted free agent.

This isn't a coveted UDFA signing, nor is Hayes really expected to make the Eagles roster. He was invited to rookie minicamp and impressed the Eagles enough to make the team, but there could be more to Hayes than just a signing to fill out the roster.

Nick Sirianni doesn't want to miss on a potential Adam Thielen

There may not be a coach in the NFL that takes rookie minicamp as seriously as Nick Sirianni. The rookie minicamp is a massive weekend for Sirianni has he evaluates every single player that is there for a tryout.

Why does Sirianni care about rookie minicamp so much? He doesn't want to miss out on a player that was one of the best route runners in the NFL for years and made two Pro Bowls in a successful 12-year career.

That player was Adam Thielen -- who was on a rookie camp tryout with the Minnesota Vikings before making the roster.

"Don't miss Adam Thielen," Sirianni keeps in his coaching notebook.

Sirianni was a wide receiver at Mount Union and came up through the NFL coaching ranks as a wide receivers coach. Is Sirianni spots a wide receiver, there's a chance that wide receiver has potential.

Brandon Hayes may not be anything more than a roster filler, but Sirianni and the Eagles are going to find out.

Who is Brandon Hayes?

Hayes was in the Eagles rookie minicamp on a tryout basis and ended up making the roster. The rookie wideout was a first-team selection in the FCS Southland Conference for consecutive seasons as a kick returner. His 30.7-yard kickoff return average was third in the FCS, as Hayes was just one of five players to have multiple kickoff return touchdowns last season.

Hayes played four seasons at Southern Mississippi before heading to Southeastern Louisiana to get his MBS. He continued to play college football for two more seasons, as he became one of the most dynamic kick returners in the FCS.

Hayes finished with 583 kick return yards and two touchdowns last season, earning the kick returner job after having only six kick returns the season prior. He averaged 29.6 yards per return at Southeastern Louisiana -- not getting that opportunity at Southern Miss due to being redshirted and a not-so-smooth transition to the college game.

If Hayes was an out of left field signing, that's because he was.

Can Hayes actually make this roster?

The Eagles are looking to find a kick returner this summer. Will Shipley is the favorite to win the job, but the Eagles also signed Dameon Pierce to challenge Shipley for that role -- and the RB3 job.

Makai Lemon is part of the kick return rotation, but special teams coordinator Michael Clay said everyone is a part of that rotation. Hayes will get a long look there in minicamp.

If Hayes impresses the coaching staff enough, he'll be with the Eagles in training camp. His best path towards the roster is kick returner.

The Eagles could keep six receivers because of Hayes, if they feel the need to use a roster spot for a kick returner. They have done the same with Britain Covey for several years, so this isn't out of the realm of possibility.

Don't miss Adam Thielen.