Dallan Hayden discusses Florida State’s “great history”

Dallan Hayden is a 5’11 185 pound athlete from Memphis, TN.

The Class of 2022 prospect is the son of former NFL running back Aaron Hayden and attends Christian Brothers High School.

He has an 88 rating (high 3*) from 247 Sports. They consider him the 34th best athlete in his class, and the 7th best player in Tennessee.

Hayden holds offers from Arkansas, Auburn, Florida, Georgia, Georgia Tech, Kentucky, Louisville, Mississippi State, Missouri, South Carolina, Tennessee, and Texas A&M, among others.

In mid-January, Florida State offered:

Hayden reached out to us recently, and we were able to get a better look into his recruitment and his interest in Florida State:

How did you receive the offer?

“Coach David Johnson was my recruiter at UT, and he offered me when he got to FSU.”

What sort of relationship do you have with YAC?

“Have a good relationship with Coach YAC—he’s a good coach and really cool guy off the field! I’m getting recruited by Coach Woodson, too”

What’d the FSU offer mean to you?

“It meant a lot to me—FSU has great history in football and [has] produced great defensive backs in the NFL.

And I like Coaches YAC and Woodson!”

Are you planning to play DB in college?

“FSU likes me at DB—Woodson really likes me and thinks I fit his style of corner.

At Auburn, he had corners who were big and [could] come up and tackle.”

How would you describe your style of play?

“I’m physical, can run, and I’ll come up and tackle.

And Woodson had a first round pick from Auburn and when I was on the phone with him, we talked about his first rounder.”

How often do you talk to Woodson and/or YAC?

“Talk to YAC almost every week, and I talk to Woodson two times a week!”

What player(s) do you look up to/model your game after?

“In college, I model my game after Jeff Okudah—he’s physical, has good ball skills and plays 100%. In the NFL, I model my game after Tyrann Mathieu because he’s a straight up dog—he plays physical and plays the game the way it should be played.”

Your father played in the NFL—how much tape have you watched of him?

I’ve watched his film, and, yeah, he was at full speed all the time.”

What does he say about your game?

He tells me I’m very good but he really focuses on what I can do better.”

What has he told you about the recruiting process?

Says have fun with it and just be [focused] and humble.”

Are you planning/hoping to visit FSU when the Dead Period’s over?

“Of course!!”

What other school(s) are you planning to visit?

“UGA, Notre Dame, and Texas A&M.”

What are the biggest things you’re looking for in a school when making your final decision?

“Great academics and when I get done playing a place where I can make connections. And play for a solid football program and how the coaching staff interact with each other.

And Woodson has asked me what I look for. I told him the staff and how they interact, and he told me you can definitely check those boxes with FSU staff!!! And he said I always think ‘would I leave my son with this staff,’ and Woodson told me he would.”

Good stuff, man.

“Yes, sir—I love Woodson!”

When do you hope to have a final decision made on college?

“Probably next year after my season, or beginning of senior year.”