The Miami Dolphins used its fourth and final pick of the 2023 NFL Draft on Michigan tackle Ryan Hayes.
A seventh-round pick at 238th overall, Hayes is the first Wolverine (8th total) selected by the Dolphins since the team drafted tackle Jake Long (1st overall) and quarterback Chad Henne (57th overall) in the 2008 NFL Draft.
Hayes joins guard Tony Pape (7th round of 2004 NFL Draft) and tackle Jon Giesler (1st round of 1979 NFL Draft) as the only three Michigan offensive linemen to be selected by Miami.
Here are five things to know about the Dolphins newest offensive lineman, Ryan Hayes:
1. Experience in the Trenches
Hayes was a four-year letterman and three-year starter. He appeared in 40 career contests and started 30 games at left tackle. Hayes earned All-Big Ten second-team honors twice (2021-22) and was a three-time Academic All-Big Ten recipient.
He started 26 games at left tackle over his final two seasons as Michigan racked up over 6,000 total offensive yards in 2021 and 2022. It marked the second and third time accomplishing the feat in program history.
2. Award-Winning Unit
Hayes was a major component to Michigan's offensive success in 2021 and 2022 and helped his unit become the first to win back-to-back Joe Moore Awards, given to the most Outstanding Offensive Line Unit in College Football.
Michigan was one of the nation's top rushing offenses in 2022 and ranked top five in total rushing yards (3rd), yards per rush (3rd), rushing touchdowns (2nd) and rushing yards per game (5th) among FBS schools.
3. Bringing a Winning Mentality
Hayes' final two seasons at Michigan were nothing short of historic as he helped the Wolverines make back-to-back appearances in the College Football Playoff and compile a 25-3 overall record, including a 17-1 mark in conference play and a 15-0 mark at home.
Additionally, Michigan's 42-27 victory over Ohio State in 2021 was the program's first win over the Buckeyes since 2011 and their largest margin of victory since 1993. Hayes helped Michigan defeat Ohio State again in 2022, giving the program back-to-back wins against their rivals for the first time since 1999-00.
"I think Coach Harbaugh has just taught us, he runs his program like he would a professional organization. I think that just I think that's why so many Michigan players have success at the next level because we're already kind of primed for what to expect. Not totally, but I think he just does a really good job of having it be business-like and result oriented."
4. Athletic Genes
Hayes is the son of two former Central Michigan athletes. His father, Mike, played football, and his mother, Sue, was a Hall of Fame basketball player for the Chippewas.
Before enrolling at Michigan, Hayes was a two-time all-state football player, conference basketball player of the year, and baseball pitcher of the year at Traverse City West High School.
He showed off some of that athleticism at the NFL Combine, recording the third-fastest 3-cone drill of any offensive lineman (7.39 seconds).
5. Michigan To Miami
The Traverse City native grew up in Northern Michigan and enjoys spending time outdoors on the shores of Lake Michigan and Lake Superior and swimming and fishing in the rivers and small lakes of Michigan and Canada.
Now, however, Hayes is excited for a change and ready for the transition to warm-weather Miami.
"That'll be great for me," Hayes said. "I was hoping to get down there somewhere warm and it's definitely a great place to be."
Hayes is also looking forward to learning from one of his new teammates.
"I definitely have watched a ton of Terron Armstead," Hayes said when asked if there's any linemen in the NFL he enjoys studying. "We had an old coach that used to coach, so we watched a lot of his old film so it's really going to be awesome getting in that room with him and learning what he has for me."
Bret Ingalls is a current offensive analyst on the Michigan staff but previously worked with Armstead in New Orleans.
