3-star receiver Bryson Hayes commits to Nebraska football

On Sunday, Maize (Kan.) wideout Bryson Hayes announced his decision to pick the Huskers. He’d made earlier in the week, and done so after comparing his top two schools, NU and Kansas. He visited the Huskers just before Easter before going to KU in early April.

Hayes liked the people at Nebraska. The facilities, too. But ultimately, he wanted to talk about practice.

“How intense it was,” said the 6-foot, 180-pounder. “Out of every practice I’ve seen, they definitely practiced the hardest. Everybody’s getting reps.”

That’ll be music to coach Matt Rhule’s ears. Rhule said April 6 that he preferred prospects visited for practice instead of games, so he can pitch the development piece as it unfolded on the field.

“I said to one big-time recruit,” Rhule said April 6, “just imagine with your talent, if you came to a place that had an unbelievable weight room, unbelievable recovery area, unbelievable staff, unbelievable meeting rooms – best facilities in the country – and where no one stands around at practice.”

Hayes called receivers coach Garret McGuire last week to deliver the good news, then took to social media on Sunday for the announcement.

He’s the fifth commit in NU’s 2025 class and the second receiver in as many days. On Saturday, Lincoln Southwest athlete Jackson Carpenter – son of former Husker tight end Tim Carpenter – committed to the class.

Like Carpenter, Hayes is a track star, running a 10.69-second 100-meter dash this spring. He hopes to break his school’s record in the race this spring, since he plans to enroll early in January 2025.

Across the last two seasons at Maize – just north of Wichita – Hayes has caught 79 passes for 1,544 yards and 18 touchdowns. Nearly one out of every four of Hayes’ catches went for touchdowns.

Maize has a wide-open attack; two years ago, Avery Johnson – slated to be Kansas State’s starting quarterback – ran the offense. Johnson’s successor, Drew Kemp, transferred to Derby (Kan.) High School in the offseason, so Hayes isn’t sure what kind of offense Maize might run during his senior year.

But Hayes has secured his spot inside NU’s 2025 class. Nebraska envisions him playing inside and outside receiver, similar to current Husker Jaylen Lloyd.

“It’s always been a dream of mine to play on one of the biggest stages of college football,” Hayes said. “And what better place to do that, and what better fan base, than Nebraska. It’s a team on the rise, especially with Rhule there. I love all the coaches – they’re great people – and I think Nebraska is the place that going to develop me into the player I want to be.”