Jaxson Hayes

2018 recruit Jaxson Hayes verbally committed to Texas, Shaka Smart, he tells Scout.

“I’m heading to the University of Texas,” Hayes said. “It’s just a perfect fit. I really like coach Smart and really love the guys there and the plan they have for me.”

Hayes selected the Longhorns over Xavier, who he visited the weekend of September 8th, and Kentucky, who recently offered him a scholarship. Hayes said the decision came to him earlier this week, so he went with his gut.

“After my visit I was thinking about [Texas] a lot and I thought it was just because it was my first official visit,” Hayes said. “After an amount of time, I couldn’t forget about it and I just had this feeling about Texas.”

A unique story, Hayes didn’t hold a high major scholarship offer following his junior season at Cincinnati (Ohio) Moeller. After a growth spurt and development this spring, Hayes began to emerge in July playing with Twenty-Two Vision on the adidas circuit.

By the time Twenty-Two Vision made it to Las Vegas for the Summer Championship , Hayes was being regularly tracked by Smart, Xavier’s Chris Mack and Butler’s LaVall Jordan.

“It was really just the best feeling in the world,” Hayes said regarding his emergence. "I’ve never felt better."

After taking visits, ultimately Hayes decided going away from home was the best decision for him.

“I feel like really for me to grow more as a man I needed to put myself into a different surrounding so that’s why I felt like Texas would be a perfect fit,” Hayes said. “I really connected with the guys and really connected with Smart.”

At 6-foot-10, Hayes is an intriguing prospect with good length, mobility and athleticism. A classic late bloomer, Hayes is loaded upside and potential, especially with his physical gifts.

“I feel like I can help them with my athleticism,” Hayes said. “I know they’ll lose Mo [Bamba] next year because of the draft. I just feel like I can kind of replace him a little bit and give them the length and athleticism.”

Hayes’ pledge gives the Longhorns their third prospect in the 2018 recruiting class. Hayes joins five-star wing Gerald Liddell and three-star forward Brock Cunningham to make up their current class.