USC commit Daelin Hayes wears No. 55 at the Opening

Reporting from Beaverton, Ore. — Linebacker Daelin Hayes walked by Willie McGinest at the Opening, and McGinest, a former USC All-American linebacker, smiled.

Hayes, who is committed to the Trojans, was wearing No. 55 -- a number USC has historically awarded to the best linebacker on the team.

McGinest, a two-time Pro Bowl section and three-time Super Bowl champion, wore No. 55 as a Trojan.

Hayes said it was not a coincidence that among 166 players at The Opening, he was given the number.

When asked if McGinest noticed, Hayes laughed. “He certainly did,” he said.

Hayes, from Ann Arbor, Mich., participated in the Nike Football Combine on Wednesday morning.

“Blessed to be in the 99th percentile of all athletes in the Country, #FightOnRepresent,” he wrote in a tweet, accompanied by a photo with his Nike football rating.

Hayes was at USC last month to participate in Rising Stars.

Michigan and Michigan State, among others, continue to recruit him.

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