[497 words, 1.5x draft media]
MINNEAPOLIS / AP - Madison Hayes, arguably the most dangerous ball carrier in open space seen since Cobra Kai last season and one of the most productive post deadline waiver claim rookies this season, has continued to remain uncommitted regarding her future positional focus at the DSFL and ISFL levels in pre-draft workouts with teams, sources close to the English multi-sport phenomenon report. There have been conflicting rumors of her focusing on singular skill position roles in workouts with teams, and the rugby star seemed to both confirm the idea that her role in football was still firmly up in the air and also re-assert that she's looking to play both runner and reciever roles if possible.
Hayes, who played at wide receiver for the Minnesota Grey Ducks to close out their season 25 campaign, has regularly been questioned for her hands on deep and medium passes and her ability to contest jump balls - skills the rugby speedster and sprinter never developed in her original sports. Most rugby players transition cleanly to running back, and Madison has demonstrated an elite ability to beat defensive backs and linebackers with size and agility once the ball is in her hands, but her status as a hopeful for the Great Britain hurdle rotation has a number of ISFL and DSFL scouts hopeful about her ability to line up on the line of scrimmage and stretch the field.
"We might be on the verge of seeing a generational talent who won't ever be the best pure reciever or runner in the league," FSN draft analyst Scout Knives claimed after watching one of Hayes's workouts last week, "a crafty offensive mind will be able to unlock all of that potential and find ways to get her the ball in space where she is proven to be electric, but she has a lot of work ahead of her to refine that talent."
Mock drafts around the DSFL have listed the recent Six Nations leading try scorer to every team in the first round at this point and as wide receiver, half back, and the classic "ATH" notation for athlete more commonly seen in college recruiting. When questioned about preference she echoed Knives's views that she wants to change the game and be more seen as a playmaker who plays as a back and out wide. As for Hayes's preference on team? It's just as ambiguous.
"Yeah, I'd love to stay with the Grey Ducks at this point, I feel part of that family and I have a strong connection to teams with colour nicknames," she joked at a DSFL draft media session on the eve of the start of draft festivities. "Really though, I'm just looking for an opportunity to prove myself, and I want a team to have my back in that journey. Staying in London would be amazing as well, but it's not at all a need for me and it won't make my path to the top flight of play any different."
MINNEAPOLIS / AP - Madison Hayes, arguably the most dangerous ball carrier in open space seen since Cobra Kai last season and one of the most productive post deadline waiver claim rookies this season, has continued to remain uncommitted regarding her future positional focus at the DSFL and ISFL levels in pre-draft workouts with teams, sources close to the English multi-sport phenomenon report. There have been conflicting rumors of her focusing on singular skill position roles in workouts with teams, and the rugby star seemed to both confirm the idea that her role in football was still firmly up in the air and also re-assert that she's looking to play both runner and reciever roles if possible.
Hayes, who played at wide receiver for the Minnesota Grey Ducks to close out their season 25 campaign, has regularly been questioned for her hands on deep and medium passes and her ability to contest jump balls - skills the rugby speedster and sprinter never developed in her original sports. Most rugby players transition cleanly to running back, and Madison has demonstrated an elite ability to beat defensive backs and linebackers with size and agility once the ball is in her hands, but her status as a hopeful for the Great Britain hurdle rotation has a number of ISFL and DSFL scouts hopeful about her ability to line up on the line of scrimmage and stretch the field.
"We might be on the verge of seeing a generational talent who won't ever be the best pure reciever or runner in the league," FSN draft analyst Scout Knives claimed after watching one of Hayes's workouts last week, "a crafty offensive mind will be able to unlock all of that potential and find ways to get her the ball in space where she is proven to be electric, but she has a lot of work ahead of her to refine that talent."
Mock drafts around the DSFL have listed the recent Six Nations leading try scorer to every team in the first round at this point and as wide receiver, half back, and the classic "ATH" notation for athlete more commonly seen in college recruiting. When questioned about preference she echoed Knives's views that she wants to change the game and be more seen as a playmaker who plays as a back and out wide. As for Hayes's preference on team? It's just as ambiguous.
"Yeah, I'd love to stay with the Grey Ducks at this point, I feel part of that family and I have a strong connection to teams with colour nicknames," she joked at a DSFL draft media session on the eve of the start of draft festivities. "Really though, I'm just looking for an opportunity to prove myself, and I want a team to have my back in that journey. Staying in London would be amazing as well, but it's not at all a need for me and it won't make my path to the top flight of play any different."