Michigan State Football: CJ Hayes reportedly makes switch to DB

Michigan State football is loaded at receiver heading into the season and just like during the Mark Dantonio days, Mel Tucker isn’t afraid to make position changes in order to put guys buried on the depth chart in a better position to play.

One receiver who’s been around for a few years but hasn’t had much playing time because of injuries and the fact that the receiver position just keeps getting better is CJ Hayes.

The senior wideout has often been injured and it seems like he’s gotten the short end of the stick during his Michigan State career but Tucker is throwing him a lifeline with a position change.

According to an Instagram exchange between Hayes and former Spartan wideout Felton Davis III, Hayes has moved to the defensive side of the ball as a defensive back.

It’s wild how football players can spot changes just by the way a player is standing in a picture but Felton caught on right away.

Hayes finishes his career as a receiver with 14 career receptions for 154 yards with his last catch coming all the way back in 2019. He will make this move to defensive back, and it looks like he’s a cornerback now so that position group is now even deeper.

The cornerback room will have guys like Chester Kimbrough, Ronald Williams, Kalon Gervin, Khary Crump, Marqui Lowery, Charles Brantley, Kendell Brooks, and now Hayes. He could make the two-deep with this relatively inexperienced, but talented, group.

Hayes has the ideal size for a Mel Tucker defensive back

We all know Tucker wants his team to have the size advantage over opponents and with this move from receiver to defensive back, Hayes goes from a relatively normal-sized wideout to a bigger corner or safety. He stands 6-foot-2 and weighs in at 200 pounds.

Plus, the fact that he knows the receiver position and can diagnose routes and breaks will only help him develop as a defensive back.

Hayes joins Connor Heyward (running back to H-back or tight end), Tank Brown (linebacker to defensive end), and Maliq Carr (receiver to tight end) as the other prominent players who have reportedly switched positions this offseason.