Player Story
Blake Hayes story
Blake Hayes built his college career from 2017 through 2021 as a punter from Melbourne, VIC wearing No. 14, spending time with Illinois. The clearest part of Blake Hayes' career was his field-position work: 326 punts, 14,276 punting yards, and 81 punts inside the 20 across 57 career games in the available record. His largest box-score season came in 2019 with Illinois. Those numbers show where he fit, how often the ball or action found him, and how his role developed over time.
Special-teams careers depend on repeatable opportunity, not just one highlight. His career also includes 34 rushing yards, giving the story more than a single-category snapshot. With 57 career games in the available record, his career has enough shape to show both opportunity and production across Illinois.
The arc is straightforward: Blake Hayes moved through the depth chart, found a larger role, and turned that opportunity into production that can be understood through standard football numbers.