The junior defensive lineman from Brooklyn, New York, has heard from a number of schools since -- Florida, Florida State, Wisconsin and USC, to name a few -- but has told them all "No thanks."
"I'm not going out for other visits," Hayes said. "I'm not shopping around. Me and coach Diaco are keeping up the deal that we have with each other."
Recent reports had Hayes set for a visit to Connecticut, but the 6-foot-5, 259-pound prospect said the trip never happened. In fact, Hayes has yet to visit Notre Dame, despite already offering the program his verbal commitment.
Plans to visit South Bend since committing have fallen through a number of times, but Hayes said he's locked in for a March visit with a flight already booked.
Meanwhile, Hayes said he's enjoying life as an Irish commit, one of four prospects so far in the 2014 class.
"It's been going well. The fans are definitely welcoming. They've been treating me real nice," said Hayes, who's active with fans on Twitter.
"I've been getting a lot of congratulations from everyone. I've been able to focus on school and hang out with friends and still be a teenager."
A teenager that's ranked as the No. 125 prospect in the national 2014 class by 247Sports.com and No. 249 overall by Rivals.com. Hayes' offseason has been filled with numerous accolades, including being named to first-team all-metro and all-state teams in New York.
He was, however, disappointed in his Rivals ranking and not making an All-America team. Hayes said he'll use those perceived snubs as motivation and may seek out a camp or two to compete in and prove himself.
Hayes is more focused on his school work at Poly Prep. A one-sport athlete, Hayes devotes his offseason to books and football workouts.
"I just mainly work out and work on my agility to get quicker," Hayes said. "I'm focusing on trying to graduate early, too. My school doesn't really allow it, but I'm trying to convince them, so I can."
Hayes would be aiming to enroll at Notre Dame in January 2014, an option that five recruits took advantage of in the 2013 Irish recruiting class.
The signing of five-star defensive lineman Eddie Vanderdoes on Feb. 6 caught the attention of Hayes.
"He's a great player. I watched some film on him, and he's very quick for a big guy," Hayes said of Vanderdoes.
"It's funny, because Notre Dame took him from USC and then (Wednesday) USC hits me up. I'm not sure if they offered me. I think they offered me. I was like, 'Nah, I'm sticking to ND.' I've heard very good things about him. I'm going to go up there to compete with him."
As a committed prospect, Hayes hopes to do a little recruiting of his own for Notre Dame. One player Hayes has sought out is multi-position prospect Jabrill Peppers of nearby Paramus (N.J.) Catholic, one of the nation's top juniors. Hayes spoke with Peppers at an area banquet and plans to keep in his ear about the Irish.
"This kid is phenomenal on the field," Hayes said. "I've reached out to him and spoke to him about Notre Dame and what it can offer. ... I'm definitely trying to recruit this kid."
And with the Irish coming off a season that ended with a spot in the BCS National Championship Game, Hayes said he has plenty to plug.
"A lot people didn't see Notre Dame going all the way to the national championship," Hayes said. "Honestly, if you would have asked me, I wouldn't have even thought Notre Dame would have made it to the national championship. Now it's really boosting the credibility in recruiting."
Five-star RB Hood visiting
The Irish will host junior prospect Elijah Hood on Friday as the running back from Charlotte (N.C.) Catholic makes his way through a Midwest tour of schools.
The 6-foot, 209-pound Hood will also visit Michigan on Saturday and Ohio State on Sunday, said Charlotte Catholic athletic director Kevin Christmas. Christmas, also an assistant coach for the football team, will be one of two coaches joining Hood on the trip.
Hood ranks as a five-star prospect according to Rivals, who slates him as the No. 12 player overall in the 2014 class. 247Sports ranks Hood as the No. 106 prospect overall and the ninth-best player at the "athlete" position.
Hood, who's a former teammate of ND freshman offensive lineman Mark Harrell, rushed for 3,309 yards and 48 touchdowns on 278 carries last season.
Six schools were pegged as leaders in his recruitment when Hood recently named a top list which featured Notre Dame at No. 1. North Carolina, Clemson, Ohio State, Georgia Tech and Michigan rounded out the list.
Staff writer Tyler James:
tjames1@sbtinfo.com
574-235-6214
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