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Commit GIF Breakdown: Marquis Hayes

The Oklahoma football team added a new quality piece to their 2017 recruiting class with the commitment of 6-foot-5, 315-pound offensive lineman Marquis Hayes.

Hayes was named the Offensive Line MVP at the Rivals Camp Series in Kansas City. (Rivals.com)
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Hayes is somebody that the SoonerScoop staff has gotten a chance to see at the Rivals Camp Series in Kansas City and then again at the Five-Star Challenge in Atlanta. At each stop, the Maryland Heights (Mo.) four-star offensive linemen turned heads with surprising performances that continued to exceed expectations.

Even though Hayes plays tackle for his high school, it’s apparent that his highest potential lies in kicking inside and playing guard at the next level for OU. His wide, strong base and compact powerful upper body make him ideal as a versatile inside mauler that can also gain leverage and stand up athletic interior pass-rushers.

At times on his tape Hayes can ignore technique and rely on his pure size and strength to dish out punishment on inferior defenders. However, that aggressive streak is part of what makes the newest Sooner commitment so appealing as a guard prospect. And to be honest, it’s just fun to watch.

When facing much more elite competition in Atlanta, Hayes's inconsistency in his base could catch up with him at times when letting his guard down. Hayes can get himself into trouble when stopping his feet after the initial point of contact and getting beat by a second effort. It's something that we all know he can do based on his quality reps against the nation's No. 1 defensive tackle, Marvin Wilson. For Hayes, it's just a matter of finding a steadiness.

One of the terrific traits apparent on Hayes’s tape that couldn’t be observed in the camp setting is his ability to drive his legs, and finish blocks when being allowed to go downhill in the running game.

As was alluded to earlier, Hayes has a nasty streak and you can count on him to finish his block to the whistle. Even without seeing full game film, one can imagine how exhausted defenders would get after a full game of the 315-pounder relentlessly putting in blow after blow on every block.

After watching Hayes block Marvin Wilson as well as, if not better, than any linemen in attendance at the Rivals Five-Star Challenge, it became apparent that he was deserving of not just an Oklahoma offer, but to be made a priority as a highly talented piece of their offensive line class. His performance against the nation’s best, along with the dominant game film, suggests a potential all-conference caliber offensive guard.

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