I knew DJ Hayden.
He was a teenager trying to make a name for himself on the recruiting landscape coming out of Elkins High School back in 2008-2009.
He was selling hard, but really wasn’t getting any Division I takers. We would talk about potential schools who were in contact, but nothing was concrete. PJ Wilson was his confidant and hype-man, but honestly DJ was somewhat of an unknown. He would go to camps and visits and… nothing concrete.
But DJ Hayden had this unbelievable belief in himself. And that was his legacy.
He signed with Navarro Junior College. If you have ever signed or played at a junior college, you know the juco life… it’s not glamorous and it is tough to get out. He did.
Hayden was laser-focused with a desire burning inside to get to the DI level. Like, burning. He won a Junior College National Championship in 2010 and played himself into a scholarship to the University of Houston.
Back home, he went off and thrived on the big DI stage. He started as a junior as a lockdown corner. Speed was his calling card.
As a senior, he would have another huge obstacle to overcome. In a freak accident during practice, he would collide with a teammate who inadvertently caught him with a knee to his chest. Hayden would nearly die as his inferior vana cava was torn in his heart. He was touch-and-go but would survive. His season was over.
Was his career over?
Again, we are talking about DJ Hayden.
He couldn’t really participate in the NFL Combine due to his injury, but was still considered the No. 1 cornerback in the 2013 Draft. He was selected No. 12 overall by the Oakland Raiders and played 92 games over nine years. He had 41 starts and four interceptions and 382 tackles.
He lived out his dream and was passing on his tale as the defensive backs coach for the Second Baptist School.
DJ lost his life much too early, but when I heard the news of his death in a tragic car accident, I had to reflect on the man that was counted out as a college prospect coming out of high school.
He was always going to beat the odds, because he didn’t see them as odds. DJ Hayden had a goal and pursued that goal with unwavering passion. He never had anything given to him. He overcame massive obstacles, physically and mentally.
He WORKED for what he wanted and didn’t take anything for granted. He was not going to relent.
Athletes across the country and especially in his hometown need to know DJ Hayden’s story.
He bet on himself and won.
Rest In Peace.
