Hayes Pullard facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
Hayes Pullard III

Pullard with the Cleveland Browns in 2015
New York Jets
Position:	Defensive assistant
Personal information
Born:	(1992-04-18) April 18, 1992 (age 33) Inglewood, California, U.S.
Height:	6 ft 0 in (1.83 m)
Weight:	235 lb (107 kg)
Career information
High school:	Crenshaw (Los Angeles, California)
College:	USC (2010–2014)
NFL Draft:	2015 / Round: 7 / Pick: 219
Career history
As player:
Cleveland Browns (2015)* Jacksonville Jaguars (2015–2016) Los Angeles Chargers (2017–2018) Arizona Cardinals (2019)* Philadelphia Eagles (2019)*
As coach:
USC (2020) Quality control analyst New York Jets (2021–present) Defensive assistant
Career highlights and awards
Second-team All-Pac-12 (2013)
Career NFL statistics
Total tackles: 114 Fumble recoveries: 1 Interceptions: 1
Player stats at PFR

Hayes Joseph "HP" Pullard III (born April 18, 1992) is an American football coach and former player. He played as a linebacker in the National Football League (NFL). Today, he is a defensive assistant coach for the New York Jets.

Before coaching, Hayes played college football for the USC Trojans. He was chosen by the Cleveland Browns in the 2015 NFL draft. He also played for the Jacksonville Jaguars, Los Angeles Chargers, Arizona Cardinals, and Philadelphia Eagles.

Early Life and High School Football

Hayes Pullard was born in Inglewood, California. He was one of ten children in his family. His uncle, Robert Pullard, was a great pole vaulter at the University of Southern California (USC).

Hayes went to Crenshaw High School in Los Angeles, California. There, he played football, basketball, and ran track. His mother wanted him to go to a different school. But Hayes decided to attend Crenshaw, just like his father wanted.

Playing at Crenshaw High

At Crenshaw, Hayes played as a linebacker and defensive back on defense. On offense, he played running back. From 2007 to 2009, Hayes played with other talented players like De'Anthony Thomas. They helped Crenshaw High School make history. They became the first Los Angeles City Section team to play in a state championship game.

In his last two years, Hayes made 211 tackles on defense. He also gained 1,475 yards on offense and scored 20 touchdowns. He was a star player and a leader. Hayes often helped other students by inviting them to his home to study. He stayed close with his high school football coach, Robert Garrett, even after high school.

College Football Career

Hayes Pullard always wanted to play football at the University of California at Los Angeles (UCLA). Many students from Crenshaw High went there. But his father hoped he would go to USC, where his uncle had been an athlete.

UCLA offered Hayes a scholarship. However, USC's coach, Pete Carroll, and assistant coach, Ken Norton Jr., were also very interested in him. They convinced Hayes to visit USC practices. Hayes was very impressed by their coaching and the energy of the USC players. Even when Coach Carroll left USC, Hayes decided to stay with the Trojans.

Starting at USC

Hayes did not play in his first year (2010) because of a knee injury. This is called being "redshirted." He had surgery to fix his knee. After that, the NCAA punished USC's team for some rule breaking. The team was not allowed to play in championship games for two seasons. Hayes could have transferred to another school, but he chose to stay loyal to USC.

In 2011, Hayes started all 12 games for the Trojans. He was a weak side linebacker and led the team in tackles with 81. He and another freshman, Dion Bailey, were the first freshmen to lead USC in tackles.

Leadership and Achievements

In 2012, USC's season was tough, but Hayes had an amazing year. He made 107 tackles, which was the most by a USC player since 1996.

For the 2013 season, his teammates chose Hayes as a co-captain. He became a strong leader for the team. Even though USC had a difficult start, Hayes continued to play well. He finished the season with 94 tackles. Many people thought Hayes would leave college early to join the NFL draft. But he had promised his mother he would graduate from college, so he stayed.

Hayes was chosen as a co-captain again in 2014. He helped the team during a coaching change. In his final season, Hayes had 87 tackles. This made him the first USC player since 1979 to lead the team in tackles for three years in a row. He finished his college career with 369 tackles, which is the seventh most in USC history.

In May 2015, Hayes graduated from the University of Southern California. He earned a degree in policy, planning, and development.

Professional Football Career

Before the 2015 NFL draft, many experts did not expect Hayes to be drafted. However, he wrote an open letter to all 32 NFL teams. In his letter, he talked about his skills, his loyalty, and how he overcame challenges in his life. This letter helped improve his chances.

Cleveland Browns

The Cleveland Browns picked Hayes in the seventh round of the 2015 NFL draft. He was the 219th player chosen overall. In May 2015, the Browns signed Hayes to a four-year contract. He was later released by the Browns but then signed to their practice squad.

Jacksonville Jaguars

In October 2015, the Jacksonville Jaguars signed Hayes from the Browns' practice squad. He signed a four-year contract with them. He played for the Jaguars until September 2017.

Los Angeles Chargers

In September 2017, the Los Angeles Chargers picked up Hayes. He joined the team to help at middle linebacker. He competed for a starting job. Hayes was with the Chargers until September 2018, and then re-signed with them in October 2018.

Arizona Cardinals and Philadelphia Eagles

In August 2019, Hayes signed with the Arizona Cardinals. He was released later that month. A few days later, he signed with the Philadelphia Eagles. He was released by the Eagles at the end of August 2019.

Coaching Career

In 2020, Hayes Pullard returned to USC, his old college team. He became a quality control analyst, helping the coaches with game plans and player development. Since 2021, he has been a defensive assistant coach for the New York Jets.