Arizona Cardinals select Oklahoma offensive lineman Marquis Hayes in 2022 NFL Draft

The Arizona Cardinals saw undeniable talent in Oklahoma guard Marquis Hayes. A three-year starter for the Sooners, Hayes lived up to his four-star rating coming out of high school in Maryland Heights, Missouri.

Now he expects to do the game in his pro career as the Arizona Cardinals selected him 257th overall in the 2022 NFL Draft on Saturday.

Hayes came to Norman in 2017 as the No. 18 inside offensive lineman and No. 241 overall player in the class according to On3 Consensus, a complete and equally weighted industry-generated average that utilizes all four major recruiting media companies. He chose Oklahoma over offers from Iowa State, Miami, Missouri and many others.

After redshirting as a freshman and appearing in only a reserve role the following year, Marquis Hayes broke into the Oklahoma starting lineup in 2019. Once he did, he was there to stay, helping lead the Sooners to Big 12 championships the next two seasons. In 2021, he started all 13 contests and was named second team All-Big 12 according to both the AP and league coaches.

NFL.com scouting report on Marquis Hayes

According to his scouting report on NFL.com, Marquis Hayes stands out among the crowd due to his strength and length. He doesn’t shy away from a good scrum, and is known to bring maximum aggression from the jump.

All that said, his fundamentals could use some work, as NFL analyst Lance Zierlein noted in his assessment.

“High-cut guard with a tackle’s body type, Hayes could be a measurables winner with size, length and lean mass checkmarks populating his physical profile,” Zierlein wrote. “He plays the game like a streetfighter, using length and strength to pummel overmatched opponents. However, he lacks the fundamentals to carry it over against pro competition. He’s not much of a bender. Poor footwork and body control lead to inconsistencies in both run and pass blocking. He’s a tough, physical finisher with coveted physical traits but needs to upgrade his hands, feet and contact posture to become more than a backup in the league.