Tennessee has already discussed the possibility of reclassifying to the 2019 class with four-star point guard Jalen Cone. Right now, the dynamic point guard is part of the 2020 recruiting class, but the Vols are one of the main programs talking with him about reclassifying to this current recruiting cycle.
Now, the Vols are reportedly discussing the ability to reclassify with another highly-rated point guard.
Cam Hayes is a five-star point guard currently in the 2021 recruiting class. According to Jake Weingarten of StockRisers.com, Tennessee is one of the schools that has asked Hayes about reclassifying to the 2020 class.
“It’s a strong possibility,” Hayes told Weingarten about reclassifying. “A lot of the schools recruiting me have asked me about reclassifying back up [to 2020].
“The coaches just believe that I’m ready.”
Along with Tennessee, Hayes mentioned Virginia, Wake Forest, and NC State as teams discussing the possibility of reclassifying with him.
According to the 247Sports Composite rankings, Hayes is the No. 23 overall prospect, No. 4 point guard, and No. 1 player in the state of North Carolina in the 2021 class. The 6-foot-2 point guard from Greensboro already has interest from Duke and North Carolina, and Tennessee, Clemson, Virginia, Virginia Tech, and NC State are among the schools that have already offered the sophomore.
Hayes has already visited Tennessee twice, and they’re legitimate contenders for the elite point guard out of North Carolina.
Though he just finished up his sophomore season, Hayes already has an elite skill set and is rated as a five-star for a reason. He has a strong mid-range game, and his pull-up jumper is hard to defend. Hayes can stop on a dime and hit a jump shot, and his quick stroke means the ball leaves his hands quicker than the defender can react. He’s a confident three-point shooter as well. Not only that, but Hayes has very good ball-handling skills and possesses solid vision. His lack of elite height hinders his ability to cut to the lane as much as a bigger point guard, but he has a great all-around game and has plenty of skills to build off of.
Hayes is currently playing for Team CP3 in Nike’s Elite Youth Basketball League, and he’s off to a good start in the summer circuit. In four games of the EYBL, Hayes is averaging 9.5 points, 4.5 assists, 2.8 rebounds, and 2.0 steals according to D1Circuit.com.
Tennessee has a commitment from five-star small forward Corey Walker in the 2020 class, and they’re pursuing several highly-rated prospects in the 2020 cycle. If Hayes reclassifies to that class rather than staying in the 2021 class, then the Vols will likely be one of the top teams he considers signing with.
