Arizona adds former MAC DPOY, All-American linebacker Treshaun Hayward
Arizona has landed its most accomplished transfer player of the offseason. Western Michigan linebacker Treshaun Hayward is leaving that program to head west and play for the Wildcats, he announced Monday.
"I began my college athletic pursuit at 17 years old with one goal in mind," Hayward said in a Twitter post announcing his decision. "Since then I have grown as a student athlete and person. I want to say thank you to the coaches at WMU for giving me an opportunity to play college football. ... I will now be a graduate student athlete at the University of Arizona!"
The 6-foot-1 linebacker from Ypsilanti, Michigan is headed to UA with one season of eligibility remaining as a graduate transfer, so he will bring plenty of experience to Don Brown's defensive unit.
Hayward was named the 2019 MAC Defensive Player of the Year after collecting 142 tackles, 10.5 tackles for loss and five sacks as a junior. That earned him the honor of being a second-team All-America selection by Sporting News as well as a fourth-team All-America selection by Phil Steele Magazine.
He went on to add 58 tackles in six games during the shortened 2020 season.
Hayward played the WILL position for the Mustangs and with UA moving back to a 4-3 defense under Brown it is certainly possible he remains at that spot with the Wildcats. He will join a linebacker group that continues to look for depth and more talent having gone through a transition period in 2020 upon losing key players such as Colin Schooler and Tony Fields II to transfers.
Staring inside linebacker Anthony Pandy is set to return for another season with the Wildcats while several young players were able to gain experience during the 2020 season.
Hayward will provide an upgrade in both experience and production for the group as he comes to UA with 229 career tackles and 16 tackles for loss. His production has been on the upswing over the last two seasons once he was able to step into a starting role. He had 37 tackles through his first two seasons at WMU.
The Michigan native is the seventh transfer addition for the Wildcats this offseason and the sixth to come on board under new head coach Jedd Fisch. He is the second transfer the Wildcats have added in the last few days after the program picked up Washington State quarterback Gunner Cruz over the weekend. Safety Gunner Maldonado (Northwestern), running back Drake Anderson (Northwestern), defensive end Jason Harris (Colorado) and cornerback Isaiah Rutherford (Notre Dame) have also all joined the program since Fisch was named as Kevin Sumlin's replacement.
Baylor offensive lineman Davis DiVall signed with the Wildcats back in December.
The addition of Hayward leaves Fisch and his staff at Arizona with two spots left to fill in the 2021 class.
****
> DISCUSS the article with other Arizona fans as the Wildcats continue Building The Tradition
> WATCH the latest videos from GOAZCATS.com and subscribe to our YouTube channel
> FOLLOW us on Twitter (@goazcatscom, @MattGOAZCATS)
> FOLLOW us on Instagram (@goazcats)
> LIKE us on Facebook
> SUBSCRIBE for all the latest Arizona Wildcats team and recruiting news (subscribe now)