Who is Jarryd Hayne?
There may not be a better player to epitomize the “Who Is?” series and kick off the 2015 version, than San Francisco running back and kick returner Jarryd Hayne. Within the turmoil that has been the 49ers’ off-season, from the departures of Jim Harbaugh and Frank Gore to the retirement of several key players, to the arrests of many others, the signing of the Australian rugby player in March turned out to be low on the list of newsworthy transactions. However, his recent preseason performance has added him to the discussion of waiver wire pickups as dynasty owners ready their rosters for the regular season.
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A second-generation professional rugby player, the 27-year-old Hayne left stardom in Australia for the unknown of the NFL. While many players have gone from the non-professional rugby union to the NFL, including Haloti Ngata, Hayne is the first player to transition from professional rugby. He is a two-time Dally M medalist, which is the equivalent of receiving the most valuable player award, with a reputation for being a strong tackler, elusive and sure-handed. He is also known for the “Hayne Plane,” a celebration where he extends his arms and runs around the field, but that’s not important right now.
Though Hayne was ineligible to play college football in the United States, he aggressively organized sessions to train for American football. Future 49er teammate Reggie Bush was among those who viewed the practices and commented Hayne was ready to compete in the NFL. In October 2014, Hayne formally announced his intention to pursue an NFL career and signed with San Francisco in March 2015. With a three-year contract for a guaranteed $100,000, Hayne is betting on his talent given he will be making a fraction of his rugby salary. The full contract, should he fulfill requirements, would be worth approximately $1.5 million.
At off-season workouts following his signing, he impressed his teammates and was considered a quick learner with a minimal learning curve ahead of him. The 6’2”, 220-pound Hayne also ran a 4.53 40-yard dash, showing good speed (without pads) for a player his size. Bush and Colin Kaepernick even predicted early in the process he would make the team. Considering his age and lack of football experience, this will be necessary for him to have any shot at landing a roster spot.
Perhaps the most raw non-kicker prospect the NFL has ever seen, Hayne will only make the roster if he can prove to be useful at multiple positions. He is listed as a running back and played behind only Carlos Hyde at the position in the 49ers’ first two preseason games, but could contribute as a kick and punt returner as well as on other special teams units.
With all eyes focused on him, Hayne took his second preseason carry for a 53-yard run against Houston on August 15. He also made the highlight reel on special teams, with both plays available in this video clip. He ended the game with 63 rushing yards on five attempts, a total skewed by his big run but still impressive for his first football game, and 120 all-purpose yards.
The following week, he put on another show against Dallas at running back and on special teams, totaling 54 yards on eight rushing attempts and averaging 28 yards on three punt returns. Notable is that the 49ers did not return any punts for more than 23 yards last season. Hayne also contributed with a key special teams tackle on a Dallas kick return.
For purposes of dynasty football, two preseason games and a lot of hype are all we have to work from to assign value directly to Hayne’s projected on-field performance. From such a small sample size, it is clear Hayne could be a big play ready to happen while he has mixed in several rushing attempts that have gone nowhere. He runs stiff and upright, which is not surprising considering his background, but this (and his lack of coaching and experience) could make him more susceptible to injury.
Heading into the third week of the preseason, the 49ers’ running back depth chart still has some question marks. While Carlos Hyde is expected to be given first and second down snaps and Reggie Bush will get most of the third down work, Hayne has thus far played ahead of Kendall Hunter, Kendall Gaskins and fourth-round pick Mike Davis. How (or if) he will ultimately be used is unknown and Head Coach Jim Tomsula has been vague about Hayne’s role specifically as well as the pecking order in general.
What is clear is Hayne has potential as a playmaker and if he makes the roster could be given a few touches per game as a change-of-pace back. He could spell the aging Reggie Bush, particularly if he shows an ability to pass protect and as a receiver, or go between the tackles to give Hyde a breather.
The bottom line with Hayne is he is a raw but intriguing prospect for a rebuilding team that could use some optimism. If he makes the team, his primary impact will likely be on special teams as he learns to play the running back position, but there is big-play potential. Coach Tomsula recently summed up the situation well by saying, “Obviously the guy is doing really well and making a great case for himself. That’s the story. He’s never played the game and is in the conversation to make the 53-man roster. That speaks to who he is.”
Hayne has been added in some of my leagues, while he is still on the waiver wire in others, putting his current value on the dynasty roster bubble until he makes the 49ers’ final roster. There are few free agents who could offer the same boom potential, though his floor is as low as anyone’s as well. Take a flier if you have a roster spot, which he could pay off if he wins the backup job ahead of Mike Davis, and keep an eye on him in the final games of the preseason, including tonight’s featured game against the Broncos.
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