For months now, Hayden Vercher felt the recruiting love and respect from the Sun Devils. This is why when the 6-4 220-pound Thousand Oaks (Calif.) tight end came to Tempe for Arizona State's Elite Junior Day event, he knew that he was going to leave town as the team's newest 2026 class addition. The vibe he had with head coach Kenny Dillingham and tight ends coach Jason Mohns was unmatched compared to other teams that pursued him.
“The (ASU) coaches have been great and have been showing me love the whole time throughout my recruitment journey,” Vercher described, “and they were one of my first offers. They stuck with me, and I really appreciated that. Coach Dillingham and Coach Mohns are both great individuals, and I like being around them. Coach Dillingham's energy is great, and Coach Mohns is a great leader. He's been around for a long time and has developed a lot of people, and I can see him developing me in my game to the next level. I also really like Coach Arroyo, the offensive coordinator. He's a great play caller. I like the way his offensive schemes play out for me, and I think I'll be a great fit for their offense.
“I played some tight end my sophomore year but mostly wide receiver my junior year. The coaches believe that I'm going to come in and be a great receiving tight end. I'm a bigger receiver, and I'm going to have to come in and develop my blocking a little bit. I know what it takes to play tight end, but obviously, I still have to take it to the next level when I get to college because it’s a different beast.”
In his junior year, Vercher posted 70 catches for 1,011 yards and 11 touchdowns. He also has impressive physical attributes that include 80” wingspan and 10” hands. He also recorded a 10’ broad, 31.5 vertical jump and 21 MPH on the catapult.
The Elite Junior Day recruiting event wasn’t the tight end’s first visit to Tempe, as he attended ASU's contest versus UCF during the 2024 season. The familiar surroundings only grew his comfort level once he set foot on campus.
“I love the vibe there and how everyone is connected as a group,” Vercher said. “A lot of places you go to have a large group of people running it, and I feel like you don't get to see everyone and don't really know everyone. But the way that Arizona State is formatted, it's a close, tight-knit group, and I like the feeling of that. I was surprised by the campus because it was a lot nicer than I thought it was going to be. I didn’t get to talk to the players this time around, but I'll go out to spring practice and talk to them.”
Vercher said that ASU's Big 12 championship last season and its impressive 2024 campaign didn’t necessarily play a significant factor in his decision. Ultimately, he sees the program's future as promising as its current state.
“Obviously, it's great to win games,” Vercher admitted, “but with the vision they have and the coaching staff they have, it was bound to come. So, I know they have a great future ahead of them, and there are many more seasons like that to come with the high level of coaching they have.”
Vercher, who had a handful of Power Four offers,, said that he was considering Arizona, Texas Tech, and Cal. Vercher is ASU's fifth 2026 pledge,, joining four-star quarterback Jake Fette, who was also attended that event, wide receiver Cooper Reid, defensive back Zeth Angel Thues, and offensive lineman Cortavious Tisaby.
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