2026 tight end Hayden Vercher picks ASU football over Arizona, others

ASU picked up its fifth football commitment in the 2026 class on Sunday by adding 6-foot-4 tight end Hayden Vercher, he announced on social media.

In committing after Arizona State held its Junior Day, Vercher became the third-best commit in the class on 247 Sports’ composite ranking (No. 576), ranking behind quarterback Jake Fette (No. 130) and offensive tackle Cortavious Tisaby (No. 491).

Vercher is the first California commit in a class that includes three from Texas and one from Arizona. He is the second pass catcher in the class so far, joining 6-foot-4 wide receiver Cooper Reid.

The No. 31 tight end in the class by 247, he chose ASU over other Power 4 offers from Arizona, California, Minnesota, Texas Tech and Utah.

Tight end has been an area of strength with position coach Jason Mohns on the recruiting trail, as the position has featured ASU’s second-best recruit in both the 2024 (Jayden Fortier) and 2025 (AJ Ia) classes.

Scouting report on ASU commit Hayden Vercher

The tight end broke out as a junior at Thousand Oaks High School, catching 70 passes for 1,011 yards and 11 touchdowns, according to MaxPreps. He had 138 yards on 11 catches over his previous 24 games as an underclassman.

Vercher will likely play a heavy role in the passing game when he reaches college, 247 national recruiting analyst Greg Biggins projects.

“(He) projects as a tight end at the next level but plays more like a jumbo receiver in high school. … He can get vertical and make big plays down the field and will be a matchup nightmare in college. He has a big catch radius and shows the ability to catch the football at his ankles or over his head. He runs well after the catch and can get easy separation out of his breaks. He’s a naturally explosive athlete and the ceiling is really high for him.

“As he continues to fill out more, he should develop in to a fine in-line blocker, but his strength right now is as a pass catcher and we love the versatility he brings to the table. He can line up all over the field … and it will be fun to watch his continued progression over the coming years.”

“They were my second offer I think and have followed through with the communication since then. I have always felt like a major priority to them and I’ve really liked how they use tight ends,” Vercher told 247’s Blair Angulo. “They have a great quarterback commit with Jake Fette and that really stands out. There is a lot to like about ASU.”