Kenny Hayes is leaving the Ohio State football team after the former Whitmer star asked for and was granted his release, a team spokesman told the Blade on Friday.

The redshirt freshman defensive end is free to transfer to any school, though his plans are unclear. Messages to Hayes and his parents were not immediately returned.

Hayes was a heralded recruit when he became the Buckeyes’ first commit in the Class of 2011. He earned first-team All-Ohio honors as a junior, recognition on the second team as a senior and was rated by Rivals.com as the No. 68 overall prospect in the nation. But he redshirted as a freshman and missed most of the spring practice with what the team called recurring headaches.

First Published August 3, 2012, 10:20 p.m.