Will Hastings
{{Short description|American football player (born 1996)}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=July 2024}}
{{Infobox NFL biography
| name = Will Hastings
| image =
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| current_team = Free agent
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| position = Wide receiver
| birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1996|7|30}}
| birth_place = Little Rock, Arkansas, U.S.
| height_ft = 5
| height_in = 10
| weight_lb = 174
| high_school = Pulaski Academy
(Little Rock, Arkansas)
| college = Auburn
| undraftedyear = 2020
| pastteams =
- New England Patriots ({{NFL Year|2020}})*
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Will Hastings (born July 30, 1996){{cite web |last1=Jacquez |first1=Joe |title=Will Hastings: 5 things to know about the Auburn football wide receiver |url=https://www.montgomeryadvertiser.com/story/sports/college/auburn/2019/09/20/will-hastings-facts-auburn-football-wide-receiver-engaged-fiancee/2360860001/ |website=montgomeryadvertiser.com |accessdate=11 May 2020 |date=20 September 2019}} is an American professional football wide receiver who is a free agent. He played college football for the Auburn Tigers.{{cite web |title=WILL HASTINGS |url=https://www.espn.com/nfl/player/_/id/3916927/will-hastings |accessdate=11 May 2020}}
Early life and Auburn
Hastings was born and raised in Little Rock, Arkansas where he graduated from Pulaski Academy. He played high school football, and during his time the school won two state titles and in his senior year in 2015 he racked up 2,040 receiving yards.
Hastings was only the 2nd receiver in Arkansas football history to gain over 2000 yards in a single season.
At Pulaski Academy Hastings also played soccer and was an all state selection 2 years in a row. In his early teens he played elite soccer traveling over a 3 state area and was the only U-14 player chosen out of the state of Arkansas for the Region 3 Olympic Development Team. He participated in the National Olympic Development Team Tryouts in Orlando Florida.
Hastings walked on at Auburn as a kicker, specializing in onside kicks, but in 2017 he was moved to wide receiver. At Auburn Hastings was teammates with quarterback Jarrett Stidham.{{Cite web |last=Marcello |first=Brandon |date=25 April 2020 |title=Will Hastings agrees to deal with New England Patriots |url=https://247sports.com/college/auburn/Article/2020-NFL-undrafted-free-agency-Auburn-receiver-Will-Hastings-agrees-to-deal-with-New-England-Patriots-reunites-with-former-Auburn-quarterback-Jarrett-Stidham-146492777/ |access-date=11 May 2020 |website=247sports.com}} Auburn head coach Gus Malzahn said of Hastings: "He's one of the quickest guys I've ever coached. I think he can get open versus any man. I think he's in a good spot. I think he'll have a chance to play at the next level. I couldn't be more proud." In the 2017 season, Hastings had 26 receptions, 525 yards and four touchdowns, but he missed the 2018 season due to a torn ACL, and in 2019 he had 19 catches for 222 yards and one touchdown.{{cite web |last1=Anderson |first1=Ty |title=Patriots reportedly sign undrafted WR Will Hastings |url=https://985thesportshub.com/2020/04/25/patriots-reportedly-sign-undrafted-wr-will-hastings/ |website=985thesportshub.com |accessdate=11 May 2020 |date=25 April 2020}}
Professional career
Hastings was one of four undrafted free agent receivers signed by the New England Patriots after they did not draft any receivers in the 2020 NFL draft. His three-year contract included $57,500 in guaranteed money.{{Cite web|title=Guaranteed money revealed for Patriots' 2020 undrafted free agent class|url=https://985thesportshub.com/2020/05/13/patriots-udfa-contracts-guaranteed-money-nfl-news/|date=2020-05-13|website=98.5 The Sports Hub - Boston's Home For Sports|access-date=2020-05-27}} On July 26, 2020, Hastings was released before training camp opened,{{cite web |last1=Alper |first1=Josh |title=Patriots drop to 80 players ahead of training camp |url=https://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2020/07/26/patriots-drop-to-80-players-ahead-of-training-camp/ |website=Pro Football Talk |date=26 July 2020 |publisher=NBC Sports |accessdate=26 July 2020}} but was re-signed two days later.{{cite news |title=Patriots re-sign wide receiver Will Hastings |url=https://www.patriots.com/news/patriots-re-sign-wide-receiver-will-hastings |website=Patriots.com |date=July 28, 2020 |accessdate=July 29, 2020}} Hastings was once again waived on August 28, 2020.{{Cite web|last=Williams|first=Charean|date=2020-08-28|title=Patriots waive Will Hastings|url=https://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2020/08/28/patriots-waive-will-hastings/|access-date=2020-08-28|website=ProFootballTalk|language=en-US}}
Personal life
References
{{Reflist}}
External links
- [https://auburntigers.com/sports/football/roster/will-hastings/12845 Auburn Tigers bio]
{{DEFAULTSORT:Hastings, Will}}
Category:American football wide receivers
Category:Auburn Tigers football players
Category:New England Patriots players
Category:Players of American football from Little Rock, Arkansas