IMG Academy secures four-star safety Bryce Hayes-Roberts for 2026 season
The Bradenton institution adds a nationally ranked prospect to its Ascenders squad, which returns significant talent following an undefeated 2025 campaign.
Bryce Hayes-Roberts, a four-star safety from the class of 2028, has announced his intention to transfer from Frisco Lone Star High School in Texas to IMG Academy in Bradenton, Florida, for the 2026 high school football season. The move was confirmed by Rivals National Recruiting Analyst Sam Spiegelman on Thursday afternoon, marking a significant addition to the academy’s recruiting efforts.
Hayes-Roberts enters the transfer with a strong national profile, currently ranked as the No. 26 safety and No. 32 player in Texas according to Rivals Industry Rankings. However, conflicting data from Spiegelman’s social media post on June 4, 2026, lists him as the No. 17 safety in the Rivals300, highlighting the fluid nature of early recruitment metrics.
The decision places Hayes-Roberts within the IMG Academy Ascenders national team, a squad that finished the 2025 season with a perfect 10-0 record. The team ranked No. 1 in Florida according to the Massey Rankings and No. 3 nationally in the Rivals Composite, providing a high-performance environment for incoming prospects.
IMG Academy’s roster retains considerable depth for the upcoming season, anchored by 2027 five-star edge rusher Zyron Forstall, who has committed to Texas A&M, and 2027 four-star linebacker Amarri Irvin, who has committed to Notre Dame. Additional returning talent includes 2027 four-star wide receiver Eric McFarland and 2028 four-star quarterback Jayden Wade, who has committed to Georgia.
In addition to the roster changes, Hayes-Roberts is scheduled to visit Notre Dame for the Irish Invasion event. The timing of the visit remains unclear, with sources indicating it was planned for the day following the June 4 announcement, though no specific date was explicitly confirmed in the reporting.
The 2026 national high school football season slate for IMG Academy features a series of challenging out-of-state matchups. Scheduled opponents include St. Louis (HI), The St. James Academy (Va.), Cornerstone Christian (TX), New Palestine (IN), NFL Academy (UK), Hun School (N.J.), and rival St. Frances Academy (Md.).
Established in 1978 as the Nick Bollettieri Tennis Academy, IMG Academy has evolved into a global sports education brand. The institution is noted for its placement record, having helped place 30,000 students into college in 2021 alone and directly filling one-quarter of all college roster spots annually.
