Former wide receiver who transitioned to running back as a redshirt sophomore and immediately became Georgia Tech's most productive ball carrier in half a decade — but the 2025 tape tells a concerning story of regression. Haynes brings legitimate receiving chops out of the backfield, with natural hands, route-running feel, and the ability to create separation that most Day 3 backs simply don't have. The problem is everything else: he's undersized at 5-9/190, avoids contact rather than initiating it, was increasingly outproduced by backfield mate Malachi Hosley down the stretch, and his PFF grades cratered in his final college season. There's a real NFL role here as a pass-catching change-of-pace back if a team can live with his limitations in pass protection and between the tackles, but the ceiling is a specialty weapon, not a featured runner.
- Elite pass-catching ability for a running back — WR background gives him natural hands, route feel, and the ability to create separation on option routes and wheel concepts
- Good vision and burst through the hole; acceleration to turn routine handoffs into explosive plays when the blocking is there
- Effort and motor — fights for every yard and plays with a scrappy, competitive edge that scouts noticed at the American Bowl
- Football IQ and positional adaptability; seamless WR-to-RB transition suggests strong coachability and scheme versatility
- Undersized at 5-9/190 with a finesse running style — content to dance through traffic rather than initiate contact, which limits his viability as an early-down runner at the NFL level
- Pass protection is a significant liability; struggles in pass protection could limit three-down potential early in career
- 2025 production collapsed — dropped from 1,059 yards (2023) to 944 (2024) to just 531 yards on 4.3 YPC, losing touches to Malachi Hosley and being completely bottled up in multiple late-season games
- Ball security becomes sloppy in contact situations; concerns about durability given concussion history and undersized frame absorbing NFL-level punishment
Footballguys' direct comp. Similar WR-to-RB conversion story — McKissic was a college WR who carved out an NFL career as a pass-catching specialist back. Both are undersized, shifty, better as receivers than traditional runners, and project as change-of-pace/committee backs rather than featured options. McKissic went undrafted and found a role as a third-down back — that's Haynes's most likely NFL path.