A two-time ACC award winner who rebuilt his career at Georgia Tech after a broken leg derailed his Texas A&M tenure, Haynes King signed with Carolina as an undrafted free agent.
Haynes King's road to the NFL ran through two SEC and ACC programs and a serious leg injury that could have ended his starting career before it began. Instead, he became the face of a Georgia Tech turnaround, capping his college run with ACC Player of the Year honors before signing with the Panthers after going unselected in the 2026 draft.
Path to the league
King starred at Longview High School in Texas, where his father John King is the head coach, leading the Lobos to a state title as a junior. He signed with Texas A&M and was named the starter entering 2021, but a fractured leg suffered against Colorado that September sidelined him indefinitely. He transferred to Georgia Tech in December 2022 and took over as the Yellow Jackets' starting quarterback.
Career highlights
Across stints at Texas A&M and Georgia Tech, King started 43 of 46 college games, throwing for 9,486 yards with 65 touchdowns against 34 interceptions on a 65.6 percent completion rate. He led Georgia Tech to bowl wins and notable victories over Clemson and Duke during his tenure, culminating in a 2025 season that finished 10th in Heisman Trophy voting.
2025 season recap
King authored the best season of his career in 2025, guiding Georgia Tech to a 9-3 record while winning the ACC Player of the Year and ACC Offensive Player of the Year awards along with the Earl Campbell Tyler Rose Award and first-team All-ACC honors. He went undrafted in the 2026 NFL Draft but signed with the Panthers immediately afterward to compete for a roster spot.
Sources
- Wikipedia: Haynes King (American football)
- On3: Haynes King signs UDFA deal with Carolina Panthers after 2026 NFL Draft
Player Profile
Background
- Position
- Quarterback
- Group
- offense
- College
- Georgia Tech
- Hometown
- Longview, TX, USA
- Age
- 25
- Status
- active
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