Christian Haynes Scouting Report

By: Michael Higgins

(Image courtesy of Douglas Stringer/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)

School: UCONN

Class: Senior

Position: IOL

HT: 6’3

WT: 317 lbs

Sideline Prospect Ranking: #56

Background: Christian Haynes is a versatile offensive lineman who played tackle all throughout high school. He is from Bowie, Maryland and played for Bowie High School. He was a 2-star recruit and was unable to crack the list of top 200 offensive tackles in the class of 2018. Haynes was named First Team All-League and All-County as a senior. He played in the Maryland Crab Bowl in his senior season. Haynes was considered a top 50 player in the state of Maryland. Christian Haynes was lightly recruited, but still was able to attract some Division 1 programs. He chose UCONN over Air Force, Buffalo, and Marshall.

College: Haynes became the starting right guard for the Huskies by his sophomore campaign in 2019. In the following seasons, he would move around on the interior of the offensive line. His versatility and consistency no matter where he was playing benefited him and his ability to remain a starter. He took off and became widely known as one of the best guards in the country by 2022. He was named All-American 2nd Team, becoming just the 3rd Husky to do so. After earning All-American honors in both of his last two seasons, Haynes worked his way into the top of draft boards.

Strengths: Haynes is a mover. He loves winning a rep with athleticism. His footwork is excellent in pass protection. He seemingly glides along the pocket and can combat just about any move that a pass rusher throws his way. He is not only athletic, but has good reaction instincts that allow him to keep up with those shifty edge rushers. Haynes handles stunts at the line with relative ease and can take on more than the original assignment. Not only can he win with technique, but he can also win with strength. His initial punch is stronger than most and he is able to consistently knock defenders off their rush. Pass protection is more so Haynes’ strength as he loves getting out in space and taking on new assignments.

Weaknesses: Haynes’ biggest drawback is his lack of size. Standing at only 6’3, he is a prime candidate to move inside to play guard. He has shorter arms, a problem which rears its ugly head in pass protection. He tries to make up for this by lunging or showing an overeagerness to make a play. He loses his base and can become clumsy once committing to an overaggressive play.

Conclusion: Haynes does not have an easy path to playing tackle at the NFL as he would be one of the smallest at a position that requires size. However, Haynes’ athleticism and strength could prove to make him formidable at either guard position.

Scheme Fit: Zone Rushing Offense

Ideal Role: Guard

Best Team Fits: MIA, NYJ, ARI

Player Comparison: Ali Marpet

Player Grade: 82.6