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2024 NFL Draft Scouting Report: Christian Haynes

Originally posted on On Tap Sports Net | By Steve Letizia | Last updated 2/12/24

Christian Haynes NFL Draft Profile

College: UConn
College Position: Right guard
Ideal NFL Position: iOL (Guard and Center)
Height/Weight: 6'2^1/2" 318 lbs
Year / Age: Graduate / 23 (turns 24 in February 2025)
Draft Projection: Top 75
Where I'd Take Him: Top 50

Background

Christian Haynes grew up in Maryland and played football at Bowie Bowie High School with his brother Marcus Haynes, who spent time on the Denver Broncos practice squad last season after going undrafted. He played running back early in his football career before growing out of the position and moving to the line. He was only a two-star prospect in the 2018 recruiting class and chose Connecticut over schools such as James Madison, Air Force, and Virginia.

Haynes saw limited playing time as a true freshman but took over as the starting right guard for the Huskies his second year and never looked back, making 49 consecutive starts at the position (UConn canceled its 2020 season amid the COVID-19 pandemic).

Haynes had his best season as a junior in 2022, allowing only three (not a typo) total pressures and no sacks in 348 pass-block snaps. His 91 pass block grade from PFF ranked second among all interior offensive linemen that year and first overall for guards. His 83.9 overall PFF grade ranked sixth behind some highly touted prospects such as John Michael Schmitz (58th overall in 2023), O'Cyrus Torrence (60th overall in 2023), and Jackson Powers-Johnson (projected first-round pick in 2024). Haynes earned Associated Press third-team All-American honors but decided to go back to school for one more year.

As a redshirt senior, he continued where he left off, and while he allowed more pressure, he was his usual dominant self. Haynes again earned AP third-team All-American honors and had an elite 80.2 PFF overall grade. While his pass-blocking PFF grade decreased, it was mostly due to one bad game. All in all, I thought he did a good job clearing up some of the technique issues I saw in his 2022 tape.

After the season, he was invited to Reese's Senior Bowl, where he was one of the standouts in practice.

UConn OL Christian Haynes #BuildingTheBoard
Haynes has been one of my favorite iOL for the last two years and he showed at the Senior Bowl that he belongs in the top 5 iOL conversation in the 2024 NFL draft. While not the biggest guy, his athleticism and natural leverage make him… pic.twitter.com/vF1USS3Upj
— Chicago Football Connection (@CFCBears) February 12, 2024

Strengths

Smooth mover in space, laterally, and into second-level blocks
Excellent puller with radar for second-level defenders
High football IQ
Good length for an interior offensive linemen with nearly 34-inch arms
Readjusts hands to regain leverage and maintain blocks
Understands angles well in the run game
Possesses quick feet and good play balance
Consistently plays to the whistle with a mean streak
Answered competition-level questions while dominating the Senior Bowl

Weaknesses

Undersized for playing guard in the NFL
Inconsistent pad level and knee bend
Lower level of competition
Tendency to show hands too early and bend at the waist
Size might force him to be a center in the NFL, a position he's never played in a real game
Can resort to grabbing defenders when beat
Small hands make it difficult for him to grip defenders without holding
Relies on athleticism over technique

Final Thoughts and Chicago Bears Fit for Christian Haynes

The Chicago Bears have an obvious need at center but not so much at guard with Teven Jenkins and Nate Davis in tow. However, both players have missed time due to injury in their careers. Jenkins is in the final year of his contract and Davis could be cut after this season if he doesn't improve. In turn, adding depth on the interior of the offensive line will be significant this offseason.

While Haynes has only played right guard in college, he showed at the Senior Bowl that he can play anywhere on the interior. When I asked him what his best position in the NFL would be, he said he could play anywhere he was asked to.

While I believe he can play right away, if the Bears draft him, I'd like to see him start as a backup interior lineman before eventually taking over wherever they need a starter in 2025. And if Davis doesn't live up to expectations or Jenkins gets hurt again, Haynes can slide into the starting lineup in 2024 and the offense won't miss a beat.

Haynes' athleticism and length are special for an interior offensive line prospect. His quick feet and lateral agility allow him to reach the opposite shoulder of defensive tackles to create running lanes. He has no problem getting to the second level and understands angles to wall off linebackers. However, he often relies too heavily on his athleticism and his technique suffers. That worked in college but will need to be cleaned up as he transitions to the NFL.

Haynes will be at his best in a wide zone scheme like UConn's, but at the same time, I have no concerns about his play strength as he routinely matched power at the collegiate level. With some minor tweaks to his technique, he can develop into a top-tier interior offensive lineman in a few years.

Pro Comp: Dylan Parham

This article first appeared on On Tap Sports Net and was syndicated with permission.

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