‘I’d trust the guy with my life’: Christian Haynes poised to be UConn’s next NFL Draft pick
STORRS — For a program that hasn’t had much success on the field the last decade, UConn has developed and sent a number of players to the NFL with solid reputations.
The latest will be Christian Haynes, interior lineman in which experts see the positional size and advanced skill-level to be a starter in the league.
“Haynes started 49 games at right guard in college,” noted Mel Kiper Jr., ESPN’s Draft analyst, “and he allowed just one sack over his final three seasons. He’s my No. 3-ranked player at the position.”
Kiper, in his mock draft April 10, projected Haynes as the 55th pick in the draft, going to Miami in the second round. NFL.com’s Lance Zierlein rates Haynes as a late second- or early third-round pick.
UConn’s Christian Haynes gives NFL scouts close-up look at his strength, skills at Pro Day
“Haynes plays with football intelligence and sees every snap as a mandate to move opponents and finish blocks,” Zerlein writes. “His draft slotting could be affected by a lack of length and being limited to one position, but his determined playing style counters those factors. He’s not overly rangy but wipes out targets on pulling blocks and is capable in space, and in pass protection. The hand usage can get sloppy, allowing opponents to slip away from him, and he has a tendency to do too much grabbing. All things considered, he might outplay his draft slotting and become a solid NFL starter.”
NFLDraftbuzz.com projects Haynes in the second round. “Emerging from a modest two-star recruitment in 2018,” the site reports. “Christian Haynes has defied expectations, becoming a linchpin for Connecticut’s offensive line with an impressive 49 consecutive starts at right guard. Over his collegiate career, Haynes distinguished himself not just through durability but also with back-to-back third-team All-American honors in his junior and senior years, underscoring his impact in a balanced run-pass offense.”
Haynes, 6 feet 3 and 317 pounds, has been a rock on UConn’s offensive line over his four-year career, especially the past two seasons under the guidance of head coach Jim Mora and offensive line coach Gordon Sammis, who is now the offensive coordinator.
“Unbelievable human being,” Sammis said. “I’d trust the guy with my life, an unbelievable football player. It’s one of those rare times, when scouts come in to talk to you about a guy, there’s not one bad thing you could say. Character, work ethic, all that stuff. A competitor, mean as hell on the field but the best teammate you’ll ever meet, He’ll be the hardest worker (his NFL team) has and he’ll always be in the right place.”
Haynes will likely be the first player with Connecticut ties drafted. Teammates Eric Watts, a defensive lineman, and Jackson Mitchell, a linebacker, are expected to be drafted near the end of the seven rounds, or signed as free agents immediately after the draft concludes on Saturday. Yale’s Kiran Amegadjie, 6-5, 326, an offensive tackle, is also rated highly. Amegadjie began playing football later than most, and played only 20 games at Yale, limited by the pandemic and a quad injury this past season, but he has upside. His Yale teammate, receiver Mason Tipton, impressed scouts with his times in the 40-yard dash, 4.33-seconds, at several workouts and could get an opportunity.
Monmouth running back Jaden Shirden, from West Haven, ran for more than 3,200 yards and 23 TDs in his last two seasons and was invited to the combines like Haynes and Watts. “Shirden is smaller and lighter than most draft-able running backs,” Zierlein writes for NFL.com. “He flashes plus acceleration as an outside runner and impressive vision and processing quickness as an interior runner. He might not be drafted, but Shirden is talented as both a runner and pass catcher and has a chance to make an NFL roster.”
UConn has sent other offensive linemen to the NFL in recent years. Matt Peart, the Giants third-round pick in 2020, is now with the Broncos. Ryan Van Demark has worked his way onto the Bills’ roster.
Haynes, like Travis Jones, the UConn defensive lineman drafted in the third round by Baltimore two years ago, helped himself in his opportunities to win matchups against high-level linemen when the Huskies played teams from the major conferences. Haynes also boosted his stock with impressive performances in the workouts leading up to the Senior Bowl and the game itself, and at the Combine.
“I’ve had several teams reach out,” Mora said. “More character references than anything. They can evaluate him as a player very well off the film, but they call you for references. ‘What kind of guy is he? … How does he work? ,,, How does he get along with teammates? … Is he a leader?’ With Christian Haynes, it’s very easy because he’s a good as anyone I’ve ever been around in those categories. I think he’s going to be a really good NFL player for a really long time.”
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