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Aug 29, 2025; Boulder, Colorado, USA; Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets quarterback Haynes King (10) prepares to pass the ball in the second quarter against the Colorado Buffaloes at Folsom Field. Mandatory Credit: Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images

Deion Sanders Calls Haynes King A Heisman Candidate After Yellow Jackets' Victory Over Colorado

Originally posted on Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets on SI
By Najeh Wilkins | Last updated Aug 30, 2025 10:45 AM ET

Haynes King put together another elite performance in front of a national audience on Friday night. Despite two early turnovers, King never allowed it to rattle him or shake his performance on the gridiron. Instead, he settled down in the game and showcased his talent and how adversity will never deter him, but be a motivator and allow him to overcome difficulty. It allowed King to rush for a career-high 156 yards and three touchdowns, including a 45-yard touchdown that would be the final score of the game for Georgia Tech. He continued to gash the defense with his athleticism and ability to be patient while following his blocks on his patented play, the QB counter. He also threw for 143 yards and completed 65% of his passes. That performance caught the eye of Colorado head coach Deion Sanders, who continued to sing the praises of Haynes King following a close defeat to the Yellow Jackets at home.

“Man, the quarterback’s looking like a Heisman candidate right now,” said Sanders.

Coach Prime says Georgia Tech QB Haynes King is looking like a Heisman candidate.

“We made that happen for him.”
— Scott Procter (@ScottProcter_) August 30, 2025

More high praise from one of the best to do it and a prominent coach in college football. The intriguing part is that King didn’t even have his best game. He can play a lot better and be even better in all facets of his game, which is a scary sight for defenses moving forward. King didn’t have his best passing performance as the offense only threw for 143 yards and an interception, which is very uncharacteristic of King.

Heavy praise from Deion Sanders

Earlier this week, Coach Prime had this to say about King ahead of the matchup.

“The kid is unbelievable. He doesn’t make many mistakes. He’s a winner. He’s a leader. Physical. Tough. Not too flashy, just makes the plays. This kid makes plays. That alarms you because, as long as the ball is in his hands, they have a chance,” said Sanders. “That team believes in him, and that's one thing you want your team to believe is in your quarterback from top to bottom. They believe in this young man, and we have to do everything we can with all hands on deck to prevent him from being successful. The kid is a dawg. He can play. I love it. He can play.”

It was a statement for King in Week 1 after running all over the Buffaloes' defense. If you combine his performance from last season against Georgia and the first game of this season, King has continued to create optimism around the Yellow Jackets program and the team in Atlanta. They have a chance to beat anybody on any given Saturday with King at the helm. In a few weeks, we will get an even clearer picture of the type of season the Yellow Jackets and King will have when they face Clemson. The Tigers have a defense that is filled with NFL talent on every level. They can rush the passer, stop the run, and match the physicality of the Yellow Jackets. It will be a great test to see if King can add another resume-defining win to his credit.

This article first appeared on Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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