New List Ranks Two Yellow Jackets Among The Top 150 Players in College Football

Georgia Tech wrapped up spring practice last week and while the transfer portal is going on right now, the Yellow Jackets are headed toward what they hope is a special season. This team is bringing back not one, but two good quarterbacks, one of the ACC's best running backs, experience on the offensive line, and experience at linebacker and in the secondary. If the Yellow Jackets get guys to step up at wide receiver and on the defensive line, this team could be a sneaky contender in the ACC.

Speaking of Georgia Tech's quarterback and running back, both Haynes King and Jamal Haynes made the recent list from CBS Sports analyst Blake Brockermeyer that ranked the top 150 college football players for the 2025 season. Haynes King ranked at No. 56 and Jamal Haynes ranked No. 127:

56. Haynes King | QB | Georgia Tech

"Gritty dual-threat who battled through injuries late in the year. Completed 72% with 11 TDs and just 1 INT, while rushing for 578 yards and 11 more scores. Drives defenses crazy with his legs — always seems to move the chains."

127. Jamal Haynes | RB | Georgia Tech

"Explosive all-purpose back with 944 rushing yards, 12 TDs and 28 catches. Averaged 5.6 YPC with 24 explosive runs. Shifty, powerful and fast with the ability to slash through holes and hit the second level. Expect increased touches in 2025."

If Jamal Haynes is healthy this season, an All-ACC season might be on the way for him and this offense. He is one of the most explosive backs in the country and is also a threat to catch the ball out of the backfield. He is one of the quickest backs in the country as well and is dangerous when he is able to put his foot in the ground and make one cut up-field and running away from the defense.

During spring practice, running backs coach Norval Mackenzie talked a lot about how he wanted to keep Haynes fresh and what he wants to see from him this season:

" So, you know, injuries is part of the game, so you never could control that. And like you mentioned, he was hurt from day one, and we tried to manage it all season. I think how we manage it this year is by having a collective group of guys that we have and maybe not take away from Jamal, but he probably played too many snaps last year. He didn't even play as many snaps as he did in some games. But that was a comfort level, just because the talent I feel like he is. Moving forward, we got a group of guys who are competing right now to kind of get in the mix and be a part of what we want to have this fall. And so I think how I manage him is by bringing other guys along where we can have a couple, one, two, one, two, three punches, sort of speak, as we progress. All right, so in terms of his transition You know, I felt like he did a really good job transitioning to, from wire receiver to running back. I think he's better now as a running back in terms of understanding where he fits in protection. He's always been a good statured kid, so he does a great job running behind his pads, really good in space, which he was able to be at the wide receiver position. So I think the combination of him being an unbelievable receiver, mixed with the running back now, I mean he's a guy who can be at every down back for us and creating mismatches in the past game as well as the run game."