Christian Haynes scouting report: Exploring the UConn interior offensive lineman’s strengths and weaknesses

Despite being a zero-star recruit in 2018, Christian Haynes managed to play in two games during his first year with the Huskies, earning a redshirt. The following season, he proved his worth by starting 12 games at right guard. Even though the 2020 season was canceled due to COVID-19, Haynes maintained his position for all 37 games over the next three years. His hard work and dedication paid off as he was recently named a third-team All-American.

Scouting Report: Christian Haynes

Offensive Line Run Blocking:

• Built like Blastoise from Pokemon and frequently can up defensive linemen in the run game
• Capable of really getting the train rolling, as he gets underneath the arm-pit of nose-tackles on zone combos with the center
• Regularly can scoop- or reach-block defender in the next-closest gap on wide zone and get his hips around to force them to go through him
• Showcases the dexterity in his lower half to re-establish leverage, lift and wall off defenders
• Is actively looking for work when he can’t attach to somebody on lateral concepts and delivers some knock-downs on moving targets
• You see him explode out of his stance and pump those arms hard pulling out to the corner, looking to take out smaller defenders
• Consistently can bring his hips through contact against moving targets on the second level and alter their momentum to ride them out of the action
• His 16 big-time blocks (PFF’s highest-graded blocks) led all FBS guards in 2022 and he earned PFF run-blocking grades above 80 each of the past two seasons

Pass-Blocking Techniques:

• Quick to land his hands and take charge of pass-pro reps typically
• When he attaches those mitts to the numbers of his man, they don’t usually come off anymore, showing the anchor ability to maintain the integrity of the pocket
• His agility to slide his feet and cut off cross-face moves is uncommon for a man as powerful as Haynes
• Uses his hands pro-actively to re-gain control of reps where the defender lands first meaningful contact to swat down their arms and then takes advantage of them losing control, by burying them underneath himself
• Makes sure to gain ground vertically and manages that space between the tackle and center very well when he’s unoccupied
• Even when he seems out of position to take over the secondary looper on twists, Haynes can flip and ride guys just enough so they don’t affect his quarterback
• Effectively covers up bodies on play-action, particularly forcing them to flow along off bootlegs
• Earned the highest PFF pass-blocking grade among guards (second in terms of IOL) in 2022 (91.0), not allowing any sacks and just three(!) total pressures over 348 snaps in the passing game – one sack and ten other pressures on 438 such snaps in ‘23

Potential Limitations:

• Allows D-linemen to “win the gap” early too often and allows penetration in the run game, in part because he doesn’t connect his play-side hand to the opposite pec regularly
• Limits his ability to lock up interior rushers because of how wide he starts with his arms, which becomes an issue against guys who have a two-way go
• Doesn’t show the mental fortitude to anticipate and quickly transition on twists yet
• Can’t be as obvious with some of his “take-down moves” – was penalized nine times in 2022, four times last year
• Never played a single snap anywhere but right guard with the Huskies, even though he did slide into center a few times during Senior Bowl week

In terms of smaller school prospects, I have the same level of confidence in projecting Haynes to the next level as I do with any other. Although UConn did not utilize many gap schemes, Haynes has demonstrated his ability to disrupt defensive linemen’s positioning on down blocks and can easily adapt to a team that heavily employs zone schemes.

After witnessing him shut down Power Five players during Senior Bowl week, my concerns about the level of competition he faced in college have lessened. He possesses the strength and size to dominate in the run game and is one of the strongest players from his college class. I would not hesitate to select him in the second round.

Round: Second grade