Georgia Tech fans couldn't help but look forward to the NFL debut of Haynes King in Thursday night's Hall-of-Fame game. Despite being an undrafted rookie, King has undeniable talent that was highlighted on Thursday with an electric touchdown run to give the Panthers the preseason victory as the clock expired. It was a fitting moment for King, whose game was clearly focused on showing off his arm, only taking off on three rushes, with two of these coming in the final drive when the Panthers needed it most.
King finished 21/34 as a passer with 180 passing yards and a pair of touchdowns. It was a night that showed both extremes of the Tech product as a passer, with two truly great throws and a handful of plays where the quarterback didn't have the needed touch, throwing a fastball on a play that needed just a bit less.
Still, there is no denying what Georgia Tech fans are well aware of, and that is the fact that King is electric with his feet when the game matters most. The quarterback finished with 39 rushing yards and a game-winning touchdown on only three rushing attempts. King produced 31 of these yards on the game-winning drive, putting together two impressive runs when it seemed clear that the defense should understand exactly what was going to happen.
Georgia Tech's Haynes King Dazzles in Debut Highlighted by Walk-Off Touchdown
King is far from a finished product but has an undeniable trait of coming up big when the lights are brightest. This isn't to deny the vanilla defense he was facing, full of fringe roster players, but pointing out the performance that gives the quarterback a chance to make the roster and begin to generate a level of interest throughout the league.
Perhaps what was most surprising about the performance was King showing he has the ability to make every needed NFL throw. The arm is there with all of the needed velocity, the question now is simply whether or not coaching can help the rookie make quicker decisions and learn when to take a bit off the ball.
If this can be accomplished, there is no reason to believe King cannot find his way onto a roster and have a chance to play a meaningful role. Being so electric with the ball in his hands is a skill set that promises plenty of chances, and Thursday night was simply a sneak peek of what could be for the quarterback at the next level.
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