There’s never a sexy time to pick a guard, but the Seahawks needed one about as badly as any team in the sport. They finally checked the box with their pick in the third round of the draft, selecting UConn’s Christian Haynes at No. 81 overall.
Haynes brings experience, consistency and solid athleticism. At the Scouting Combine, he checked in at 6-foot-3, 317 pounds with 33.5″ arms and 9″ hands. He ran a 5.03 forty-yard dash, posted a 33″ vertical and 25 bench press reps.
Here’s what Lance Zierlein had to say about his game at NFL.com:
“Haynes plays with football intelligence and sees every snap as a mandate to move opponents and finish blocks. 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.”
Haynes earned strong grades in both pass blocking (82.5) and run blocking (80.1) this past season. He should be starting at right guard for the Seahawks come Week 1, assuming he can beat out Anthony Bradford and any other challengers for that spot on the depth chart.
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Every pick made in Round 1 of the 2024 NFL draft
