Georgia Tech Football: PFF Ranks Jamal Haynes Among The Top Ten Running Backs For The 2025 Season

Haynes is returning to lead the Georgia Tech backfield for the third straight season

Nov 29, 2024; Athens, Georgia, USA; Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets running back Jamal Haynes (11) scores a touchdown past Georgia Bulldogs defensive back Dan Jackson (17) during the first half at Sanford Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Dale Zanine-Imagn Images / Dale Zanine-Imagn Images

Georgia Tech is bringing back a good group of starters from their 2024 team and one of them is running back Jamal Haynes. Haynes is back to lead the Yellow Jackets backfield for the third straight season and when healthy, he is among the most dynamic running backs in the conference and in the country. In a recent ranking of the top ten running backs for the 2025 season, PFF (Pro Football Focus) ranked Haynes at No. 8 and had this to say about the dynamic runner:

"Haynes has been one of the nation’s most productive backs over the past couple of seasons with the Yellow Jackets. His 2,005 rushing yards since 2023 rank first among returning Power Four backs, and his 1,145 yards after contact rank fourth.

Haynes also has 856 rushing yards before contact over the past two seasons, the most of any returning Power Four tailback. Since Georgia Tech has garnered average PFF run-blocking grades over the past two seasons, much of Haynes' production can be attributed to defenders struggling to even get a hand on him because of his fantastic quickness."

Topping this list was Notre Dame's Jeremiyah Love followed by Isaac Brown (Louisville), Nicholas Singleton (Penn State), Jonah Coleman (Washington), Makhi Hughes (Oregon), Kaytron Allen (Penn State), and Darius Taylor for Minnesota.

Haynes has a chance to have a special season and will be the unquestioned leader in what could end up being a deep Georgia Tech backfield.

Haynes has led the Yellow Jackets in rushing each of the last two seasons and he finished last season with 944 yards, despite being injured for some of the season. He has the talent to be one of if not the best running back in the ACC when healthy and Haynes can score from anywhere on the field. He is the No. 1 back heading into the spring.

Trelain Maddox, Anthony Carrie, and Chad Alexander are all back. Maddox showed some early promise but also dealt with injuries, the same as Alexander. Alexander had 280 yards and one touchdown last season and was the No. 2 running back in a lot of the Yellow Jackets games. Carrie had 25 carries for 120 yards. All three of these guys are going to compete for the backup role behind Haynes and all three will have a chance. You can never have too many running backs and Brent Key would love to have multiple guys in the backfield that he can rotate in.

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