Haynes King ranked as one of college football's five best transfers in 2023

King has had a terrific season for Georgia Tech in 2023

Author:
Jackson Caudell
Publish date:
Sep 28, 2023 5:12 PM EDT

In this story:

We are only a third of the way through the season, but it is hard to deny the impact that Texas A&M transfer quarterback Haynes King has had on Georgia Tech.

King won the starting job in fall camp and has not looked back since. Through four games at Georgia Tech, King has completed 84-of-129 (65.1 percent) passes for 1,132 yards (283.0 ypg) and 11 touchdowns. King's 1,132 passing yards and 11 touchdowns are the most-ever by a Yellow Jacket through the first four games of a season, topping Joe Hamilton's 1,074 yards and 10 touchdown passes through four contests in 1999 when he went on to finish second in voting for the Heisman Trophy.

King's 11 touchdown passes over the last four games are the most by a Yellow Jacket in any four-game span since Hamilton combined to throw 11 TDs against NC State (3), Virginia (2), Clemson (5) and Wake Forest (1) from Oct. 30-Nov. 20, 1999.

It is safe to say that King has had a great season and in the latest transfer rankings from On3 Sports College Football analyst Jesse Simonton, King ranked as one of the five best transfers of the 2023 season.

Haynes King, Weston Franklin, Connor Scaglione — Haynes King has had a tremendous start to the season for Georgia Tech
Nathaniel Caudell

Here is what Simonton had to say about King's performance this season:

"The former Texas A&M starter is finally living up to his recruiting billing — just at a new home in Atlanta. King went on the road to Wake Forest and led the Yellow Jackets to an emphatic 30-16 upset win with 275 total yards and two touchdowns.

He ranks No. 2 in the ACC this year in passing behind only Drake Maye, and is tied with Tyler Van Dyke for the league-lead in touchdowns (11)."

King ranks behind Florida State wide receiver Keon Coleman, Colorado quarterback Shedeur Sanders, Notre Dame quarterback Sam Hartman, and Louisville transfer Jamari Thrash.

This week, 247Sports analyst Grant Hughes was re-ranking every quarterback in the ACC and he made sure to put King in the top five. Here is what Huges had to say about the way that King has played so far in 2023:

"Projected to finish at or near the bottom of the conference this season, Georgia Tech sits 2-2 after a big win over Wake Forest this week. The Yellow Jackets lost a lot on offense this offseason but gained King via the transfer portal, and he's made a huge difference. He ranks second in the conference with 1,132 passing yards and is tied for first in passing touchdowns (11). He's completed passes to 14 different receivers this season, proving he can spread the ball around, too."

Here is how Hughes ranked the rest of the quarterbacks:

1. Jordan Travis (Florida State)

2. Drake Maye (North Carolina)

3. Tyler Van Dyke (Miami)

4. Riley Leonard (Duke)

5. Haynes King (GT)

6. Jack Plummer (Louisville)

7. Cade Klubnik (Clemson)

8. Garrett Shrader (Syracuse)

9. Thomas Castellanos (Boston College)

10. Brennan Armstrong (NC State)

11. Mitch Griffis (Wake Forest)