Haynes King was not drafted. The ACC Player of the Year at Georgia Tech, who transferred from Texas A&M after three seasons and led the Yellow Jackets in 2025, went undrafted in April and signed with the Carolina Panthers as an undrafted free agent.
Thursday night at Tom Benson Hall of Fame Stadium in Canton, Ohio, he put together the kind of performance that roster decisions get made on.
King took over from Kenny Pickett in the second quarter and never looked back, going 21 of 34 for 180 yards and two touchdowns while adding 39 yards on three carries.
He was sharper, more decisive and more confident than the QBs ahead of him on the depth chart from the moment he entered.
With 1:55 left and the Cardinals leading 30-27, he drove 65 yards in 16 plays and scored the winning touchdown, a 5-yard scramble where he dove and got the ball across the plane with no time remaining. Carolina 33, Arizona 30.
The other storyline of the night was supposed to be rookie first-round pick Carson Beck for Arizona, who was fine, completing 11 of 14 passes for 148 yards and a touchdown. But nobody talks about fine when there is electric in the same building.
King is third on the depth chart behind Bryce Young. He will not stay there if he keeps this up.