Haynes Enters Redshirt Freshman Season with Georgia Tech Football Team

Evan Haynes enters his second season with the Georgia Tech football program this fall.

The redshirt wide receiver is looking to make his collegiate debut at the NCAA Division I university located in downtown Atlanta. The Yellow Jackets open the season against the University of Colorado at home on Sept. 3.

“It’s been good here, school and football wise,” said Haynes, who transferred to Tech after a semester at the University of North Carolina in the spring of 2025. “After I went to North Carolina [after graduating from FCS early], the school had a coaching change. Georgia Tech was always my No. 2 school coming out of high school. So, I was really excited when they called.”

Haynes was reunited with former Fellowship head coach Tim McFarlin, who enters his third season as Georgia Tech’s director of high school relations in Atlanta.

“It’s been good to be here with him,” Haynes said. “I see him a lot. He’s not coaching, but I talk to him all the time. He loves his role in recruiting.”

Yellow Jackets sophomore offensive lineman Josh Petty was Haynes’ teammate at Fellowship during the 2025 season.

“He is a long-time friend of mine,” Haynes said. “We played football together since the fifth grade. It’s great to have a familiar face at practice, someone who knows me.”

Haynes did not play as a freshman for the Yellow Jackets, who went 9-4 overall, including a 6-2 mark in ACC contests in 2025.

Haynes, a business administration major with concentration in IT management, has adjusted to life at Tech in the classroom and on the football field.

“It is a lot of hard work,” he said. “The amount of work, workouts, practices are a big commitment. You have to learn to balance your schedule. The speed of the game is a lot different from high school. At the end of the day, you get used to it quickly.”

Haynes played three sports – football, lacrosse and basketball – and also ran track for the Paladins during his four-year athletic career at Fellowship. A four-year letter winner at FCS, Haynes played wide receiver, safety and punter and earned First Team All-State honors.

During his career, he played for two head coaches with the Paladin football team. His father, former NFL wide receiver Michael Haynes, enters his fifth season with the FCS program as an assistant coach.

“He has definitely had a big impact on my career,” Haynes said of playing for his father. “He has shown me all the little things to make me a better football player. His tips and tricks have helped me learn the playbook quicker. Going into college, I knew I was ahead. Playing at Fellowship for great coaches gave me a strong foundation. Both head coaches got me ready. I knew the level of talent it took to play college football. They prepared me every day at practice. Honestly the harder the practices, the better I got.”

(Photos courtesy of Ramblinwreck.com)