Rival Views: Where should Haynes King fit in the rankings?
The Rivals national analyst team is currently debating the new class of 2020 rankings. One of the biggest talking points is where does four-star Texas A&M commitment Hayes King belong?
King surged up the rankings for dual-threat rankings after a big spring and summer, but he’s hit a few bumps along the road during an otherwise impressive senior campaign. At his best, he’s extremely impressive, but there are some reservations about just how high King belongs in the rankings picture.
In this edition of Rival Views, Texas/Louisiana Recruiting Analyst Sam Spiegelman and National Recruiting Analyst Mike Farrell debate where King should fit into the national rankings.
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FARRELL'S VIEW
King is a boom-or-bust kid at quarterback. I like his athleticism and his ability to extend the play and run with the ball, but his downfield vision and accuracy is a bit erratic. He can look great as he did recently or he can look awful as he did during his nationally televised game.
He's a rhythm quarterback who can tear you apart when he's on a roll or can really struggle if you get to him early. He's a four-star for us, but maybe not as highly-ranked as he is elsewhere because of this. So he'll either live up to his ranking or fall well short. The good part is that he could switch positions if needed because he's a great athlete.
SPIEGELMAN'S VIEW
Having watched King twice this season, once in the beginning of the regular season and then again in the bi-district round of the playoffs, it’s easy to understand why one could have different feels on where King belongs.
First off, there is no question that King possesses great physical traits. He runs a sub-4.5 40 and has a big arm to sling it downfield. The question is consistency. He makes “wow” throws that are outstanding and then there are times he tries to squeeze throws into a crowd.
Still, it needs to be mentioned that King has poise and is a determined winner. He led Longview to a Class 6A state championship a year ago and might repeat in 2019. He’s focused, he’s a winner and he has the track record and skill-set to match. He operates a pro-style offense and has cruised past elite competition. At times, King makes it look easy.
Based on the physical traits, Jimbo Fisher could help mold King into a star. He’ll have a better surrounding cast at Texas A&M and it wouldn’t be surprising to see his best football ahead of him.