Haynes, Rutledge lead Georgia Tech's Preseason All-ACC picks
Jackets’ RS-senior running back and senior OL earn recognition from preseason media voting
The Preseason All-ACC Football Team was released on Thursday afternoon with Georgia Tech having two players earning recognition.
The team, which was voted on by more than 180 media members at last weeks’ ACC Football Kickoff in Charlotte, featured Georgia Tech redshirt-senior running back Jamal Haynes and senior offensive guard Keylan Rutledge on the Preseason All-ACC Offense.
Also of note, Jackets redshirt-senior quarterback Haynes King finished second in voting for ACC Football Preseason Player of the Year behind Clemson quarterback Cade Klubnik. King received nine first-place votes. His teammate Jamal Haynes finished tied for 12th in the Preseason Player of the Year voting with one first-place vote.
Haynes heads into his final season on The Flats following a a 2024 season in which he totaled 1,110 scrimmage yards thanks to 944 rushing and 166 receiving to go along with 12 touchdowns (nine rushing, three receiving as he was named to the 2024 All-ACC Team. He is the first Georgia Tech running back since Jonathan Dwyer in 2008 and 2009 to rush for at least 900 yards in consecutive seasons.
Rutledge is coming off a stellar 2024 season as well as he was named First-Team All-ACC after starting 13 games at right guard in his first season at Tech after transferring from Middle Tennessee. He was also named First-Team All-American by Sports Info Solutions as he ranked in the top 10 offensive linemen in the country in several different categories, including top five in run-blocking. He was a part of a Jackets’ offensive line that ranked third nationally in fewest sacks allowed and second in the ACC in rushing offense.
King will head into his third season as Tech’s starting quarterback after transferring from Texas A&M and in the past two seasons he has racked up 4,956 passing yards, 6,280 total yards, 41 touchdown passes and 62 total touchdowns combined. Last season King threw for 2,114 yards on 196-of-269 passes (72.9 completion percentage) with 14 touchdowns and only two interceptions while adding 587 rushing yards on 125 attempts and 11 touchdowns despite missing time in the middle of the season due to an injury and being limited for multiple games after that.
Clemson led the Preseason All-ACC Team with 11 total selections, including Klubnik being named Preseason Player of the Year. Pittsburgh had three players selected, Georgia Tech, Duke, Louisville, SMU and Miami each had two and Florida State, NC State and Syracuse each had one.
Georgia Tech opens the 2025 season on Aug. 29 at Colorado with kickoff set for 8 p.m. Eastern. The game will be broadcast on ESPN.
