Falcons Meet Speedy QB With Local Ties After Tua Tagovailoa Signing

The Atlanta Falcons have spent the early part of the offseason retooling their quarterback position. With Michael Penix Jr. expected to miss time after suffering a partially torn ACL in 2025, the team opted to move on from his backup, Kirk Cousins, and sign former Miami Dolphins starter Tua Tagovailoa in free agency.

Should Penix miss time to begin the year, Tagovailoa is expected to fill in during his absence for Atlanta. While the front office also signed Trevor Siemian in free agency, it sounds like the Falcons may not be done adding to the quarterback position, as reports have emerged indicating that they are taking a close look at Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets quarterback Haynes King ahead of the upcoming 2026 NFL Draft.

Haynes King Visits with Falcons Before 2026 NFL Draft

With three guys already on the depth chart, it may seem like the Falcons are well-stocked at the quarterback spot. You can never have enough protection at the most important position in the game of football, though, and having another developmental prospect working behind the scenes certainly couldn’t hurt, given all the question marks surrounding Penix.

King is an intriguing product with ties to the state of Georgia who could be a fit for the Falcons in the 2026 draft. A dual-threat quarterback who has a flair for ripping off big plays, King threw for 2,951 yards and 14 touchdowns for Georgia Tech last year. Beyond that, he also ran for 953 yards and 15 more scores, making him an intriguing prospect.

While he’s not exactly considered a top-tier prospect, King’s athletic upside has made him a player that teams are keeping tabs on. That includes the Falcons, as the team is set to host him for a visit later this week to determine whether he’d be a good fit with them in the 2026 campaign and beyond.

“Georgia Tech QB Haynes King has visits this week with the Panthers and Falcons, source says,” Ian Rapoport of NFL Network reported in a post on X. “Haynes started 23 games over the past two seasons, completed at least 69.8% of his passes.”

Should the Falcons Draft Haynes King?

GettyHaynes King of the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets participates in the 40-yard dash during the 2026 NFL Scouting Combine.

Most draft evaluators don’t believe King will be selected until the sixth or seventh round, and that’s if he even gets picked at all. King has a long way to go when it comes to his work as a passer, but his ability to still make plays on the ground with his legs makes him a prospect worth investing in. In the late rounds of the draft, teams are looking for traits that stand out, and King certainly has a few of those.

Given his upside, there’s certainly no risk in taking a flier on King late in the draft if he’s available when the Falcons are on the clock. He’s not a guy that the team is going to go out of its way to select, but if the board falls the right way for Atlanta, it wouldn’t be a surprise to see it keep King in the state of Georgia for the foreseeable future.

Owen Crisafulli Owen Crisafulli is an Email Newsletter Editor & Breaking News Writer at Heavy Sports. His work has also appeared on ClutchPoints, Sports Illustrated, The Sporting News, Athlon Sports, NESN Basketball Network, and FanSided, where he shared his insights on a variety of sports topics primarily surrounding the NFL, NBA, and MLB. More about Owen Crisafulli