What UConn’s Jim Mora says OG Christian Haynes brings to Seahawks

Apr 29, 2024, 2:39 PM

Editor, Seattle Sports

The second selection the Seattle Seahawks made in the 2024 NFL Draft has an interesting connection to his new team.

Draft Reaction: Seahawks ‘taking care’ of trenches with Christian Haynes

The coach that offensive guard and third-round pick Christian Haynes played for in college at UConn is someone who is very familiar to both the city and the franchise: Jim Mora.

Not only was Mora the head coach of the Seahawks in 2009, but he spent the latter years of his youth in the Seattle area while his father was an assistant coach with the UW Huskies. After graduating from Interlake High School, Mora went on to play defensive back and linebacker at Washington before beginning his coaching career with the Huskies as a graduate assistant in 1984.

So when Mora found out Haynes had been drafted by the Seahawks, he was happy for multiple reasons.

“You know, I’m a Seattle guy, right? And I was so happy to see the Seahawks draft him because I know what he’s going to add not only to the Seahawks organization but the Seattle community,” Mora told Seattle Sports’ Bump and Stacy on Monday. “He’s as good a person as I’ve been around in 40 years of coaching. I’m just really excited for him. Really, as a Seahawks fan my whole life, I’m really excited for the Seahawks.”

Mora really emphasized the kind of person Haynes is while he talked to hosts Michael Bumpus (who was a Seahawks wide receiver when Mora was Seattle’s assistant head coach and defensive coordinator in 2008) and Stacy Rost.

“He’s high character, high quality, tremendous morals, has a great moral compass, high ethics,” Mora said. “He’s just a great kid. He’s very understated, he’s quiet, he’s serious, he’s very secure in himself. He just has tremendous leadership ability. He’s coachable.”

Alright, but what about Haynes on the field? Mora was asked what will be the first thing Seahawks fans will notice about Haynes.

“How tough he is,” Mora responded. “He’s consistent, but he’s just dog tough. Nothing rattles him. He’s going to fight through the end of every play. He’s going to play with great technique and great fundamentals and great effort, but… there’s an element of mental and physical toughness to him. You know, a nastiness that I think you have to have at that position in order to be successful in the National Football League.”

He's got your back.@C_Haynes70 | @QNTMFiber pic.twitter.com/xA7W8tMDUx

— Seattle Seahawks (@Seahawks) April 27, 2024

Listen to the full Bump and Stacy conversation with UConn head football coach Jim Mora in the podcast at this link or in the player near the top of this post. Bump and Stacy airs live from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. weekdays on Seattle Sports.