Justice Haynes #22 of the Michigan Wolverines (Photo by Mike Mulholland/Getty Images for ONIT)
Michigan Wolverines fans received a welcome Christmas gift in running back Justice Haynes. On Christmas Eve, Haynes—once rated the No. 1 running back in the nation by Rivals and originally committed to Alabama—officially ended his time in the transfer portal by pledging to the University of Michigan.
The Buford, Georgia, native is drawn to winning programs. He left Tuscaloosa, where Alabama built the most dominant dynasty in college football history under Nick Saban, and joined the winningest program in the sport’s history. Saban led Alabama to nine national championship appearances and six titles in a 15-year span.
Now at Michigan, the first college football program to reach 1,000 all-time wins, the 20-year-old junior is not only focused on making an impact on the field—he’s also laying the groundwork for his post-football career.
From Running Back to Businessman
Haynes recently took a partial ownership stake in Loom, a New Jersey-based juice company with a vegan, gluten-free formula that was named BevNET’s Best New Brand of 2024.
In the evolving world of name, image and likeness (NIL), Haynes is one of the first active college athletes to gain equity in a national brand.
“I think it’s a unique opportunity,” Haynes said in an exclusive interview with RG. “Most NIL deals, you might not ever work with them again, but when you’re behind the scenes learning how to build a business, you’re starting to build that portfolio right now.”
In 2005, Jay-Z famously said, “I’m not a businessman, I’m a business, man.” Haynes, who played in all 12 regular-season games for Alabama last year and started in half, embodies that ethos.
“I want to be an entrepreneur one day,” he said.
“It’s always great to start trying to figure out how I can maximize every aspect of my life.”
Eyes on the NFL and Beyond
The advent of NIL has been nothing short of revolutionary for revenue-generating collegiate sports. Haynes acknowledged both the positives and pitfalls.
“It has its good takeaways and bad takeaways,” he said. “It’s good we’re getting rewarded for the time and effort we put in. But it can also be a distraction. People might not keep the main thing, the main thing. And the main thing at the end of the day is to get developed on the football field and be the best person you can be.”
While Haynes is striving to become “the finished product,” he’s placing special focus on improving his pass protection—a skill he believes separates great backs from good ones.
“I feel like you can always improve on pass pro,” he said. “Most of us got to college because we were the best player on our high school team, running the ball. But pass pro—doing things without the ball—really showcases who you are. Whether it’s catching the ball out of the backfield, running routes, using your hands—it all matters.”
Last season, Haynes finished tied for second on the Crimson Tide in rushing touchdowns (seven), third in rushing yards (448 on 79 carries, a 5.7 average), and fourth in receptions (17).
Inspired by the Best
In 2024, Saquon Barkley of the Super Bowl champion Philadelphia Eagles set NFL records for rushing yards (2,504) and total scrimmage yards (2,857) in a single season, eclipsing Terrell Davis’ iconic 1998 campaign. The resurgence of elite running backs was also evident in the recent NFL Draft, where four backs were selected in the first 38 picks.
Several current NFL stars serve as inspiration for Haynes.
“I like a lot of what [Alvin] Kamara does,” he said. “Obviously what Saquon does. Jahmyr [Gibbs] is special. Bijan Robinson, too. I love how Christian McCaffrey is so technically sound. Everything he does is so technical. I love watching Christian play.”
And although their styles differ, comparisons to Derrick Henry are inevitable. Both Haynes and Henry were ranked as the No. 1 high school running backs in the country before choosing Alabama.
“King Henry’s a dawg,” Haynes said. “He’s one of a kind—physically gifted, blessed by God. He’s 6-foot-3, 240 pounds, running 4.4, maybe 4.3. He’s moving. At 31, to do what he just did—1,921 rushing yards, 5.9 yards per carry, 16 touchdowns—I don’t see him slowing down. When it’s all said and done, he’ll be one of the best of all time.”
Guided by Experience, Ready for the Spotlight
Reaching the NFL requires elite performance, and Haynes is utilizing every advantage—including the support of his father, Verron, a former Georgia and NFL running back.
Haynes is expected to be Michigan’s feature back this fall, following in the footsteps of program greats like Blake Corum, Tyrone Wheatley, Tim Biakabutuka, Ricky Powers and Anthony Thomas. But the job won’t be handed to him.
“At Michigan, we pride ourselves on stopping the run and running the football,” he said. “We’re all about that, all the time.”
The Wolverines won the national title in 2023 but slipped to 8-5 (5-4 Big Ten) last season. Haynes is determined to help bring the Maize and Blue back to the top.
Paul M. Banks
