Justice Haynes
Georgia Tech#144 overallDraft Movement
Down 54 spots since Jun 8
Scouting Report
Justice Haynes is a compact, explosive downhill runner and one of the most intriguing transfer journeys in recent college football history. The son of former Pittsburgh Steelers running back Verron Haynes, he arrived in college football as a 5-star recruit and one of the top running backs nationally in the 2023 class out of Buford High School in Georgia, where he amassed 7,574 career rushing yards and 95 touchdowns. After two seasons at Alabama in a crowded backfield, Haynes transferred to Michigan for the 2025 season and immediately became one of the most productive backs in the country, leading the Big Ten in rushing yards and recording six 100-yard games, the most in the FBS, before a foot injury requiring surgery cut his season short. In seven games at Michigan he piled up 857 rushing yards and 10 touchdowns at approximately 7.1 yards per carry, adding 43 missed tackles forced and 3.58 yards after contact per attempt. Scouts describe him as a player who runs with aggression and power, powers through arm tackles at the first and second levels, and limits the strike zone with excellent pad level. He is seen as a safe bet to test sub-4.45 in the 40-yard dash, with praise for his ability to manipulate linebackers and turn between-the-tackle runs into house calls, along with adequate fundamentals and excellent urgency to get downhill. His biggest limiting factor is a one-dimensional profile: he does not run a robust route tree, is only an underneath receiving option, and his pass protection remains inconsistent, which multiple scouts cited as the primary obstacle to a broader NFL role. After the foot surgery and a decision not to enter the 2026 NFL Draft, Haynes transferred again to Georgia Tech for the 2026 season ahead of the 2027 draft, where he projects as a day-two to day-three candidate with significant upside if he develops as a receiver. Consensus pegs him as roughly a fourth-round pick, though a strong 2026 season at Georgia Tech and a clean pre-draft proces
Strengths
- Top-end breakaway speed that is rarely caught from behind in open space
- posted five-plus runs of 50 or more yards in six games at Michigan in 2025
- compact, dense 5-foot-11 frame generates elite contact balance through traffic, routinely shedding arm tackles and maintaining momentum at the second level
- decisive one-cut running style with natural vision to identify cutback lanes and hit them with immediate acceleration
- keeps pad level low to limit strike zone and maximize force on contact points
- 43 missed tackles forced and 3.58 yards after contact per attempt in 2025 show above-average finish through contact
- high-caliber pedigree as a 5-star recruit with 7,574 high school rushing yards and 95 touchdowns displays durability and elite historical production
- showed second-gear acceleration on an 85-yard touchdown run at Alabama against Western Kentucky
Weaknesses
- Limited route tree as a receiver
- functions primarily on check-downs and shallow routes rather than as a downfield target, restricting third-down value
- pass protection technique is inconsistent and developing, tending to lunge rather than establish base against power rushers
- physical, downhill running style with multiple injuries in 2025 alone raises durability concerns over a full NFL season
- lateral agility is average and he lacks the creativity to make the wrong things right in tight quarters
- limited collegiate volume of roughly 225 career carries through 2025 leaves questions about handling a feature workload against top competition
- not a pile-moving short-yardage back despite decent lower-body strength
- two-transfer journey (Alabama to Michigan to Georgia Tech) means evaluators have limited continuous film in a single offensive system
NFL Comparison
Chase Brown - similar compact frame, home-run speed, early-down profile that must develop in the passing game to earn a full-time role; Darrell Henderson - shared explosive one-cut burst and big-play potential in a smaller package with receiving limitations
College Stats
2023 Alabama: 25 car, 168 yds, 6.7 YPC, 2 rush TD (13 games); 2024 Alabama: 79 car, 448 yds, 5.7 YPC, 7 rush TD, 17 rec, 99 rec yds; 2025 Michigan (injury-shortened, ~7 games): 857 rush yds, 10 rush TD, ~7.1 YPC, 9 rec, six 100-yard games (led FBS); Career totals through 2025: ~225 car, ~1,473 rush yds, ~19 rush TD, 30 rec, 149 rec yds
College Market Value
Our model prices him at $1.44M on the open college market, built from production, pedigree, role and Georgia Tech's program money. No credible deal has been reported for him this season.
The college fantasy model projects 16.9 PPG (RB11), after 21.7 PPG across 7 games last year.
Portal: transferred from Michigan to Georgia Tech for 2026.
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Measurables
Awards & Honors
5-star recruit and one of the top running backs nationally in the 2023 class; Invited to All-American Bowl (high school); Led Big Ten in rushing yards entering Week 6 of 2025 season; Third-team All-Big Ten (2025); Maxwell Award Watch List (2025 preseason); Six 100-yard rushing games in 2025, most in the FBS