Elite 2023 running back loves Clemson's atmosphere

Haynes visited Clemson earlier this month.

by Jake Pierce - Recruiting Reporter - Sun Jun 27 08:00:06 GMT-04:00 2021

The Clemson staff has been patient with their offers in the 2023 class, and one of the top running backs in the country has been patiently awaiting the offer that he finally picked up from the Tigers.

Justice Haynes visited Clemson on June 1st, and the 4-star picked up the Clemson offer on Thursday during a FaceTime call with running backs coach CJ Spiller. The 5-10, 185-pound back from Roswell (GA) Blessed Trinity Catholic is currently listed as the No. 64 player overall and the No. 3 running back in the 247Sports Composite rankings for the ’23 class.

Haynes has been in contact with Clemson since October and has built a strong relationship with Spiller during that time. Although Spiller has been the main point of contact during Haynes’ recruitment, the entire offensive staff has been involved with the 4-star back.

“Me and Coach Spiller have built a really strong relationship over the past month. So I FaceTimed him and he extended the offer,” Haynes told TigerNet of the offer. “One thing that he told me was that patience is something they teach you in the Bible. I’ve been talking to Clemson since October, so to finally get that offer meant a lot. Coach Spiller told me that I’m his guy that he wants in this class. They are all about family over there. Coach (Tony) Elliott is still heavily involved in everything, and everything they do is cohesive. They do it all together. I’ve been on calls with the whole offensive staff. When I was there, I met with Coach Elliott and all of the other coaches too, not just Coach Spiller. They are all about doing things together and they all have to sign off on it.”

Haynes’ visit to Clemson came on the first day of on-campus recruiting resuming, and Haynes left impressed with the overall atmosphere of the Clemson program.

“It’s a family atmosphere and it’s just the culture around there,” Haynes said of what stood out from the Clemson visit. “They do things differently. The people were great and the facilities were off-the-chart. Everything was amazing and I loved it there. They love that I’m great in the classroom. And on the field speaks for itself is what they say. They like how I carry myself off the field because they know players can play. For them, it’s about their character, their grades, and what they are all about.”

Haynes has over 20 offers, with Clemson joining in now with teams like Georgia, Ohio State, and Alabama. Haynes plans on taking his recruitment slow, and the overall culture of the school will be a big factor for Haynes in his recruitment.

“The culture and how the coaches are going to make me a better player. I know they are going to make me a better player on the field, but also if they are going to prepare me for life and make me a better man,” Haynes said of what he is looking for in a school. “And the locker room environment and the people around the program. Not just the football staff, but the people all around the campus. Also, the academics and the coaching staff.”

Travis Etienne left Clemson with his name all over the record books on his way to being selected in the first round of the 2021 NFL Draft. Clemson found multiple ways to utilize Etienne, and Haynes brings the same kind of versatility to the running back position.

“I love how they spread their running back out and not just pound it inside all of the time,” he said. “They can go outside, and they also run routes and catch balls. I can do it all. I can block, I can run between the tackles, and I can outrun you. I can run routes and I can go catch the ball. I can do whatever the team needs me to do.”

Haynes plans on coming to Clemson for a game this season and hopes to be in attendance for the Clemson-Georgia season opener. Haynes said that he has built a good relationship with every coach that he has talked to, and there are a few schools that he has kept in contact with on a weekly basis that he has built a really strong relationship with.

Over the course of nine games during his sophomore season, Haynes finished with 175 carries for 1,790 yards and 25 rushing touchdowns. Along with being a star on the football field, Haynes is a 4.0 student and a top-ranked national player on the baseball field as a pitcher and outfielder.