BOOOOOOM! #Michigan has reportedly landed a huge commitment out of the transfer portal from former Alabama running back Justice Haynes! The former five-star high school prospect joins a backfield with tons of talent in Ann Arbor:
Tony Alford just landed a really, really good player in the transfer portal in former Alabama running back Justice Haynes, who reportedly committed to the Michigan Wolverines on Christmas Eve.
Alabama running back transfer Justice Haynes, the No. 1 ranked RB in the portal, is currently expected to transfer to Michigan, sources tell @CBSSports /@247Sports .
The Class of 2023 five-star recruit ran for 448 yards and seven TDs this season at Bama.https://t.co/MXGso3FiBH pic.twitter.com/YJrCANMJ5c
— Matt Zenitz (@mzenitz) December 24, 2024
The 5-foot-11, 200-pound Buford, Georgia native was a five-star recruit coming out of high school and was the No. 24 overall player in the 2023 class, according to 247Sports’ composite. He signed with Alabama after racking up offers from all over the country.
That included an offer from Ohio State when Alford was the running backs coach in Columbus. There’s no doubt the previous relationship played a role in Michigan having a shot with him this time around.
But the Buckeyes — even without Alford — made a run at Haynes, as Michigan and Ohio State were two of the reported schools going for him in the portal, along with Ole Miss and South Carolina. Getting him to commit to Michigan is a huge win for Alford, who continues to be a major asset for the Wolverines on the field and on the recruiting trail.
Haynes played a backup role as a true freshman in 2023, but was a regular part of the Tide’s running back rotation this fall with fellow running back Jam Miller. In 12 games this season, Haynes racked up 448 rushing yards and seven touchdowns on 79 carries, while also recording 17 receptions for 99 yards. He had a four-game stretch in the middle of the season where he had one touchdown per game, and scored one touchdown in each of Alabama’s final two games.
Now with Haynes in the fold, the Wolverines have a really nice stable of running backs heading into the offseason. He will join Jordan Marshall, Ben Hall and Micah Ka’apana as Michigan’s go-to running backs in 2025. Michigan is also bringing in true freshmen Donovan Johnson and Jasper Parker.
We’ve seen at Michigan in recent years how important it is to have depth at the running back position, so to get Haynes onboard is a huge development for Team 146 and beyond.
Michigan is now up to eight portal commitments with the addition of Haynes, who joins Fresno State quarterback Mikey Keene, Indiana wide receiver Donaven McCulley, Cal Poly offensive lineman Brady Norton, Alabama defensive tackle Damon Payne Jr., Georgia linebacker Troy Bowles, and Arkansas defensive backs TJ and Tevis Metcalf.
For all the latest Michigan news, click here to head to our transfer portal tracker.