Clemson had one of the nation’s top running backs on campus earlier this week.
The Tigers are trying to pry away Roswell (Ga.) Blessed Trinity Catholic 4-star RB Justice Haynes from his native Georgia.
Haynes was on campus come June 1 with the dead period officially coming to a close.
“It was amazing, the facilities were top of the line,” Haynes told The Clemson Insider regarding his unofficial visit. “The people there are all genuine and nice. You can tell that they have a real good family environment over there and the coaches just express how much they want me and how important family is and their culture.”
“I went to a team meeting and saw what they were about. I spent the whole day down there and it was great.
Haynes is the No. 5 prospect from Georgia, No. 3 running back nationally and No. 64 overall prospect in the country for the 2023 class, according to 247Sports Composite.
Dabo Swinney expressed to Haynes how much he wants him in Clemson, but he hasn’t extended an official offer just yet.
“He’s gonna be pushing for me to come there,” Haynes said. “He was talking about how he can keep off the Bulldogs from getting me.”
Despite not currently holding an offer, Haynes expressed that he’s highly considering Clemson.
“I know Clemson does a different process,” he said. “They are slower with everything and they’re all about relationships. That’s a good thing.”
Haynes continues to build a relationship with Clemson running backs coach C.J. Spiller and the possibility of playing for one of the collegiate backs of his generation is tantalizing for the Class of ‘23 prospect.
“It would mean a lot,” Haynes said of potentially being coached by Spiller. “Everywhere I went, there was a picture of C.J. around Clemson. He’s probably the reason why Clemson is where it is right now. It would be remarkable to play for him. He’s going into the College Football Hall of Fame, which is remarkable. He’s a great guy, great person and just knows what he’s talking about. He wants to make you a better man, not just a better person on the field, but a better person off the field.”
When it comes time to make a decision, Haynes said that the most important factors will be the relationship he has with the coaches, the family environment in the locker room, academics and the overall success of the team.
Haynes currently holds a long list of Power 5 offers, which includes programs like Georgia, Alabama, Auburn, Florida, Miami, Michigan, Notre Dame, Ohio State, Oregon and Stanford.
Though, he’s still waiting on a Clemson offer.