Jarvis Green
CJ Spiller has hit on his top running back targets in the 2024 and 2025 classes, but before that, he had some missteps with the guys he wanted to bring in.
For the Class of 2023, Spiller looked towards two prospects later in the cycle when other options didn’t work out: Jay Haynes and Jarvis Green.
Haynes possesses elite speed, and he got a chance to display it in garbage time against Charleston Southern in 2023. Injuries derailed the rest of his season but those flashes have his name mentioned often as a player fans look forward to seeing in 2024.
Green, on the other hand, was mostly buried on the depth chart last season. That depth chart has had some departures for 2024, however.
Will Shipley has moved on to the NFL, and Domonique Thomas has transferred to Ole Miss after a brief stop at Georgia State. Phil Mafah is the undisputed No. 1 back, with Keith Adams, Jr. as his backup.
This increases the likelihood that both Haynes and Green will see more snaps at running back in 2024, but there’s more. Both players are also going to be options for special teams.
While Haynes will get his shot, Green holds one advantage: size. Last season, Haynes weighed in at 185. A lack of size might have contributed to his injury woes in 2023.
We will find out later in the summer if Haynes has added bulk at the 2024 Big Weigh-In once players start camp, but if not, Green could be more likely to make an impact simply because of availability.