The Wolverine: Covering University of Michigan Football and Sports
Issue link: https://comanpub.uberflip.com/i/1536962
R U N N I N G B A C K S THE WOLVERINE 2025 FOOTBALL PREVIEW ■ 55 BRYSON KUZDZAL • RB Jr. • Ada, Mich. Ht.: 5-11 • Wt.: 198 • Former walk-on was the top rusher in the 2025 spring game with 14 carries for 105 yards for the Maize squad. • Earned a scholarship after the 2024 season. Appeared in six games on special teams in 2024, making 2 tackles. • Did not see game action in 2023. • Attended Forest Hills Eastern High, rushing for 2,553 yards and 38 touchdowns during his junior and senior seasons. • Also competed in basketball and was part of a state-runner-up Michigan Division 2 track and field team. • Named all-state by The Detroit News after his senior season. JORDAN MARSHALL • RB So. • West Chester, Ohio Ht.: 5-11 • Wt.: 210 • Appeared in five games in 2024 with three appear- ances at running back with one start, and rushed for 120 yards on 31 carries. • Also returned 9 kickoffs for 225 yards; had a career-best 100 yards on 4 kick returns vs. Indiana, including a 37-yarder. • Started in the postseason versus Alabama, rushing 23 times for 100 yards, forcing 12 missed tackles and winning ReliaQuest Bowl MVP honors. • Named U-M Athletic Department New- comer of the Year (2024-25). • Totaled 6,196 all-purpose yards in his prep career, including a Cincinnati Archbishop Moeller program-record 4,787 rushing yards with 80 touchdowns (15 receiving). • Tallied 1,554 rushing yards and 21 total touchdowns as a senior in 2023, after rushing for 1,961 yards and 30 scores as a junior. • Named the 2023 Ohio Mr. Football, the first Wolverine to take that honor since Charles Woodson in 1994. • U-M's highest-rated 2023 signee, slotting as the 87th overall player in the country, the fourth-best running back and the No. 3 player in Ohio, according to the On3 Indus- try Ranking. Year GP/GS Att. Yds. Avg. TD 2024 5/0 31 120 3.9 0 NEWCOMERS JUSTICE HAYNES • RB Jr. • Buford, Ga. Ht.: 5-11 • Wt.: 205 • Transferred from Alabama in December 2024. • Rated as the No. 3 RB and No. 43 overall player in On3 Transfer Por- tal Ranking. • Appeared in 25 games (18 at running back) with six starts in Tuscaloosa, rush- ing 104 times for 616 yards and 9 TDs, also caught 17 passes for 99 yards. • Played in 12 contests with six starts in 2024 with 79 carries for 448 yards and 7 touch- downs with 17 catches for 99 yards. • Made 13 appearances in 2023, carrying the ball 25 times for 168 yards and 2 touch- downs. • Had 4 carries for 31 yards against Michigan in the Rose Bowl/CFP semifinal. • Attended Buford (Ga.) High, where he also was a pitcher on the baseball team. • Rushed for 7,534 career yards with 95 rush- ing touchdowns, averaging 8.3 yards per carry on 909 attempts, adding 28 catches for 499 yards and 5 touchdowns. • Rated as the No. 33 overall player and No. 2 running back in the country, and the No. 2 player in Georgia in the 2023 class, per the On3 Industry Ranking. Year GP/GS Att. Yds. Avg. TD 2023* 13/0 25 168 6.7 2 2024* 12/6 79 448 5.7 7 Total 25/6 104 616 5.9 9 * at Alabama CJ HESTER • RB Jr. • Cincinnati Ht.: 5-11 • Wt.: 195 • Transferred from UMass to U-M in April 2025. • Appeared in 11 games last season, rushing 119 times for 529 yards with 4 touchdowns, added 14 catches for 58 yards. • Ran 15 times for 74 yards and a touchdown in loss to Georgia on Nov. 23. • Spent freshman season at Western Mich- igan with 29 rushes for 124 yards and 2 touchdowns, and 1 catch for 2 yards. • Attended Wyoming High in Ohio. • Finalist for Ohio Mr. Football Award (2022). • Ohio Prep Sports Writers Association Divi- sion IV Offensive Player of the Year in 2022. • Ranked as the No. 114 running back and No. 53 player in Ohio in 2023 class, per On3 Industry Ranking. Year GP/GS Att. Yds. Avg. TD 2023* 8/0 29 124 4.3 2 2024** 11/0 119 529 4.4 4 Total 19/0 148 653 4.4 6 * at Western Michigan; ** at UMass JOHN VOLKER • RB Gr. • Fair Haven, N.J. Ht.: 6-0 • Wt.: 215 • A graduate transfer from Princeton. • Appeared in 29 career games, rushing 244 times for 1,175 yards and 17 total TDs. • Led Tigers in rushing in 2024 with 514 yards and 6 touchdowns on 89 rushes, along with 10 catches for 75 yards. • All-Ivy League honorable mention in 2024. • Redshirted in 2022. • Attended Rumson-Fair Haven High, earning all-state honors in 2020. • Brother, Charlie, is currently on the U.S. Bobsled Team. Year GP/GS Att. Yds. Avg. TD 2021* 8/0 35 127 3.6 2 2022* 4/0 28 96 3.4 2 2023* 8/0 92 438 4.8 7 2024* 9/0 89 514 5.8 6 Total 29/0 244 1,175 4.8 17 * at Princeton DONOVAN JOHNSON • RB Fr. • Savannah, Ga. Ht.: 6-0 • Wt.: 213 • Attended IMG Academy for his final three seasons. • Ran for 463 yards on 74 car- ries with 7 touchdowns in IMG career (14 games); missed his entire junior year in 2023 due to knee injury. • Also ran track and field (sprints) at IMG. • Rushed for 1,336 yards on 170 carries with 10 touchdowns in freshman year at Savan- nah Calvary Day. • Father, Derrick, played quarterback at The Citadel (1994-95). • No. 44 running back overall and No. 67 player in Florida, per the On3 Industry Ranking. JASPER PARKER • RB Fr. • Marrero, La. Ht.: 6-0 • Wt.: 211 • Attended Archbishop Shaw High for junior and senior seasons, the same school that produced U-M wide re- ceivers coach Ron Bellamy. • Racked up 1,612 all-purpose yards with 22 touchdowns his senior season, rushing for 1,464 yards with 148 receiving yards. • Set a school single-game record with 326 rushing yards on 35 carries. • Rushed for 1,119 yards and 16 TDs in 2023, along with 11 catches for 146 yards and a touchdown. • Two-time All-District honoree (2023-24). • 2024 Class 4A District 9 Offensive MVP. • 2025's No. 285 overall prospect and No. 20 running back in the country, and No. 11 player in Louisiana, per On3 Industry Ranking.