‘I know where I want to be’: Inside the rise of Rolesville football’s Zavion Griffin-Haynes

It’s no secret athletes embellish their listed height by an inch or two, but Rolesville High’s Zavion Griffin-Haynes towers over the line of scrimmage when he takes his stance as a stand-up defensive end.

There is no doubting his 6-foot-6 height. If anything, the imposing 230-pound junior who committed on Sept. 8 to North Carolina appears taller.

“He’s been 6-6 since he was 15 years old,” Rolesville coach Ranier Rackley said. “One thing I’ve always told him is, ‘You pass the eyeball test. You’re 6-6. People drool over you. But you can’t just look good to play good football.’”

Sure enough, Griffin-Haynes “looked good” to earn his first scholarship offer before he played a varsity down. He and his brother Jayden Griffin-Haynes, a 6-3, 185-pounder in the same junior class as a Rams receiver and linebacker, attended a Miami of Ohio camp the summer after their 2022 freshmen JV season.

Miami’s coaches offered Zavion on August 23, 2023 as his first varsity season as a sophomore began. Miami offered Jayden on February 2, 2024 after his sophomore varsity season. Troy and North Carolina also have both offered the siblings.

Although Zavion’s recruiting-circles reputation continued to grow after his 2023 varsity season as a sophomore starter, he wasn’t satisfied. He recognized coming out of games on short-yardage situations was labeling him one-dimensional. He wants to stay on field for the gritty short-yardage plays.

“I wasn’t impressed with my sophomore year,” Griffin-Haynes said. “I knew I had to step up my game. I want it for myself. I know where I want to be in life.”

That’s when Rackley’s potential vs. results message sunk in.

In Griffin-Haynes’ mind, the light bulb moment came as a result of intertwined goals. A football scholarship pays for a college. A college education provides direction to start a sports clothing business he desires.

“My freshman year I worked on some clothes — shirts and sweatshirts — for about two or three months,” he said. “But then I realized I need to stay focused on education. I want to be able to provide for my family.”

And then he repeated words that sound like his mantra: “I know where I want to be in life.”

The stepped-up play has kept Griffin-Haynes on the field rushing the quarterback and getting down in the trenches.

“He has been putting his head down and going to work,” Rackley said. “He’s more aggressive.”

College football takes notice

Griffin-Haynes is rated a consensus 4-star prospect as an edge rusher by On3, 247Sports, ESPN and Rivals. On3 ranks him the highest of the outlets as the No. 76 player in the nation, No. 7 edge rusher in the nation and No. 7 player in North Carolina.

In addition to his UNC commitment, ACC schools offering include Duke, NC State, Miami, Florida State and Virginia Tech.

SEC schools jumping on board include Georgia, Auburn, Mississippi, Missouri, Oklahoma, South Carolina and Tennessee. The Big Ten suitors are Ohio State, Michigan, Penn State, Michigan State, Illinois, Purdue and UCLA.

Although Griffin-Haynes committed early to the Tar Heels, he says there was nothing hasty about the decision.

“North Carolina felt like home for me,” he said. “I felt I was a priority for them. I feel I can play early.”

But today’s college football world exists in the Wild, Wild West, a fact magnified by North Carolina (3-4, 0-3 ACC) having lost four games in a row. That provides other schools hope they can flip him. Griffin-Haynes, though, says his commitment is secure as long as Mack Brown remains the head coach.

“Mack Brown was a big part of my recruitment,” he said.

But first he has the remainder of his junior season before him.

Griffin-Haynes has helped Rolesville climb to No. 5 in the state 4A poll with a 6-1 overall record and 2-0 Northern Conference mark. The Rams, who defeated previously unbeaten Millbrook 35-0 last week, travel for a 7 p.m. game Friday at Knightdale (1-6, 0-2 Northern).

Rolesville’s only loss was to No. 2-ranked Greensboro-Grimsley in the second game of the year, 35-20.

“We’re using that as a chip on our shoulders,” Griffin-Haynes said. “We keep checking off things that we need to improve upon. Day by day we want to get better to play for a championship.”

He knows where he wants his team to be.

This story was originally published October 17, 2024 at 5:00 AM with the headline "‘I know where I want to be’: Inside the rise of Rolesville football’s Zavion Griffin-Haynes."