Virginia Tech Football: Hokies Land Transfer RB Marcellous Hawkins
Virginia Tech has landed their second transfer running back of the day as Central Missouri transfer Marcellous Hawkins has committed to Virginia Tech. He is the third addition to the Hokies class, and the first player to come from the FCS or Division Two level.
Hawkins battled injury throughout the 2024 season, but recorded some pretty impressive numbers during 2023. He finished that year with 1,053 rushing yards, 283 receiving yards, and 21 total touchdowns. The Mules went 11-2 that year with their only losses coming against #3 Pittsburgh State and #1 Harding.
This signing sounds earily familiar to Virginia Tech’s transfer signing of Bhayshul Tuten. Both players came from smaller programs, whether it was FCS or Division Two, and they both contributed pretty heavily to their squad on multiple levels.
Hawkins’ only offer out of high school was to Central Missouri State, and the running back took it.
Per Central Missouri State Athletics:
”Played for head coach Carter Whitson at Putnam City High School…Co-Offensive Player of the Year, all-state honorable mention and first team all-conference in 2021…As a senior, posted 1,368 passing yards, 13 passing touchdowns, 1,248 rushing yards and 16 rushing TDs…Also played basketball and competed in track and field.”
Hawkins will transfer into a Hokies’ running back run that will be hurting after losses of Malachi Thomas and Bhayshul Tuten, but he is not the only addition to the running back room. The Hokies added four-star running back Jeff Overton and transfer standout Terion Stewart.
Stewart (5'9 220 LBS) was a four-year player at Bowling Green and an All-Mac selection this past season. In four years with the Falcons, he ran for 2,359 yards and 23 touchdowns, while averaging six yards per carry. He is a tough physical running back who will fit in the Hokies system well. At Pro Football Focus, Stewart finished the 2024 season with a 78.9 offensive grade in 244 snaps, third highest on the Bowling Green offense. In 2023, PFF gave him an elite 95.3 grade on offense, including a 94.0 grade when it came to running the football. Stewart could be the bell cow running back for the Hokies next year, fitting right in next to quarterback Kyron Drones.
The incoming freshman, Overton, has a pretty impressive resume as well.
After playing three years at Freedom High School, Overton played his final year at Hayfield High School and made massive waves. Hayfield went 10-2 on the season, with one of their losses coming by forfeit, but the Hawks absolutely rolled through teams. Hayfield won by scores of 48-7, 65-0, 70-0, 63-0, 64-0, 70-6, 51-0, 69-0, 63-0, and 75-7 to wrap up the season. Overton lead the way on the ground with 1,561 rushing yards and some other mind blowing stats. Overton had 426 receiving yards and 36 total touchdowns in his senior campaign. He also had seven interceptions on the year and earned Virginia High School League National District Offensive Player of the Year honors, while also being First-Team All State on both sides of the football.
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RJ Schafer joined the On SI team in 2024, contributing to the coverage of Major League Baseball, Collegiate Basketball, and Collegiate Football at https://www.si.com/college/virginiatech/. Prior to this, RJ built a strong portfolio covering Georgia Tech and the Tigers for the Bleav Network. With a solid background in sports journalism, RJ has conducted interviews with both collegiate and professional athletes, enhancing the depth and authenticity of his reporting. RJ's extensive experience in the sports industry has equipped him with a keen understanding of the dynamics and intricacies of both collegiate and professional sports. His work is focused on providing insightful analysis and comprehensive coverage, making him a trusted voice in the sports community.