Virginia Tech’s running back room enters fall camp looking nothing like it did a year ago, and that’s exactly why the position group carries so much intrigue.
The Hokies are moving forward without Terion Stewart, who used up his eligibility after last season, and that leaves a clear opening near the top of the depth chart. In his place, Virginia Tech is working with a mix that includes Marcellous Hawkins, Jeffrey Overton Jr., Louisiana transfer Bill Davis and four-star freshman Messiah Mickens.
Hawkins has the early edge. The Central Missouri transfer delivered a team-high 749 rushing yards in his first season in Blacksburg, and he spent most of spring practice sidelined while recovering from injury. Even with that missed time, he still looks like the safest bet to open August as the lead back.
That matters, because if Hawkins settles in as the No. 1 option, it gives Virginia Tech a much steadier foundation in the backfield.
The bigger swing piece is Overton. Few players drew more attention late last season, and it’s easy to see why.
The former four-star recruit has the size, athleticism and big-play ability to become one of the program’s next standouts. He missed the first eight games of the 2025 season while rehabbing a torn ACL suffered in 2024 bowl prep, then came on late with 146 rushing yards and one touchdown over the final four games.
What makes Overton especially interesting is how different his game is from the rest of the room. He brings power, burst and a slippery kind of elusiveness that gives Virginia Tech a look it doesn’t quite get from the other backs, who lean more toward a bruising style. If he handles pass protection and ball security well in camp, he could carve out a major role quickly and settle in as the No. 2 back.
Behind Hawkins and Overton, the Hokies have plenty of options, but the exact shape of the rotation is still up in the air. Davis arrives after piling up nearly 1,800 rushing yards over the last three seasons, bringing proven production and experience with him. Mickens, meanwhile, adds another highly regarded talent with long-term upside, though he missed spring because of injury.
That leaves Virginia Tech with a few possible directions to take. Davis could emerge as the short-yardage answer.
Mickens could push for snaps sooner than expected. Or the staff could lean into a true three-back rotation instead of settling on a more traditional top two.
Those decisions should start to take shape during camp, but the competition itself figures to sharpen the entire room.
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