Jeffrey Overton Jr. only needed one run to show Virginia Tech what it might have in him.
Against then-No. 13 Miami on Nov. 22, the Hokies’ running back slipped through a crease in the third quarter, made one cut and was off to the second level.
Nobody tracked him down. The 38-yard touchdown was his first in a Virginia Tech uniform, and it came after nearly a full year of waiting to show he could do that at this level.
That wait started before he ever played a college snap. Overton tore his ACL in December 2024 and sat out the first eight games of 2025. When he finally got on the field, he made the most of a small window, finishing with 146 yards on 25 carries, a 5.8-yard average, while preserving his redshirt.
The late-season stretch gave Virginia Tech a real glimpse. He ran for 69 yards on seven carries against Miami, hauled in a 36-yard catch at Florida State on Nov. 15 and started the finale against Virginia, where he totaled 53 yards on 11 carries in a 27-7 loss.
What stood out wasn’t just the production, but the way he looked doing it. Franklin said Overton returned in the spring at 205 pounds, up 27 from the previous season, and it didn’t take long for that to register. After only a few practices, Franklin was calling him quick, smart, tough and elusive, and said he had begun to separate himself in the room.
With Marcellous Hawkins limited by a shoulder injury, Overton handled most of the spring reps. He also led the Maroon team in rushing in the April 18 spring game, finishing with 32 yards on five carries and adding a 19-yard catch.
The role Virginia Tech has in mind for him could be a good one. Franklin spent 12 years at Penn State turning committee backs into 1,000-yard rushers, and new run game coordinator Norval McKenzie’s Georgia Tech offense piled up 2,567 rushing yards and 31 touchdowns last season. In that setup, being the 1B isn’t a step down.
Hawkins remains the starter, and that makes sense. He ran for 749 yards at 6.3 per carry behind an offense that didn’t force defenses to respect the pass.
Virginia Tech averaged just 166.3 passing yards per game in a 3-9 season, which made it easy for opponents to crowd the box. If the passing game gets to even average, the lighter looks Overton didn’t see as a freshman should start to appear.
There’s still a real caution flag here: he has never played a full college season, and the buzz is built on a sample of 25 carries.
Still, Virginia Tech opens Sept. 5 against VMI, and for the first time since he signed, Overton will be available from start to finish.
In Other News...
Hokies May Have Finally Found The Receiver Help Fans Wanted
Virginia Tech has spent plenty of time looking for more pop at wide receiver, and Que'Sean Brown arrives with the kind of rsum that suggests he can help right away. The Duke transfer built his role steadily over the last two seasons, moving from a complementary piece into one of the more productive pass catchers in the ACC, which is why he has drawn attention as one of the stronger portal options available.
Browns value to the Hokies goes beyond simple production, too. His game has evolved from a short-area, screen-oriented role into something much more dangerous down the field, giving Virginia Tech a receiver who can stress defenses in different ways. The real question now is how quickly that skill set translates in Blacksburg, and how big a part he ends up playing in an offense that has been searching for a reliable answer on the outside. [Read more 🡒]
Where Virginia Tech Looks Strongest And Most Vulnerable Entering Camp
Fall camp is arriving with Virginia Tech in a far better place than it was a year ago, and the clearest reason is the amount of new and returning talent now spread across the roster. Under James Franklin, the Hokies can point to a quarterback room that looks more stable, a receiver group that should be deeper and more dangerous, and an offensive line that has a chance to be more reliable if the right pieces settle in quickly. It is the kind of preseason outlook that usually comes from having both experienced returners and transfers who can raise the floor in a hurry.
Ethan Grunkemeyer gives the offense a real starting point after his Penn State background and late-season growth, while Ayden Greene, Que'Sean Brown, Chanz Wiggins and Keylen Adams give the pass-catching group a different look with more competition and size. The line also has some promise with Logan Howland, Justin Terry and Kyle Altuner in the mix, but that optimism still depends on health, chemistry and consistency. On the other side, the secondary remains the area that could decide how far this team can go, because even with Quentin Reddish, Tyson Flowers and Amauri Polydor on hand, the Hokies still have to prove they can keep explosive plays from turning into the sort of problem that lingers all season. [Read more 🡒]