Virginia Tech 2025 Transfer Portal Profiles: Central Missouri RB Marcellous Hawkins

Virginia Tech has loaded up on running backs in their 2025 transfer class, and the second running back to commit to Virginia Tech was Central Missouri transfer Marcellous Hawkins. He was 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.

Hawkins has absolutely game breaking speed. One look at his film shows the level of football he was playing in comparison to his D2 opponents. His low center of gravity causes him to be able to shed plenty of tackles, often bowling balling through opponents. Any delayed handoff gets Hawkins too much time to get running, and it’s a house call from there. He’s also shown flashes of being a very solid receiver out of the backfield as well. After rolling through the tape, Hawkins is admittedly very similar to Bhayshul Tuten. A slightly undersized running back who provides plenty of upside due to his speed and ability to break tackles. He just refuses to go down and with some time to develop with Terion Stewart, the sky is the absolute ceiling.

The Central Missouri running back grew quite the audience in Warrensburg, Missouri. He could soon become a household name if his season goes well. I’d look for Hawkins to bulk up a bit and work on his role as a pass blocker before he gets full-time downs. My assumption is that Cam Seldon, the Tennessee transfer, will play wide receiver downs, but Hawkins could also be battling Seldon for running back minutes depending on how things shake out in the spring.

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