Virginia Tech Football: WR Damon Hazelton Enters Transfer Portal
Virginia Tech wide receiver Damon Hazelton has entered the transfer portal, he announced on his personal Twitter page on Friday afternoon.
Since arriving in Blacksburg prior to the 2018 season as a transfer from Ball State, Hazelton has compiled 82 receptions for 1,329 yards and 16 touchdowns. In the process, he quickly emerged as Virginia Tech's top wideout, proving to be a force on the outside when he was healthy.
Hazelton, who has already graduated from Virginia Tech, is seeking a graduate transfer, which would ordinarily make him eligible immediately.
However, in Hazelton's particular case, there is a caveat, as Andy Bitter of The Athletic reported on Friday:
As Andy points out, Hazelton would have to apply for a waiver in order to be eligible immediately, since this would be the second transfer of his career.
This is significant, as there is a chance (albeit, small) that Hazelton could still opt to return to Virginia Tech and play for the Hokies in 2020 if the NCAA does not grant him his waiver for immediate eligibility.
In addition to providing student-athletes an outlet to seek a new school, the transfer portal has the benefit of allowing the student-athlete to withdraw his or her name from the portal and still be eligible at the current school of enrollment.
Virginia Tech fans will remember this occurring firsthand a year ago, when Deshawn McClease and Hendon Hooker entered the transfer portal, only to return to school shortly thereafter.
Hazelton is the latest Virginia Tech player to announce his plans to leave the football program, joining McClease and Dalton Keene, who both elected to forego their final seasons of eligibility and enter the NFL Draft.
