WVU QB Michael Hawkins Jr. Missing from Top 50 Power Four Spring Rankings

Trying to figure out how good a first-year starting quarterback is going to be in a completely new system is a difficult thing to do, especially when the job has not been officially awarded to him. That said, I still find it hard to believe that West Virginia quarterback Michael Hawkins Jr. is the 50th-best quarterback in Power Four football.

ESPN's Bill Connelly placed him there in his pre-spring Power Four QB rankings a couple of days ago.

"In terms of fit, this one's quite intriguing," Connelly stated. "Hawkins will have to beat out sophomore Scotty Fox Jr. for the job -- Fox had a couple of great games and a couple of horrific ones in six late-2025 starts -- but I love the vision of grabbing Hawkins, a former four-star prospect who didn't prove much with his arm in two years in Norman but could shine if he gets his legs more involved."

Why Hawkins will be better than the initial ranking suggests

Oct 11, 2025; Dallas, Texas, USA; Oklahoma Sooners quarterback Michael Hawkins Jr. (3) warms up before the game against the Texas Longhorns at Cotton Bowl. Mandatory Credit: Jerome Miron-Imagn Images | Jerome Miron-Imagn Images

I don't fault Connelly for putting him that low, to be honest. I mean, compared to the other projected starters, yeah, he lacks the experience and production that many listed ahead of him have. But if we're projecting what will happen, Hawkins could very easily end up being a top-30 or so quarterback in his first year in Morgantown.

It's not a complete guessing game with him. He was a highly touted recruit coming out of high school, reeling in offers from just about every major program in the country, and was expected to be the future of Oklahoma football before that all changed when they hired Ben Arbuckle as the offensive coordinator and he brought his guy, John Mateer, with him from Washington State.

Two years ago, as a true freshman, he started four games for the Sooners, three of which were against SEC teams. In those four starts, he completed 68-of-106 attempts (64.1%) for 687 yards, three touchdowns, and no picks. He also rushed for 185 yards and a touchdown in those games. In his lone start this past season against Kent State, he went 14/24 for 162 yards and four scores (one rushing).

Not to mention, the offensive line at Oklahoma was horrendous. West Virginia spent a lot of time and resources this offseason to fix theirs, and if they gel by the time conference play comes around, he could put up some big numbers.