Virginia Tech got the much-wanted news as freshman running back Jeff Overton Jr. announced his return to the team for 2026 on social media.
The Woodbridge, VA native missed most of this past season after suffering an injury last winter, but made his debut in the game against Louisville. Slowly getting more reps and took advantage in the few games he played. He tallied 146 yards on 25 carries for an average of 5.8 yards per carry with a rushing touchdown against Miami. He also has a lone catch that he took for a 36-yard gain.
Because Overton only played four games last season due to an injury he suffered during VT's bowl prep, he still has all four years of eligibility remaining and should be a foundational offensive piece moving forward.
Since James Franklin’s first days in Blacksburg, he’s been analyzing the current roster and seeing who he’s likely to retain. Many fans saw Overton as a talented young running back who could be impactful next year through his short playing time, and Franklin seemed to view it similarly.
It was a little bit in question after former RB coach Elijah Brooks, who was important to recruiting and coaching Overton, announced he would not be returning to the program on Franklin’s staff. Still, it seems like Jeff Overton liked James Franklin’s pitch and the idea of Georgia Tech’s RB coach Norval McKenzie reportedly making the move to Virginia Tech in the same role.
In the era of NIL and the transfer portal, announcements to come back to a program are becoming a lot more common. For Tech, Jeff Overton Jr.’s announcement is just the start of the process of Franklin building out his roster this year, retaining players as the transfer portal’s opening looms on January 2nd.
With Overton back on board, the Hokies' RB focus will now turn to retaining standout transfer Marcellous Hawkins who ran for 749 yards, one rushing touchdown and 6.3 yards per carry this past season. If Tech can retain Hawkins too, they would have one of the best 1-2 RB punches in the ACC with Hawkins and Overton.
