Few freshmen had more hype last season than RB Jeff Overton Jr as a former four-star recruit and Gatorade Player of the Year in Virginia. Overton suffered a knee injury during his first practices with VT during prep for the Duke’s Mayo Bowl that led to him missing most of his first offseason and only returning late in the season once his redshirt was secure.
During those four games, Overton showed plenty of potential with a few explosive plays and lots of upside on his runs overall. He ran for 146 yards, one touchdown, and 5.8 yards per carry on 25 carries while also having a 36-yard reception where he showed off his ability to make plays in space.
That short stint brought plenty of buzz about Overton’s potential with that buzz only growing this offseason starting in the spring when head coach James Franklin had high praise for Overton after the Spring Game, both from what he brings to the table and how he’s developing into a stronger and more versatile player.
“He's gotten bigger and stronger. I think that will continue. We anticipate him being 210 pounds. By the time we get back to season, he's been about 205. So I think that's realistic to do that. He's got the ability to make people miss. He's got tremendous vision. I think he's got a chance to be a weapon. We'd like to get him involved in the passing game as well. But yeah, we're excited about him,” Franklin said.
A large part of that positive impression comes from the way he goes about business. RBs coach Norval McKenzie has also been impressed by what he’s seen from Overton in multiple ways from his skill set to his physical development to his mentality and more.
