The Virginia Tech Hokies continue to remake their backfield. Tech received good news after the season when its top two backs, Marcellous Hawkins and freshman Jeff Overton Jr., announced they were returning in 2026. That led others in Tech’s backfield to enter the NCAA transfer portal.
The Hokies added a commitment from 4-star running back Messiah Mickens in the 2026 recruiting class. Redshirt sophomore Tyler Mason is also expected to return to 2026.
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But head coach James Franklin likes depth and made adding another running back a priority when the transfer portal opened on Friday. On Monday, he got his guy, when Louisiana running back Elijah “Bill Davis” announced his transfer to Virginia Tech.
The 5-foot-9, 225-pound Davis is a native of Reserve, Louisiana, and was one of the Sun Belt’s top running backs, rushing for 1,752 yards over the past three seasons with 18 touchdowns. He has averaged 4.9 yards per attempt for his career.
Here’s Davis in action:
Davis looks similar to Terion Stewart, who was with the Hokies last season. He’s a power runner with great vision with deceptive long speed.
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Davis has two years of eligibility remaining. He has a prior relationship with the new running backs coach, Norval McKenzie, which helped seal the deal.
James Franklin likes competition. Virginia Tech’s backfield will be competitive in 2026.
