After two seasons with the Sooners, QB Michael Hawkins announced his entry to the transfer portal, following the CFP first-round ouster. After the portal window opened on Friday, January 2, a Big 12 program reportedly made a move to land the four-star quarterback on the very first day of the window.

West Virginia has extended an official invitation to Michael Hawkins Jr. for a visit this weekend. Reports suggest that he has been the top target for the Mountaineers, indicating a potential commitment upon his visit. The 6-foot-1, 206-lb QB was a four-star recruit of Oklahoma’s 2024 class and has three years of eligibility remaining. He is expected to be joined by his brother Maliek Hawkins, a four-star DB recruit for the Sooners, who enrolled in January 2025.

Hawkins spent the last two seasons with the Sooners and appeared in nine games, including four starts as a freshman. During his first season with Oklahoma, he played in seven games, totaling 783 passing yards while completing 76 of 120 passes, with three touchdowns and two interceptions. He also added 204 yards and a touchdown on 69 carries. This past season, Hawkins appeared in just two games and used his redshirt. In his two appearances, he completed 15 of 27 passes for 167 yards and three touchdowns while rushing 58 yards on 15 carries for a touchdown.

As a high school prospect from Frisco Emerson High School in McKinney, Texas, he totaled 4,211 yards and 55 touchdowns and three interceptions as a senior.  He was ranked the 35th quarterback and 82nd overall prospect of his class and held offers from 17 top schools across the country, including Alabama, Arkansas, Cincinnati, Michigan, Missouri, Nebraska, North Carolina State, Penn State, Texas Tech, and a few others. 

Despite big offers, he followed in his dad, Michael Hawkins’ footsteps to the Oklahoma Sooners, where he played for the Sooners back in 2002 as a defensive back.

“It means a lot to go to Oklahoma because my dad played there,” Hawkins Jr. said. “So just to keep that legacy going, but trying to build my own name. Getting an opportunity to play under Coach Venables will be fun.”

However, it didn’t last more than two years, as the QB, along with his brother Maliek, is reportedly making moves for the West Virginia Mountaineers for the coming fall.

Michael Hawkins Jr.’s status as a starting QB at West Virginia

The Mountaineers’ quarterback room was comparatively below contention this fall. The lack of offensive production led to a 4-8 season, resulting in a 14th-place finish in the Big 12. Their offense wasn’t up to contention, as they were ranked almost at the bottom of the conference.

Their three QBs, Scotty Fox, Nicco Marchiol, and Khalil Wilkins, totaled 183 completions and 2,181 passing yards, with a 57% completion rate for ten touchdowns and ten interceptions combined. Among them, the freshman quarterback, Scotty Fox, was the one to reach 1,000+ yards and 5+ touchdowns.

Hawkins’ caliber could be just the thing that West Virginia needs to get back on track. However, his starting role is still not guaranteed, as Rich Rodriguez and the staff are still very high on soon-to-be sophomore Scotty Fox Jr. However, adding Michael Hawkins could create competition for the starting role, which could be beneficial for the QB room and help them return to a winning track.

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Since Michael is expected to visit West Virginia along with his brother, Maliek, the Mountaineers have to make offers for both to keep him locked in for the upcoming season.