Virginia Tech has added transfer running back/wide receiver Raheem Blackshear from Rutgers. Blackshear announced his decision on Twitter on Friday evening.
https://twitter.com/speedy_heem/status/1215767185592897537
Blackshear (5-9, 192) redshirted after appearing in four games in 2019 for the Scarlet Knights. As a sophomore in 2018, he was an Honorable Mention All-Big Ten performer. He rushed for 586 yards on 143 carries and three touchdowns, while also catching 44 passes for 367 yards and two touchdowns. He lined up at both tailback and wide receivers for Rutgers, and could do the same for Virginia Tech.
Through the first four games of 2019, Blackshear was being used more as a pass catcher than a ball carrier. He had 29 carries for 88 yards in those four games, but he also caught 29 passes for 310 yards and two touchdowns in those games. That includes a 7-catch, 55-yard performance against Michigan and a 9-reception, 130-yard game against Boston College.
For his career, Blackshear had 211 carries for 912 yards and 80 receptions for 810 yards, for a total of 12 touchdowns. He also has experience as a kickoff returner.
It’s not clear whether or not he’ll be eligible immediately for the 2020 season, though Rutgers went through a coaching change, and usually transfer players who went through coaching changes are looked upon favorably by the NCAA.
Virginia Tech Special Assistant to the Head Coach, Jerry Kill, was Blackshear’s offensive coordinator at Rutgers in 2017. Virginia Tech wide receivers coach Jafar Williams also coached at Rutgers in 2017.
Blackshear also made the Big Ten’s All-Academic team in both 2018 and 2019. He is originally from Warminster, PA, just north of Philadelphia.