On Monday, two Virginia Tech scholarship football players - RB Marco Lee and S Da'Shawn Elder - entered the transfer portal. Evan G. Watkins of 247Sports and Andy Bitter of The Athletic broke the news first.
Four student-athletes on scholarship have entered the transfer portal since the Spring Game on April 16. Running back Jordan Brunson and tight end Jared Gibble did so on Tuesday, April 19.
Tech Sideline's estimation of the Hokies' scholarship numbers falls between 84 and 89 at the moment, depending on the number of specialists on scholarship. For a full scholarship crunch, click here (subscribers only) to read Chris Coleman's article from April 19.
*Editor's Note: As of 4 p.m. on Monday, April 25, WR DJ Sims had removed his name from the transfer portal, per 247Sports. He had originally entered the portal on Monday morning. *
Marco Lee
A 5-11, 227-pound running back from Columbus, Ga., Lee saw time in just five games over two seasons in Blacksburg. The former JUCO transfer, who would've been a redshirt junior in 2022, totaled five carries for 28 yards.
In a crowded running back room, Lee was never able to find consistent carries. Though the second-oldest behind redshirt senior Jalen Holston, Lee didn't record a carry in the first Spring Game under Brent Pry and was passed by some of the younger backs.
Lee is a former three-star JUCO prospect ranked as the No. 3 JUCO running back nationally. In two years at Coffeyville Community College, he rushed for 1,232 yards and nine touchdowns.
His departure, combined with that of Brunson's, puts Tech at seven scholarship running backs:
Jalen Holston (r-Sr.)
Keshawn King (Jr.)
Malachi Thomas (So.)
Jalen Hampton (r-Fr.)
Chance Black (r-Fr.)
Kenji Christian (r-Fr.)
Bryce Duke (Fr.)
Da'Shawn Elder
A 6-2, 205-pound safety from Watkinsville, Ga., Elder never played a snap at Virginia Tech. He came to the Hokies from Fork Union Military Academy and redshirted in 2021.
A redshirt freshman, Elder was one of the youngest players in the 15-man defensive back room. Other redshirt freshmen Nyke Johnson and Elijah Howard saw time in the spring game, while Elder did not.
His decision gives the Hokies 14 scholarship defensive backs for 2022:
Chamarri Conner (Sr.)
Brion Murray (Sr.)
Armani Chatman (r-Jr.)
Nasir Peoples (r-Jr.)
Nadir Thompson (r-Jr.)
Ny’Quee Hawkins (r-So.)
Dorian Strong (So.)
Jalen Stroman (So.)
DJ Harvey (So.)
Nyke Johnson (r-Fr.)
Jalen Hoyle (r-Fr.)
Elijah Howard (r-Fr.)
Cam Johnson (Fr.)
Mansoor Delane (Fr.)