Former Virginia Tech Football Commit Enters Transfer Portal

One of the top recruits that Virginia Tech football coach Brent Pry secured in the Class of 2024, Marcellus Barnes, Jr. de-committed from the Hokies in the fall of 2023. It was a big loss in the class for the Virginia Tech after the Chattanooga, Tennessee native reopened his recruiting.

Once he reopened that recruiting, there were several major programs after the talented cornerback. Two of those schools were a pair of SEC powerhouse programs, Georgia and Ole Miss. It was not surprising that both schools were after the Top 200 recruit, but he ended up going to an ACC school in a surprise commitment.

At the All-American Bowl in San Antonio in January, the 6-foot-1, 180-pound Barnes committed to Syracuse and new coach Fran Brown, who just happened to be Georgia’s defensive coordinator when he re-entered the portal. As it turns out, he lasted just one year in New York with the Orange.

Marcellus Barnes, Jr. is entering the transfer portal

On Monday, the transfer portal officially opened at midnight, and Barnes announced on his X account that he was entering the portal after one season with Syracuse. His season was ended in early November with an injury.

This season for Syracuse, Barnes had 10 tackles, six solo, and three pass breakups. His best game of the season was on Nov. 2 when he had four tackles, two solo, in a 38-31 Syracuse overtime win over Virginia Tech that saw the Orange rally over the third and fourth quarters to stun the Hokies who blew a two-touchdown lead.

It will be interesting to see where Barnes ends up in the portal as there are going to be a lot of schools getting in touch with him. Does Virginia Tech take another run at him? Who knows, but you get the feeling that he’ll end up at an SEC school when all is said and done.