By: Justin “Couz” Walker | WV Sports Chat
MORGANTOWN, W.Va. – Rich Rodriguez and the WVU football program are looking to get in the mix for a quarterback who was once committed to an SEC program.
Per Hayes Fawcett of On3, Marcus Stokes has had contact with the Mountaineers since entering the transfer portal on December 2. The Division II star from the University of West Florida is a finalist for the Harlon Hill Trophy, which is awarded to the best player in all of Division II.
In 2022, the redshirt sophomore made headlines during his high school recruitment that ended up costing him a chance to play for the University of Florida.
After the Florida commit posted a video of himself singing the lyrics of a rap song that contained a racial slur, the Gators pulled his offer. Due to the backlash from the video, no Power Four team would sign Stokes. So, he enrolled at West Florida.
After redshirting in 2023, he started eight games the following season. However, it was this past season when the former 247 Sports four-star recruit really shined.
Stokes started all 12 games for the Argonauts in 2025. He completed 223 of 368 passes (60%) for 3,297 yards, 30 touchdowns and 13 interceptions. He also rushed for another 367 yards and ten scores.
The 6-foot-2 signal caller has reportedly had contact with many schools, including several from the Power Four level. In addition to West Virginia, he has also had contact with Syracuse, Iowa, Boston College, Wisconsin and Florida State.
The Ponte Vedra, Florida native was a dual-sport athlete at Nease High School. He accounted for over 5,000 yards of offense during his two seasons as the starting quarterback for the Panthers. He also played basketball. Nease is the same high school that produced former Heisman Trophy winner, Tim Tebow.
Despite his past mistakes, it appears there are plenty of suitors for the once controversial quarterback. In addition to the schools listed above, many more could enter the fray before it’s all said and done.
For a video version of this story, check out this recent episode of Couz’s Corner on YouTube.
Photo Credit: University of Western Florida Athletics
