After spending five seasons with UTEP, former Miners’ running back Deion Hankins will remain in the Lone Star State for what’s expected to be his final season of college football, announcing on social media that he’ll transfer to Texas State.
An El Paso native, Hankins signed with his hometown school in 2019 after a decorated prep career that saw him become the city’s all-time leading rusher and spurn several Power Five offers to remain at home.
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Hankins has been a productive back when healthy, as the 6-1, 230-pounder rushed for 2,604 yards and 23 touchdowns including a career-high 812 yards in 2023. He becomes the second UTEP running back to transfer to Texas State as junior Torrence Burgess Jr. also joined the Bobcats this season.
The addition of Hankins comes at a crucial time for G.J. Kinne’s team as they lost starting quarterback T.J. Finley in the offseason to Western Kentucky, along with a botched attempt to add former Washington State and Arizona quarterback Jayden de Laura – increasing the need for Texas State to have a dependable run game in 2024.
Hankins earned Conference USA all-conference second team honors in back-to-back seasons (2022 & 2023) and was named to the league’s all-freshman team after rushing for 592 yards and a career-high nine touchdowns in a COVID-shortened 2020 season with the Miners.
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