From legendary Carlester Crumpler to record-setting Junior Smith to elusive athletes such as Chris Johnson and Keaton Mitchell, East Carolina has established a tradition of producing stellar running backs.
Mitchell, who ranks third on the ECU career rushing list with 3,027 yards, is the latest back to achieve stardom with the Pirates and take his talents to the NFL. The search for the program’s next great rusher has led the coaching staff to extend scholarship offers to more than 20 running back prospects as they pursue the recruiting class of 2025.
Below is a brief bio of each back and a look at what schools are competing with ECU for their services. Because schools can’t comment on scholarship offers, these projections are based on public reports or comments by the prospects themselves.
R.J. BOYD, Ware County HS, Waycross, GA (6-0, 210) – Boyd is a bit of an under-the-radar guy because he hasn’t put up gaudy stats in high school to date. He ran for 694 yards and 10 touchdowns as a junior on 114 carries, and has 1,669 career rushing yards. But Boyd’s power and speed have enticed Arkansas State, Coastal Carolina, Elon, Indiana, James Madison, Kent State, Missouri, N.C. State and South Florida (Junior Day visit Jan. 27) to offer scholarships. ECU joined the competition for Boyd on Jan. 24, 2024.
TANNER BOYD, Vacaville HS, Vacaville, CA (5-10, 190) – The fleet-footed Boyd may play on the other side of the country, but somehow the Pirates discovered him and offered a scholarship on Jan. 18, 2024. Campbell, Eastern Illinois, Robert Morris and Western Kentucky are the other offers for Boyd, who has been timed at 4.5 seconds in the 40-yard dash. Surgery after his sophomore season limited Boyd as a junior, but his speed still has recruiters intrigued.
CHRISTOPHER DALEY II, East Lincoln HS, Denver, NC (5-11, 180) – Daley romped for 1,767 yards and 21 touchdowns as a sophomore to spark East Lincoln to the state 3-A title. The performance led to an ECU offer on Jan. 22, 2023. Daley’s numbers dropped to 710 yards and eight touchdowns on 107 carries as a junior, but that didn’t stop Appalachian State, Charlotte and Liberty from extending offers also. Daley was in Greenville for an unofficial visit Jan. 28, 2024. He’s also made unofficial trips to Liberty, Virginia Tech, Wake Forest and Virginia over the past five months.
O’LONTAE DEAN, Armwood HS, Seffner, FL (6-0, 200) – Dean is a two-way athlete, who also excels on defense at linebacker. He had 287 yards rushing, 325 receiving and accounted for 10 touchdowns on offense as a junior, while also making 44 tackles and two tackles for loss on defense. ECU got involved with Dean by offering on May 3, 2023. Arkansas State, Boston College, Coastal Carolina, Florida Atlantic, Georgia Tech, Iowa State, James Madison, Louisville, Mississippi, Pittsburgh, Toledo, Western Michigan and USF have also offered.
TREY DUDLEY, Briar Woods HS, Ashburn, VA (6-1, 210) – A two-way standout for Briar Woods, Dudley ran for 877 yards and seven touchdowns, while adding 13 catches for 175 yards and two more scores on offense as a junior. On Jan. 25, 2024, ECU joined a lengthy list of schools that have offered scholarships. Dudley also has offers from Central Michigan, Columbia, Delaware, Georgia Southern, James Madison, Lafayette, Marshall, Massachusetts, N.C. A&T, Old Dominion, Temple, Towson and West Virginia. He’s attended Junior Day functions at Delaware (Feb. 3), Old Dominion (March 16), James Madison (Feb. 3) and Virginia (Jan. 28).
JEVON EDWARDS, South Aiken HS, Aiken, SC (5-9, 195) – An all-state pick as a junior and three-time all-region selection, Edwards has produced 4,215 career yards and 50 touchdowns in 29 games for South Aiken. He piled up 1,442 yards and scored 16 times in nine games as a junior, including a 37-carry, 442-yard, six-touchdown effort against rival Aiken. East Carolina has had an offer on the table for Edwards since Sept, 2023. Charlotte, Liberty and Old Dominion have also offered. Edwards has taken unofficial visits to Liberty, Wake Forest and Coastal Carolina since November.
ETHAN ERVIN, Buford HS, Buford, GA (6-1, 185) – Ervin received his first DI offer from Football Championship Subdivision Eastern Kentucky on Dec. 11. But from Jan. 16, 2024, to Jan. 30, he added nine offers from Football Bowl Subdivision programs, including East Carolina on Jan. 27. Appalachian State, Charlotte, Florida Atlantic, Marshall, Troy, Utah, Alabama-Birmingham and Western Michigan are the others with offers currently on the table. Ethan is the younger brother of Nebraska running back Gabe Ervin Jr.
JAVON FORD II, King’s Fork HS, Suffolk, VA (5-10, 190) – This first-team all-region and all-state performer racked up 1,570 yards on 203 carries and scored 26 times as a junior. Ford picked up a very early offer from ECU on Sept. 23, 2022. “The Beast” now owns other offers from Campbell, Charlotte, Duke, Elon, Indiana, James Madison, Liberty, North Carolina, Temple, Virginia Tech and West Virginia.
DEMON JUNE JR., Jacksonville HS, Jacksonville, NC (5-11, 215) – June was named the area player of the year by the Jacksonville News as a junior after collecting 1,206 yards and 23 touchdowns rushing. He’s gained 3,299 yards and 60 touchdowns rushing during a three-year career at Jacksonville. ECU offered June Jan. 18, 2024, right before three of his Jacksonville teammates signed preferred walk-on papers to play for the Pirates. Connecticut, Georgia Southern, Old Dominion and Toledo are June’s other offers.
MAX GUEST, A.C. Reynolds HS, Asheville, NC (5-10, 180) – Guest missed a good chunk of the 2023 campaign with a foot injury. But as a sophomore he was named Mountain Athletic 3-A/4-A Conference Offensive Player of the Year after racking up 1,746 yards and 25 touchdowns rushing and 372 more yards and four scores receiving. ECU was among the first schools to offer Guest a scholarship back in December 2022. Guest, who has been timed at 10.7 in the 100-meter dash, also has offers from Appalachian State, Charlotte, Coastal Carolina, Connecticut and Old Dominion. He took an unofficial visit to Appalachian State in early March.
MICHAEL HASTIE, Douglas County HS, Douglasville, GA (6-2, 220) – You might also find Hastie on ECU’s offer list for linebackers. He’s a two-way standout who was named Region 5-6A Ironman Player of the Year as a junior when he rushed for 550 yards and recorded 122 tackles. He’s received more than 20 FBS offers with ECU’s coming on Jan. 26, 2023. Florida State, where he attended Junior Day in February, may hold the upper hand.
MARQUISE HENDERSON, Belton-Honea HS, Honea Path, SC (5-10, 170) – The nation’s No. 37 running back prospect, according to 247Sports.com, Henderson set a single-season school touchdown record with 39 as a junior. The performance earned him first-team all-state honors. East Carolina offered Henderson in August 2023, but Clemson secured a verbal commitment from him on Dec. 11, 2023.
IVERSON HOWARD, Quince Orchard HS, Gaithersburg, MD (5-11, 195) – ECU offered Howard back in April 2023, becoming one of more than 25 FBS programs to do so. The three-star prospect named his top 10 on Jan. 5, 2024 that included Florida State, Maryland, Miami, Michigan, Mississippi, N.C. State, Oregon, Penn State, Virginia Tech and Wisconsin. He has official visits planned already to Michigan and Florida State.
CARTER JACKSON, Folsom HS, Folsom, CA. (5-9, 175) – Jackson has piled up 3,099 yards and 43 touchdowns rushing the last two seasons. That has earned him more than a dozen FBS scholarship offers, including one from ECU on May 23, 2023. But the three-star back chose to stay close to home, giving a verbal commitment to California on June 23, 2023.
TRE LEONARD, West Florence HS, Florence, SC (5-10, 180) – Leonard secured a scholarship offer from East Carolina while attending camp there in June 2023. The Pirates joined a group of schools pursuing Leonard including Appalachian State, Arkansas, Austin Peay, Boston College, Coastal Carolina, Connecticut, Marshall and Ohio.
LADAINNIAN MARTIN, Greer HS, Greer, SC (5-10, 180) – This four-star prospect (247Sports.com) used his 4.45-second speed on the 40-yard dash to run for 1,580 yards and 17 touchdowns as a junior. That followed a sophomore season in which he was named Region 2-AAAA Player of the Year. East Carolina got involved with Martin with an offer Jan. 19, 2023. Martin also has offers from Coastal Carolina, Charlotte, Connecticut, James Madison, Liberty and Marshall. He visited both Charlotte and Coastal Carolina last spring.
BRANDON NESBIT Jr., Oscar Smith HS, Chesapeake, VA (5-8, 199) – Nesbit, who began his prep career at Deep Creek High, tallied 1,062 yards rushing and 17 touchdowns on 169 carries last season for Oscar Smith. ECU got an early offer (April 18, 2023) to Nesbit, who now also has others from Bowling Green, Campbell, James Madison, Liberty, Marshall and Virginia Tech.
GIRARD PRINGLE JR., Armwood HS, Seffner, FL (5-10, 182) – One-half of Armwood’s dynamic one-two running back punch along with O’Lonte Dean, Pringle ran for 1,600 yards and 25 touchdowns as a junior to earn all-league honors. Speed is his calling card. He’s been timed at 4.4 seconds in the 40-yard dash and 10.56 over 100 meters. ECU jumped in the competition for Pringle with an offer on Jan. 30, 2024. But on Feb. 22 Pringle announced his eight with Alabama, Boston College, Georgia, Georgia Tech, Louisville, Miami, Oklahoma and Texas A&M making the cut.
ANTWAN RAYMOND, Clearwater Academy International, Clearwater, FL (5-11, 200) – Originally from Canada, Raymond was team MVP at Clearwater as a junior after rushing for a single-season school record 1,884 yards. He’s the object of an intense recruiting battle that includes Auburn, Cincinnati, Iowa and Texas A&M among others. A Jan. 30, 2024 offer came from the Pirates, who are now one of 23 FBS schools to do so.
NATE SHEPPARD, Mandeville HS, Mandeville, LA (5-11, 180) – An All-Parish MVP and first-team all-state pick as a junior, Sheppard racked up 2,155 yards and 36 touchdowns. The brother of former Vanderbilt wide receiver Nate Sheppard got an ECU offer on Nov. 24, 2023. The Pirates joined Arkansas State, California, Colorado, Duke, Georgia State, Georgia Tech, Houston, Louisiana Tech, McNeese State, Memphis, Mississippi, Pittsburgh, Southern Miss, South Alabama, Tulane and Vanderbilt on his offer list.
SHAWN SIMEON, Naples HS, Naples, FL (5-10, 185) – Simeon delivered big-time as a junior, rushing 186 times for 2,093 yards and 30 touchdowns. He enhanced his recruiting prospects in March by earning MVP honors for running backs at the Under Armour camp. By then, ECU had already offered a scholarship (Feb. 13, 2024) to join Charlotte, Coastal Carolina, Florida State, Indiana, Iowa, James Madison, Old Dominion, Toledo and USF. Simeon has said he’ll take official visits in the near future to Illinois and Iowa.
DE’VON THOMAS, Rolesville HS, Rolesville, NC (5-9, 195) – A huge junior season in which Thomas rushed 211 times for 2,312 yards and 25 touchdowns transitioned him from a mid-level to major-college prospect. He’s now racked up 3,957 career rushing yards and 43 scores in 36 games. East Carolina became one of the first schools to offer Thomas back in August 2023. Austin Peay, Connecticut, Liberty, Marshall and Troy are among the growing number of teams in pursuit of Thomas.
JOSEPH TROUP, Berkeley Prep HS, Tampa, FL (5-8, 200) – Troup was the All-Big County Preps co-Player of the Year after leading Berkeley Prep to a state title by rushing for 1,510 yards and 17 touchdowns. Troupe also impressed at the Orlando Under Armour Camp in February by being named MV among running backs. He’s camped and taken unofficial visits to USF and attended a Junior Day at Miami this year. Only USF of those two have offered at this point. ECU (Nov. 8, 2023) has also offered along with Arkansas State, Boston College, Bowling Green, Coastal Carolina, Florida A&M, James Madison, Rhode Island and Texas-San Antonio.
JOHN WASHINGTON, Huguenot HS, Richmond, VA (5-9, 165) – “John-John” missed four games as a junior, but still managed to gain 512 yards and score four touchdowns rushing on 49 carries as a junior. Speed is the name of Washington’s game. He’s been timed at 4.41 seconds in the 40-yard dash. ECU’s offer came in Dec. 2023. So far he’s also added offers from Appalachian State, Massachusetts and Towson. Washington recently took an unofficial visit to Towson (March 9) and had previously been to James Madison in February.
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