The “Edge” or rush end position has become one of the most valued in college football these days.
In recent years, players such as Nate Harvey, Kendall Futrell and Chad Stephens have produced impressive sack results for East Carolina playing the hybrid linebacker-defensive end spot. The Pirates will have Stephens back for one more season next fall, and signed prep rushing specialist Torin Brazell from Starke, FL, and Louisville transfer Ryheem Craig to provide depth at the position. Brazell racked up 26.5 sacks during his high school career.
But because ECU finished 13th among American Athletic Conference teams in sacks last season, the need to add more talent there is still high. That’s why the Pirates have already handed out 13 scholarship offers to high school edge prospects for the Class of 2025.
Here’s a brief look at those edge prospects who have been offered scholarships by ECU. These offers are based on public reports or comments by the prospects themselves because the school cannot comment on scholarship offers.
TAESHAWN ALSTON, Vance County HS, Henderson, NC (6-4, 220) – An in-state player whom East Carolina offered on June 11, 2023, Alston is a three-star prospect, according to 247Sports.com. He made 27 tackles, nine tackles for loss and five sacks as a junior and has 148 total tackles, 31.5 tackles for loss and 16 sacks over a three-year varsity career. Although the Pirates got in early, they didn’t make Alston’s top six released on Feb. 13 that included Georgia Tech, North Carolina, Rutgers, South Carolina, Virginia Tech and West Virginia.
KELAN BUTLER, Jefferson HS, Jefferson, GA (6-3, 225) – Butler is not only big, but can run (10.81 seconds in the 100-meter dash). He used that speed to make 65 tackles, nine tackles for loss and six sacks as a junior to gain all-state 5-A honors from Recruit Georgia. ECU has been on the table with an offer to Butler since Jan. 13, 2023. He also has offers from Arkansas, Duke, Georgia Tech, Kentucky, Louisville, Michigan, Michigan State, Mississippi, Mississippi State, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas A&M, South Florida, Virginia Tech and West Virginia.
ZION COOLEY, Carrollton HS, Carrollton, GA (6-4, 215) – A second-team All-Region 2-7A pick by the Georgia High School Football Daily, Cooley played for a defense that limited foes to 19 points a game last season. He picked up an offer from East Carolina on Jan. 23, 2024, to go with others from Florida Atlantic, Georgia Southern, Georgia State, Mercer, Navy, Troy, Alabama-Birmingham and Wofford.
DONOVAN DARDEN, Havelock HS, Havelock, NC (6-4, 225) – Also a part-time quarterback in high school (140 yards passing as a junior), Darden really made his mark as a junior on defense with 46 tackles, nine tackles for loss, a sack and two interceptions. He attended ECU’s summer camp last June and received an offer from the Pirates on Jan. 29, 2024, during an on-campus visit. Darden also attended South Carolina’s spring game on April 21. The Gamecocks have also offered along with Boston College, Charlotte, Connecticut, James Madison, Marshall, Missouri and Pittsburgh.
BRYCE DAVIS, Grimsley, HS, Greensboro, NC (6-4, 245) – An injury shortened Davis’s junior campaign, but he still managed six tackles for loss and two sacks to earn first-team all-area honors. He’s accumulated almost 30 offers from FBS programs, including ECU (Jan. 20, 2023). Davis has scheduled his five official visits to Clemson (May 31), North Carolina (June 7), Duke (June 8), Georgia (June 14) and Southern Cal (June 21).
JAQUAVIOUS DODD, Eastside HS, Taylors, SC (6-5, 225) – Dodd earned all-region honors and all-state honorable mention as a junior after making 53 tackles, 24 tackles for loss and 13 sacks. He became one of the most recent players to receive an offer from ECU on May 2, 2024. Dodd has announced one official visit to Connecticut on June 14-16, but has had a very active unofficial visit schedule this spring. He’s attended a Junior Day function at Wofford, the spring game at Florida State, spring practice at South Carolina, and made unofficial stops at Appalachian State, Virginia Tech Liberty and Troy.
MADDOX DYKEMAN, McIntosh HS, Peachtree City, GA (6-8, 225) – Dykeman, who is only 16, is a two-way player for McIntosh where he doubles as a tight end. He earned first-team All-Fayette County honors as a junior on defense after making 61 tackles, six tackles for loss and four sacks. That was enough for ECU to jump in with an offer on Jan. 23, 2024. The Pirates join Air Force, Army, Brown, Buffalo, Cornell, Georgia Tech, Illinois State, Troy and Washington as schools that have offered. Dykeman has made unofficial visits to Georgia Tech and Washington this spring.
SHERROD HENDERSON, Heide Trask HS, Rocky Point, NC (6-3, 210) – Henderson is a two-way star at Trask, where he rushed for 1,250 yards and scored 13 touchdowns as a running back on offense and made 75 tackles, 15 tackles for loss and 12 sacks on defense as a junior. He’s received a tremendous amount of recruiting attention with more than 20 offers from FBS schools already in hand. ECU offered on March 23, 2024. Henderson has already scheduled two of his five official visits to Pittsburgh (June 6-8) and Virginia Tech (June 21-23).
JULIUS HOLLY, Alpharetta HS, Alpharetta, GA (6-3, 235) – Virginia received an official visit from Holly on April 17. During March and April he also made unofficial visits to Tennessee, Texas A&M, Georgia, Penn State and Mississippi. Holly has scheduled a second official visit to Stanford on June 8. All those schools have offered along with ECU (Dec. 5, 2023). Holly made 27 tackles, a tackle for loss and a sack in eight games as a junior.
ROMANDO JOHNSON, Monarch HS, Pompano Beach, FL (6-3, 260) – Johnson has experienced a well-traveled prep career. He played as a sophomore at Wellington High (FL) High before transferring to Palm Beach Central as a junior. But before the end of his junior year Johnson moved on to Salem (NJ) High where he produced 19 tackles with six tackles for loss and three sacks. Johnson is headed back to Florida for his senior season to play for Monarch High. Despite being constantly on the move, Johnson has received more than 30 scholarship offers. ECU got in the pursuit with an offer on Jan. 31, 2024. Florida, Miami, Penn State, Tennessee, Texas A&M and Wisconsin are among the others who have offered.
TYLON LEE, Pace HS, Milton, FL (6-5, 235) – East Carolina was one of the first schools to offer Lee on April 1, 2023, before a junior season in which he collected 61 tackles, 20 tackles for loss and five sacks. The performance earned Lee All-Panhandle honors from SBLiveFl. He now owns 25 FBS offers and has one official visit scheduled to date with Miami on June 21-23. Pace also attended Clemson’s Elite Day and Florida’s spring practice in March.
DOMINICK MOODY, North Cobb HS, Kennesaw, GA (6-4, 250) – “Dom” emerged as a top prospect after a junior season in which he earned All-Cobb County honors from the Marietta Daily Journal and was selected to the first-team All-Region 5-6A squad. East Carolina extended an offer soon after the 2023 season on Dec. 4. Moody also has offers from Appalachian State, Arkansas State, Buffalo, Coastal Carolina, Florida Atlantic, Georgia State, Georgia Southern, Liberty, Maryland, Massachusetts, Temple, Tennessee Tech, Toledo, USF, Western Kentucky and Western Michigan.
JEREMIAH SHELBY, Pensacola Catholic HS, Pensacola, FL (6-3, 250) – ECU liked Shelby’s talent enough that it offered a scholarship on March 20, 2024. He’s also received offers from Arkansas State, Austin Peay, Bethune-Cookman, Colgate, Cornell, Eastern Kentucky, Memphis, South Alabama (attended spring practice March 22), Toledo and Troy. As a junior, Shelby made 57 tackles, 13 tackles for loss and five sacks to earn all-area honors from the Pensacola News Journal for a second straight year.
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