The recruiting Class of 2026 will play a big role as East Carolina conducts a makeover of the American Conference’s top defensive unit.

The Pirates led the American in scoring defense (20.1 points), rushing defense (120.2 yards per game), fumbles recovered (14) and was second in total defense (351.0) and sacks (34) in 2025. But as the sun set on a 9-4 campaign, the program’s best record since 2013, the focus quickly turned to finding replacements for the unit’s coordinator and seven starters, including the entire secondary.

Head coach BLAKE HARRELL managed to find a new coordinator and sign 16 defenders (9 defensive backs) to fill those holes. More additions could be coming in the days ahead from the transfer portal.

Until then, as spring practice nears, here’s our annual position-by-position grades for the defensive signees in the recruiting Class of 2026. We’ll also project the best organizational profile we can and look ahead to the recruiting needs as the coaching staff pursues the recruiting Class of 2027. These projections are based on the final depth chart from last season and other information gathered by press time, but may be altered by position changes during spring practice, program defections or additions.

DEFENSIVE END/EDGE B

WHAT THEY NEEDED: Starters or co-starters at defensive end and the “rush” position were scheduled to graduate after the 2025 season, so that made signing at least two essential. Luckily, those were the only significant losses at those spots.

Coordinator JOSH ALDRIDGE’s decision to leave the Pirates for league rival South Florida after one year on the job in early December was perhaps the most pivotal hole to fill on defense. Under Aldridge, ECU led the American Conference in seven different statistical categories.

WHO SIGNED: Let’s start with the new coordinator. JORDAN HANKINS takes over for Aldridge after spending the last five seasons as the DC and linebackers coach at American Conference rival Memphis. A former linebacker at UT-Martin, he launched a dramatic turnaround on defense with the Tigers who went from 111th in total defense in 2023 to 59th nationally last season. Memphis was tied for second in the nation last season in the vital turnover margin category.

The Pirates stayed “in the family” for one of its three end/edge signees. ETHAN WILSON (6-4, 240) is the son of AMOS WILSON, who works with the ECU strength staff, and his uncle is former ECU great C.J. WILSON. Ethan was a late addition during the early signing period, choosing ECU over Delaware. He enjoyed a dominant senior season with 90 tackles, 33 tackles for loss and 13 sacks at North Pitt High in the town of Bethel located 20 minutes from Greenville. Wilson projects as a defensive end.

At the edge or rush end, ECU signed ZYON RATCHFORD (6-3, 215) from South Carolina power Gaffney High and TERANDE SPENCER (6-3, 235) from North Carolina power Richmond Senior. Ratchford made 240 tackles, 27 tackles for loss and five sacks in 38 career games at Gaffney. He picked the Pirates over Coastal Carolina, Appalachian State and USF. Spencer was twice named defensive player of the year in his conference and as a senior earned a spot on North Carolina’s team for the annual Shrine Bowl of the Carolinas all-star game. He finished his prep career with 260 tackles, 77 tackles for loss and 32 sacks in 34 games.

HOW ECU HELPED ITSELF: East Carolina scored two major, under-rated talents in Ratchford and Spencer. They are athletic, aggressive, bright, tackling machines who are destined to be future stars for the Pirates. Because they developed in a high level of prep competition and are already enrolled at ECU, we think they could be in position for playing time next fall.

Wilson may be a little behind those two in terms of development. But he, too, has tremendous potential. He’s a long, lean athlete who always seems to be playing at top speed. Another positive about Wilson is with some added weight he could someday evolve into an interior defensive lineman.

BIG ONE THAT GOT AWAY: CHAN LUMPKIN (6-4, 230), a three-star edge prospect from Taylor County High in Butler, GA, was offered by ECU last April 16 and came to Greenville for an official June 19. The trip was one of three official visits taken by Lumpkin, including Rice and South Florida. Oddly, he made a verbal commitment to American Conference rival Tulane on June 24 without taking an official visit to the school.

WHO’S BACK: Former Michigan State transfer JASIYAH ROBINSON (6-3, 265) came into his own last season at defensive end. Robinson started the last 11 games and delivered 26 tackles, 6.5 tackles for loss and was second on the team with five sacks. Expect Robinson to be a preseason honors candidate as he enters his redshirt senior year. Returning to team with Robinson again as his backup is redshirt junior KIERAN DAVIS (6-2, 250). Davis saw action in all 13 games last fall and logged 21 tackles, 4.5 tackles for loss and two sacks.

Three other defensive ends are back who played in at least one game in 2025 — redshirt sophomore JACOBY MARTIN (6-2, 264), redshirt freshman DYLON WORTHEN (6-2, 243) and redshirt freshman EVAN POWELL (6-4, 247). Powell, from Huntington, MD, made just one tackle in two games. But he finished the year at No. 4 on the defensive end depth chart and was named ECU’s Defensive Scout Team Player of the Year. Worthen made on tackle in two games, while Martin appeared in one game.

Redshirt junior JULIEN DAVIS (6-2, 239) was second on the depth chart at the rush end position in 2025. Davis worked all 13 games and finished with 23 tackles, two tackles for loss and 1.5 sacks. He should get the first shot at the starting job this spring. Competing with Davis will be redshirt senior KENDRICK DUJOUR (6-5, 223). In his debut with the Pirates after transferring from Sam Houston State, DuJour had 11 tackles and an impressive five tackles for loss in six games. But an injury cut short his season and he didn’t play in the final six regular-season games. DuJour returned for the Military Bowl and added two sacks to give him five for the season.

WHO’S GONE: The major loss for ECU came at the edge/rush end where RYHEEM CRAIG stood out the last two seasons. After transferring to ECU from Louisville, Craig racked up 93 tackles, nine tackles for loss and 2.5 tackles for loss for the Pirates in 26 games. He closed out his college career with a 40-tackle, 3.5 tackles-for-loss, one-sack performance in 2025.

Four-year letterman J.D. LAMPLEY, who at times during his career played on the interior, played a lot of end in 2025 (17 tackles, 6.5 tackles for loss in 13 starts).

NEEDS FOR 2027: Robinson and DuJour will exhaust their eligibility after the 2026 season, and KIEREN DAVIS and JULIEN DAVIS will have a single year left after that. So the end and rush positions should be a high priority in recruiting the Class of 2027. Signing three or four would be a good start replenishing the talent at both spots.

January 2026 offers by East Carolina went out to Dublin, GA, defensive end JALEN DARDY (6-4, 240) and edge rusher JASON LEWIS (6-4, 240) from Kissimmee, FL. Dardy was a first-team all-state selection by Recruit Georgia last season after making 47 tackles, 17 tackles for loss and eight sacks for Dublin High. The Pirates offered him on Jan. 22, joining Appalachian State, Liberty, Maryland and Wake Forest. Lewis received his ECU offer on Jan. 29. He had 12 offers as of Feb. 4, with Illinois, Louisville, Maryland, Mississippi State and Syracuse among the others.

PROJECTED ORGANIZATIONAL DEPTH CHART FOR SPRING

DEFENSIVE END

Jasiyah Robinson (6-3, 265) Redshirt Senior, Groveport, OH
Kieren Davis (6-2, 250) Redshirt Junior, Roswell, GA
Evan Powell (6-4, 247) Redshirt Freshman, Huntington, MD
Dylon Worthen (6-2, 243) Redshirt Freshman, Bradenton, FL.
Jacoby Martin (6-2, 264) Redshirt Sophomore, Rockingham, NC
Ethan Wilson (6-5, 240) Freshman, Bethel, NC

EDGE

Julien Davis (6-2, 239) Redshirt Junior, McDonough, GA
Kendrick DuJour (6-5, 223) Redshirt Senior, Mundy’s Mill, GA
Terande Spencer (6-3, 235) Freshman, Rockingham, NC
Zyon Ratchford (6-3,215) Freshman, Gaffney, SC

DEFENSIVE TACKLE/NOSE TACKLE C

WHAT THEY NEEDED: The losses at the tackle spots were expected to be minimal when the season began, so it looked like signing one or two would fill the need. But while ECU didn’t get hit hard numbers-wise by the portal, it did suffer a severe loss. But that didn’t necessarily change the need in recruiting, which remained at one or two.

WHO SIGNED: This is where the position grade takes a hit. So far the Pirates have signed just one potential tackle in KELTON SMITH (6-4, 310) from Gaffney, SC. In his first year playing 11-man football at the prep level for Gaffney High, Smith made 25 tackles and 6.5 tackles for loss.

HOW ECU HELPED ITSELF: Smith is a diamond-in-the-rough, but is physically imposing. But he needs experience, which probably limits him from seeing the field this fall. The Pirates didn’t get any immediate help, so far, from the transfer portal at tackle, which they needed.

BIG ONE THAT GOT AWAY: Massive ZAYDEN WALTERS (6-4, 320) took an official visit to ECU on June 19, 2025, four days after an offer was extended. The Snellville, GA, product, who also visited Virginia Tech, wound up committing to Western Kentucky on June 27.

WHO’S BACK: ECU does have experience returning at the tackle spots with six players who saw action in at least one game last season. The frontrunners to land the two starting jobs heading into spring practice are redshirt junior nose RION ROSEBOROUGH (6-2, 295) and redshirt senior PRESTON CARR (6-3, 295). Both played in 13 games in reserve roles last season with Carr logging a start in the second game against Campbell. He racked up 31 tackles, five tackles for loss and two sacks at the nose tackle spot. Roseborough, a transfer from Towson, made his presence felt with 16 tackles, six tackles for loss and 2.5 sacks.

Redshirt sophomore TORIN BRAZELL (6-2, 278) had two sacks in 12 games as a reserve defensive tackle to lead a quartet of others in the picture at the interior spots. Redshirt sophomore JAVON WILLIAMS (6-2, 303) played in four games, mostly on special teams, while redshirt freshmen DOMINICK MOODY (6-2, 271) and JOSIAH DWYER (6-2, 281) appeared in one game each. Moody is a defensive tackle and Dwyer is a nose tackle.

WHO’S GONE: The big setback here was losing All-American Conference nose tackle ZION WILSON to the transfer portal. A preferred walk-on out of high school who worked his way into a starting job, Wilson delivered 42 tackles, 10 tackles for loss and seven sacks in 2025. He had a year of eligibility left, but chose to use that at Virginia.

The above-mentioned Lampley should also be considered an important loss at tackle because that’s where he spent much of his career. He played in 47 career games with the Pirates, making 72 tackles, 19 tackles for loss and seven sacks.

XAVIER MCIVER had hoped to make an impactful return to ECU after leaving and spending a year at UT-Martin. He started the opening game of the season for ECU and made six tackles and a sack. But a leg injury would keep McIver out the rest of the season and he hit the transfer portal again on Jan. 17.

Backup nose tackle JUSTIN BENTON was also lost to the transfer portal. Benton, who had 14 tackles and a sack in 13 games, left the Pirates for North Texas.

NEEDS FOR 2027: This should be an area of priority for the Pirates, even though they have only one tackle scheduled to depart after the 2026 season. For no other reason, they need to sign two or three here for depth purposes.

Some talented tackle prospects on ECU’s radar for the 2027 class include ANTWAN MCKOY (6-2, 295) from St. Paul’s, NC, and DAZMEAN BRYANT (6-2, 275) from Forney, TX. McKoy is a three-star prospect rated the nation’s No. 39 defensive lineman by 247Sports.com. He received an ECU offer back on April 6, 2025, and is now up to 15 overall offers. Bryant was a first-team all-district pick as a junior after making 67 tackles, eight tackles for loss and two sacks. He received his first, and only scholarship offer at this point from ECU on Jan. 22, 2026.

PROJECTED ORGANIZATIONAL DEPTH CHART FOR SPRING

DEFENSIVE TACKLE

RION ROSEBOROUGH (6-2, 295) Redshirt Junior, Greenville, NC
TORIN BRAZELL (6-2, 278) Redshirt Sophomore, Starke, FL
DOMINICK MOODY (6-2, 271) Redshirt Freshman, Kennesaw, GA

NOSE TACKLE
PRESTON CARR (6-3, 295) Redshirt Senior, Timberlake, NC
JAVON WILLIAMS (6-2, 303) Redshirt Sophomore, Largo, FL
JOSIAH DWYER (6-2, 281) Redshirt Freshman, Bennettsville, SC
KELTON SMIH (6-4, 310) Freshman, Gaffney, SC

LINEBACKER B-

WHAT THEY NEEDED: Four was the need at linebacker when the season started because that’s how many scholarship players were set to graduate. A couple of portal losses at the end of the year pushed that total to five.

WHO SIGNED: Brothers CREWS (6-1, 225) and CADE LAW (6-1, 225), from Nashville, TN, come to ECU via the transfer portal from Memphis. Crews, a redshirt sophomore, worked nine games for the Tigers in his first year after transferring from North Carolina. He made 25 tackles, 3.5 tackles for loss and 1.5 sacks as a reserve linebacker and special teams player. Cade started out his college career at Vanderbilt as a baseball player before departing the diamond for a football career at North Carolina. He played in 23 games over to seasons at UNC with three tackles. Moving with his brother to Memphis in 2025, Cade appeared in only two games.

Hailing from Hampton, GA, 6-0, 235-pound CHAD FAIRCHILD was named the 3-AAAAA Defensive Player of the Year and first-team all-state by the Atlanta Journal Constitution as a senior at Lovejoy High School. The Pirates beat out Marshall and N.C. State for Fairchild. Running back-turned-safety-turned linebacker LINDELL PORTER (6-0, 215) made the latter transition as a senior at state power Hough High in Cornelius, NC. Despite missing games due to injury, Porter racked up 48 tackles, 8.5 tackles for loss and 5.5 sacks for the state 8-A champions as a senior.

HOW ECU HELPED ITSELF: The Law brothers are inside backers capable of making plays from sideline-to-sideline. Crews may have the bigger upside since he’s younger, but Cade has significant FBS experience and a need to prove he’s more than just a career reserve. They both should compete for playing time, or a starting job at the inside linebacker this spring.

Fairchild isn’t flashy, but just has that mixture of raw athleticism and football instincts that could propel him up the depth chart very early at middle or inside linebacker. Porter is lightning quick and delivers big hits when he reaches the ballcarrier. He, too, could find his way on the field early at ECU on special teams.

BIG ONE THAT GOT AWAY: In one of the stranger situations with the recruiting Class of 2026, JEREMIAH ROUX (6-3, 215) from Mundy’s Mill High in Jonesboro, GA, not only made a verbal commitment to ECU (June 30, 2025), he also signed with the Pirates during the early period in December. Without explanation, Roux announced with a Jan. 6 post on X that he was no longer signed with ECU and his recruitment was back open. He then signed on Feb. 4, 2026 with Troy.

WHO’S BACK: Redshirt junior D.J. JOHNSON (6-0, 234) emerged as a prime-time player in his third season at ECU. He started eight of 13 games and ranked second on the team in tackles with 60 (also five tackles for loss). Johnson should resume his starting spot at an outside linebacker spot next fall. Right behind Johnson on the depth chart outside is redshirt senior JACKSON BARKER (6-2, 227), who worked himself from walk-on scout-team star to a vital part of ECU’s linebacker corps. Barker made 21 tackles, 1.5 tackles for loss and a sack while appearing in all 13 games last season.

Sophomore JORDAN MILES (6-1, 200) is the next most-experienced linebacker, getting nine games under his belt as a reserve and special teams player in 2025. Rounding out the returning linebacker corps are redshirt sophomore walk-on JAYDEN OLDEN (6-1, 230), redshirt sophomore walk-on REAGAN PRINTY (6-1, 217) and redshirt freshman walk-on LANDON LEWIS (6-3, 205).

WHO’S GONE: Middle linebacker DAMEON WILSON earned third-team All-American Conference honors as a senior. Wilson, who came to ECU after a short stint at Missouri, finished fifth in team tackles (54) and was second in tackles for loss (7.5) in anchoring the Pirate defense.

Valuable special teams player and middle linebacker reserve NOAH HOLMES also completed his eligibility. Holmes finished his career playing in 26 games with 26 tackles and 1.5 tackles for loss.

Promising freshman KENDRIC DAVIS opted to enter the transfer portal after playing in just two games last season. He has signed to play for FCS West Georgia.

SAMUEL DANKAH was the starter in seven of 13 games last season at outside linebacker, where he made 58 tackles, seven tackles for loss and 1.5 sacks. Dankah was believed to be out of eligibility, but in late January his name popped up in the transfer portal. On January 26, however, reports had Dankah redrawing his name from the portal. Dankha’s name was not on the 2026 roster on ECU’s website as of Feb. 4.

NEEDS FOR 2027: Three or four linebacker signees are required to replace graduating players and to beef up the depth chart.

KENNETH BAKER III (6-0, 210) could be one of those signees. He was an all-state choice by the Atlanta Journal Constitution in 2025 at Calvary Day School in Savannah, GA. Appalachian State, Liberty, Massachusetts and ECU (Oct. 30, 2025, offer) are his main suitors at this point. MCKENZIE GRAHAM (6-2, 180) made 87 tackles, 15 tackles for loss and 4.5 sacks as a junior at Colquitt High in Moultrie, GA. His offer list features Appalachian State, Charlotte, Georgia State, Kennesaw State, Liberty, Louisville, Marshall, Mississippi State, Troy and ECU (Jan. 23, 2026, offer).

PROJECTED ORGANIZATIONAL DEPTH CHART FOR SPRING

WEAKSIDE LINEBACKER

D.J. Johnson (6-0, 224) Redshirt Junior, Hampton, GA
Jackson Barker (6-2, 227) Redshirt Senior, Fuquay-Varina, NC
Lindell Porter (6-0, 215) Freshman, Cornelius, NC
Jordan Miles (6-1, 200) Sophomore, Huntsville, AL
Reagan Printy (6-1, 217) Redshirt Sophomore, Wilmington, NC
Landon Lewis (6-3, 205) Redshirt Freshman, Newport, NC

MIDDLE LINEBACKER

Crews Law (6-1, 225) Redshirt Sophomore, Nashville, TN
Cade Law (6-1, 225) Redshirt Senior, Nashville, TN
Chad Faircloth (6-0, 235) Freshman, Hampton, GA
Jayden Olden (6-1, 230) Redshirt Sophomore, Monroe, NC

DEFENSIVE BACK A+

WHAT THEY NEEDED: All five starters in ECU’s base 4-2-5 alignment either graduated or hit the transfer portal along with two other top reserves. Those losses turned the secondary into ECU’s biggest priority in the recruiting Class of 2026. The Pirates needed experience and the numbers to account for those losses.

WHO SIGNED: The Pirates achieved the number part by bringing in three secondary players from the prep ranks and another six from the transfer portal. The latter group includes some much needed veterans, and the entire group should be competing for starting jobs.

Leading the portal additions are redshirt junior safety ZYEIR GAMBLE (5-10, 195) and redshirt senior cornerback-safety ASHTON LEVELLS-MITCHELL (6-1, 170). Gamble was a two-year letterman at Appalachian State, who started all 12 games for the Mountaineers in 2025. He ranked second on the team in tackles (76) and added 3.5 tackles for loss and two interceptions. Levells-Mitchell has 42 games of college experience under his belt at various levels, the last 22 coming at Florida International. He played in all 13 games last season (4 starts) and finished with 20 tackles.

Arriving from Minnesota is senior cornerback JAYLEN BOWDEN (6-1, 180), a Charlotte native who started his college career at FCS N.C. Central where he made 10 starts in 2024. He played in three games at Minnesota last season and saw action against the likes of Ohio State and Nebraska. Cornerback RAE’MON MOSBY (6-0, 190) is a redshirt sophomore who played in 17 games and had eight tackles in two seasons at Louisville before moving to ECU.

Safeties CHRISTIAN PETERSON (5-10, 185) and MYLES POLLARD (6-2, 190) complete the transfer portal additions to the secondary. Peterson, a junior, spent two seasons (17 games) as a reserve and kick returner at UCF. Pollard is an interesting story, having lettered three seasons at Michigan (10 games) before transferring to Memphis last season. An injury prevented him from playing a down with the Tigers, but new ECU defensive coordinator JORDAN HANKINS saw enough of him while coaching at Memphis to bring him along to Greenville.

The high school signees are cornerback DAVID COLEMAN JR (5-11, 165) from Kingsland, GA, cornerback AMARE MACK (5-11, 175) from Jacksonville, FL, and safety DIJMON MCLENDON (5-11, 175) from Tucker, GA. Coleman notched 108 career tackles and averaged 30.2 yards on kickoff returns at Camden County High School, while Mack had 30 tackles and four interceptions as a senior at University Christian High. McLendon racked up more than 30 scholarship offers, including those from Alabama, Michigan and Mississippi before choosing East Carolina.

HOW ECU HELPED ITSELF: This group helped ECU in every way possible. They add depth, talent, experience and immediate help in the area the Pirates most needed it.

Gamble’s tackling and coverage skills make him a strong candidate to compete for the starting job at free safety. If healthy, Pollard has big-time experience and the versatility to figure prominently at either strong safety or nickel. Levells-Mitchell also brings vast experience and playmaking abilities at safety or cornerback.

Bowden brings length and coverage skills at corner, while Peterson is another multi-positional athlete with elite speed. Mosby is another speedy corner with a big upside.

The high school signees, all of whom are already enrolled at ECU, will initially add depth in the secondary. Coleman is a dynamite athlete who could compete for playing time as a kick returner immediately. Mack excels in one-on-one coverage, while McLendon is a hard-hitting safety/special teams athlete.

BIG ONE THAT GOT AWAY: JAMARION KEYES (6-1, 195) is rated the nation’s No. 20 junior college safety from Northwest Mississippi Community College. Keyes earned all-league honors in 2025 after making 46 tackles and an interception. He traveled to Greenville for an official visit on Nov. 16, 2025, and two days later received an official scholarship offer from the Pirates. But two days before Thanksgiving, Keyes announced his intention to play for Troy.

WHO’S BACK: Let’s try to attack these 14 returnees by position.

The veterans back at nickel are junior KEVON MERRILL (6-1, 188) and redshirt sophomore ALEX MOYE (6-2, 190). Merrill was second on the depth chart at nickel last season and appeared in all 13 games with a stat line of 28 tackles, 4.5 tackles for loss and an interception. Moye, a walk-on in the fall of 2024, was third on the depth chart last season at nickel. He played in eight games, making five tackles.

AYDEN DUNCANSON (6-0, 194) is the top returner at strong safety. A redshirt junior from Atlanta, Ga., Duncanson made 33 tackles and a sack in 13 games last season. Redshirt sophomore DEMARIUS HINES (5-11, 194) played in 12 games on special teams in 2024, but missed all of 2025 with a knee injury. Hines could be a factor at strong safety or nickel if he’s fully recovered. The remaining strong safeties back are walk-ons TIMOTHY PATTERSON (5-11, 183), a redshirt sophomore who played in one game last season, and redshirt sophomore MILES GADDY (6-1, 185). Gaddy didn’t see any action in 2025, but was named ECU’s Special Teams Scout Player of the Year.

The Pirates are well stocked at free safety, despite the defections. Three players who saw action in 10 or more games last season are back, starting with redshirt junior KAMAURRI MCKINLEY (6-2, 185). McKinley made 24 tackles and an interception last season in 10 games at free safety. Redshirt senior JOSH BENTON (5-11, 200) is a special teams standout, who saw more playing time in the secondary in 2025. Benton made 13 tackles and 2.5 tackles for loss last season. Redshirt freshman DURANTE SPEER (6-0, 195) is a physical, intense underclassmen who did not play last season.

Only five players are back at the two cornerback positions, but the most experienced played in just four games last season. Redshirt freshman DERRION HORSLEY (6-2, 196) made three tackles in four games, redshirt freshman ANGELO ROSS (6-1, 170) had two tackles in three games, redshirt sophomore JARNEE LATTIMORE (5-10, 167) had two tackles in two games and redshirt junior ADAM COLE (6-0, 185) had no stats in three games. Maryland transfer JONATHAN AKINS (5-11, 199) and redshirt freshman TAVIUS HORNE (5-11, 166) didn’t see any action in 2025, but both bring elite speed to the table at corner.

WHO’S GONE: The entire starting secondary was wiped out due to graduation and portal departures. Western Carolina transfer JORDAN LOWERY started nine of 12 games at left corner (27 tackles, 2 tackles for loss) and would have been a senior this season at ECU. Instead, Lowery hit the transfer portal and landed a spot on the roster at Florida. His backup, CHANCE GRAVES, also completed his eligibility after making 10 tackles in 13 games.

RASHEED REASON, a redshirt senior transfer from Old Dominion, started five of the first six games in 2025 at the right corner before a leg injury sidelined him the rest of the season. When Reason went down, senior TYMIR BROWN took over and contributed 28 tackles and an interception. Both players completed their college eligibility.

Strong safety JA’MARLEY RIDDLE was on his way to all-star status with the Pirates after leading the team in tackles (70) and interceptions (3) last season. But Riddle decided to find a new home for his final college season and was signed by national power Georgia. Free safety TEAGAN WILK made a triumphant return to ECU for his final college season after a year at Houston. Wilk started all 13 games finishing four in tackles (54) and making two interceptions.

JONATHAN JEAN came to ECU as a grad transfer last season and handled the nickel position most of the year. In 13 games, Jean made 45 tackles and 3.5 tackles for loss to close out his college career.

Also departing was second-team free safety LADARIAN PAULK (10 games, 8 tackles in 2025), who left for NCAA Division II Central Missouri, corner/nickel KEY CROWELL (11 games, 4 tackles) to Illinois State and redshirt freshman safety O’MARION LEWIS (1 game, no tackles) to FCS Campbell.

NEEDS FOR 2027: Four seniors are among the current crop of secondary players, so replacing that quartet is expected. But ECU needs more depth, especially at cornerback. Signing three or four players there and at least two others at the remaining secondary spots should be the target for 2027.

JAYLON RICHARDSON (5-11, 165) is a cornerback from state champion Northwestern in Rock Hill, SC, who was offered by ECU on Jan. 20, 2026. Richardson made 44 tackles, four tackles for loss, two sacks and three interceptions during Northwestern’s title run. He’s received other offers from Campbell, Charlotte, East Tennessee State, Miami of Ohio, Southern Miss, Tulsa, UNLV and Western Kentucky.

A safety in ECU’s crosshairs is JOSH ALFORD (5-11, 180) from Colquitt High in Moultrie, GA. Alford, whose been timed at 4.36 in the 40-yard dash, made 81 tackles, seven tackles for loss and two interceptions as a junior. The Pirates gave Alford his third scholarship offer on Jan. 26, 2026. He also has offers from Appalachian State, Arkansas State, Georgia Southern, Liberty, Old Dominion, Troy and Tulane.

PROJECTED ORGANIZATIONAL DEPTH CHART FOR SPRING

NICKEL

Kevon Merrell (6-1, 188) Junior, Cordele, GA
Christian Peterson (5-10, 185) Junior, Dothan, GA
Alex Moye (6-2, 190) Redshirt Sophomore, Farmville, NC
DeMarius Hines (5-11, 194) Redshirt Sophomore, Atlanta, GA

Strong Safety

Myles Pollard (6-2, 190) Redshirt Senior, Nashville, TN
Ayden Duncanson (6-0, 194) Redshirt Junior, Atlanta, GA
Miles Gaddy (6-1, 185) Redshirt Sophomore, Fuquay-Varina, NC

Free Safety

Zyeir Gamble (5-10, 195) Redshirt Junior, Sumter, SC
Kamaurri McKinley (6-2, 186) Redshirt Junior, Lakeland, FL
Josh Benton (5-11, 200) Redshirt Senior, Jacksonville, NC
Durante Speer (6-0, 195) Redshirt Freshman, Decatur, GA
Dijmon McLendon (5-11, 175) Freshman, Tucker, GA

Cornerback

Ashton Levells-Mitchell (6-1, 170) Redshirt Senior, DeSoto, TX
Rae’mon Mosby (6-0, 190) Redshirt Sophomore, Marreo, LA
Derrion Horsely (6-2, 196) Redshirt Freshman, Sharpsburg, GA
Angelo Ross (6-1, 170) Redshirt Freshman, Baltimore, MD
Jonathan Akins (5-11, 199) Redshirt Sophomore, Madison, FL
Adam Cole (6-0, 185) Redshirt Junior, Asheboro, NC

Cornerback

Tavius Horne (5-11, 166) Redshirt Freshman, Ft. Lauderdale, FL
David Coleman, Jr. (5-11, 165) Freshman, Kingsland, GA
Amare Mack (5-11, 175) Freshman, Jacksonville, FL
Jurnee Lattimore (5-10, 165) Redshirt Sophomore, Dallas, NC

PUNTER A

WHAT THEY NEEDED: East Carolina carried just two punters in 2025, and one of those completed his eligibility at the end of the season. Signing a punter wasn’t a priority, but certainly a need.

WHO SIGNED: The Pirates scooped up ELLIOT HUETHER (6-3, 211), a three-year punter starter at FCS St. Thomas. Huether averaged 42.4 yards per punt on 144 career kicks for the Tommies.

HOW ECU HELPED ITSELF: Huether, a senior, will compete for the starting job. He has a big leg, but has also displayed excellent accuracy, landing 28 balls inside the 20-yard line during his career at St. Thomas.

BIG ONE THAT GOT AWAY: Huether was ECU’s main target at punter.

WHO’S BACK: Redshirt sophomore TOMAS O’HALLORAN split the punting duties with RYAN LEAVY last season. The Australian native averaged 42.1 yards on 21 punts with a long of 53 yards. He’ll battle Huether for the starting job.

WHO’S GONE: RYAN LEAVY came over from Duke for his final season of eligibility and shared the punting duties with O’Halloran. Leavy averaged 38.3 yards on 22 punts and landed five inside the 20-yard line.

NEEDS FOR 2027: O’Halloran looks like ECU’s punter of the future, but for insurance the Pirates may need to secure another one by scholarship or walk-on in the Class of 2027.

A pair of regional punters worthy of ECU’s attention are HARRISON MISCHKE and ELLIOT PARROTT. Mischke, from Midlothian High in Virginia, is rated the nation’s No. 14 punter prospect by Kohl’s Professional Camps and averaged 44.6 yards per punt as a junior. Parrott, from Goose Creek, SC, is No. 18 on Kohl’s list.

PROJECTED ORGANIZATIONAL DEPTH CHART FOR SPRING

PUNTER

Elliot Huether (6-3, 211) Senior, Minneapolis, MN
Tomas O’Halloran (6-3, 200) Redshirt Sophomore, Onkaparinga Hills, South Australia

DEFENSIVE GRADE B+

The Pirates added much-needed, immediate help at linebacker and in the secondary. But low numbers at line positions pulled the grade down slightly.

OVERALL CLASS GRADE A-

The class was far from perfect, but the incoming offensive group graded out an A- and the defensive recruiting haul is rated a respectable B+. Most of the immediate holes were filled on offense and defense, and the true freshmen bring loads of potential to the roster. Pulling in a handful of former four-star prospects added a lot of flash to the class. This group should help sustain ECU’s success next fall and beyond.