It hasn’t been a stretch worth celebrating for the East Carolina Pirates in recent seasons. Accustomed to being one of the best Group of Five teams in the country, the Pirates have endured two losing seasons in the past four years, including a dreadful 2-10 campaign in 2023.
Looking to bounce back, the Pirates will count some All-AAC defenders among their top returning players in 2024.
East Carolina Pirates Top Returning Players
10) J.D. Lampley, Edge
J.D. Lampley has had a long road to his current position, but the athletic freak is finally finding a role as a rotational pass-rushing specialist. He racked up 22 pressures in just 163 pass rushing snaps last season, lining up all over the defense and really pushing the pocket.
9) Javious Bond, RB
Javious Bond didn’t get a ton of run last season, but he made the most of his limited playing time. Bond averaged almost 6 yards a carry and caught 10 passes for the Pirates last season in a primary backup role.
Bond did miss a few games in the middle of the year with injury, so he’ll look to stay healthy in 2024.
8) Winston Wright Jr., WR
Winston Wright Jr. is an intriguing addition to a thin receiving room. He had over 1,300 yards in three seasons at West Virginia, then missed the entirety of the 2022 campaign, transferred to Florida State, and played in only four games last season.
If he’s healthy, though, Wright is a proven slot receiver, even if he hasn’t played consistently in three years.
7) Isaiah Brown-Murray, CB
One-half of a talented corner duo, Isaiah Brown-Murray is often the forgotten piece across from All-AAC corner Shavon Revel. However, he was solid last season, especially as a run-support corner.
Brown-Murray is a solid tackler, but will look to limit big plays, something he struggled to do at times last season.
6) Mike Edwards III, LB
Mike Edwards III is the leading returning tackler for the Pirates in 2024 after racking up 59 last season, good for second on the team. He’s one of the only experienced linebackers on this roster, so it will be monumentally important for Edwards to be at the top of his game in the middle of the defense.
5) Rahjai Harris, RB
Rahjai Harris has been with the Pirates for four years, racking up over 2,200 yards from scrimmage in that time. He’s the unquestioned leader of the running game and will look to put together a super senior campaign that puts him in position to potentially make an NFL roster next season.
4) Chase Sowell, WR
The wide receiver room isn’t very deep for the Pirates in 2024, so Chase Sowell will take on a lot of extra pressure as one of the few proven commodities within the group.
MORE: Simulate the College Football Season with CFN’s College Football Playoff Predictor
Sowell had a strong year in 2023, catching 47 passes for 622 yards on an inconsistent passing offense, but only cashed in with one touchdown on the year.
3) Chad Stephens, IDL
Half of the best defensive tackle duo in the conference (if not the entirety of the Group of Five), Chad Stephens really came into his own last season.
Stephens plays all over the defensive line and is a bit of a tackle/end tweener. However, Stephens can really get after the passer and he played really well down the stretch.
2) D’Anta Johnson, IDL
Like the aforementioned Stephens, D’Anta Johnson is a dominant defensive lineman, and he was recognized as such with All-AAC Second Team honors after the 2023 season. He plays more of a run-stuffing nose tackle role for the Pirates, and every opponent will have him and Stephens circled in their pregame film sessions.
1) Shavon Revel, CB
Despite struggling as a team last season, the Pirates’ defense was solid, especially towards the end of the year.
Revel is the best secondary player on a defense that returns a lot from last season. He was an All-AAC pick last year and thrived in coverage, allowing only a 44% completion percentage and deflecting 10 passes.
College Football Network has you covered with the latest news and analysis, rankings, transfer portal information, top 10 returning players, the 2024 college football season schedule, and much more!