Another big official visit weekend netted the biggest recruiting victory of the 2027 cycle so far for East Carolina and coach Blake Harrell. Four-star edge rusher Andrew Rogers from Grimsley High announced Saturday morning that he was committing to the Pirates.
247Sports ranks Rogers as the No. 14 prospect in North Carolina and the No. 39 edge rusher nationally.
The 6-6, 240-pounder becomes the highest-rated commitment in ECU’s 2027 class – and one of the highest-rated commitments in recent program history, according to Stephen Igoe of Hoist The Colours, a 247Sports site devoted to ECU athletics.
Rogers is currently the second-highest ranked North Carolina prospect currently committed to an in-state program, trailing only Duke pledge King Kalama of Pfafftown’s Reagan High School.
Rogers reported more than 20 Division I offers. He had multiple SEC suitors, including Arkansas, Auburn, Georgia, Kentucky, LSU, Missouri, South Carolina and Tennessee.
Other Power 4 offers came from UNC, Clemson, Virginia Tech, Florida State, Georgia Tech, Kansas, Louisville, Michigan State, UCLA and Notre Dame. He visited UNC in May and had plans to visit Clemson but canceled that trip.
Rogers began his high school career at Greensboro Dudley. His recruiting roared to life after his sophomore season in 2024 when he recorded 23 sacks and 34 tackles-for-loss, while forcing three fumbles and recovering another.
Rogers transferred to Grimsley in 2025. He initially reclassified to the Class of 2026 and committed to Virginia Tech last August. But he decommitted from the Hokies in November and reclassified back to 2027.
Rogers’ stat line last season wasn’t as prolific as 2024 – 50 total tackles, 13 TFLs and eight sacks, per MaxPreps. But it didn’t need to be. Grimsley had a talent-rich roster that sailed to a 7A state championship with an undefeated record.
Rogers becomes the 10th commitment from the Class of 2027 for East Carolina. His impact was immediately visible in the recruiting rankings. East Carolina jumped from No. 134 nationally in the 247Sports team rankings to No. 73 following his commitment. While recruiting rankings remain fluid this early in the cycle, the dramatic rise underscores how highly Rogers is regarded by evaluators.
What Does It Mean?
This was a huge win for Harrell and the Pirates, who are hoping to build on last season’s nine-win campaign.
Rogers is not only one of the top prospects in North Carolina’s Class of 2027, but also a player who has attracted attention from programs across the SEC and ACC for several years.
Keeping a Top-15 in-state prospect in North Carolina is noteworthy. Convincing him to choose ECU over a lengthy list of Power 4 options is a feather in Harrell’s cap.
The commitment also continues a positive trend for the Pirates on the recruiting trail after somewhat of a slow start. Rogers becomes ECU’s highest-rated pledge in the 2027 class and gives the program another marquee in-state prospect to build around as the cycle continues.
Perhaps most importantly, it sends a message that Harrell and ECU can compete for some of North Carolina’s best talent. The Pirates won’t win every recruiting battle against ACC and SEC programs, but landing a player of Rogers’ caliber shows momentum continues to build in Greenville.
👉 Follow ECU Football Recruiting: See who else has committed to the Pirates for 2027.
More North Carolina football recruiting content
NC Football News is tracking recruiting from both sides of the state’s football pipeline:
- North Carolina high school commitments: See where in-state high school players have committed.
- North Carolina college commitment tracker: See which players are joining North Carolina’s FBS and FCS programs
- Latest Recruiting News & Updates: Explore our news feed for NC recruiting coverage and more.
