Despite a coaching change late in the recruiting cycle, Campbell football still landed one of the top classes in the FCS ranks.
247Sports.com ranked the Camels’ latest group of signees fifth at the FCS level — and 134th in all of Division I (counting FBS), as of its Saturday, Feb. 10 update.
Campbell signed 10 players in this cycle, six during the December early period and four this week.
Houston Christian had the best FCS class, according to 247Sports. The Huskies were 129th in all of Division I. Jackson State was No. 2 among FCS schools (131st), followed by Sacramento State (132nd), Cal Poly (133rd) and then the Camels.
Campbell’s February signees included North Carolina transfer linebacker Jalen Brooks of Knightdale (Cardinal Gibbons HS), two incoming freshmen offensive linemen from Georgia (Donovan Thompson and Jordan Weekes) and freshman wideout Randall King of Rocky Mount (Northern Nash HS).
Mike Minter stepped down as Campbell’s head coach in mid-December. The Camels announced Braxton Harris as the new head of the program Jan. 2. Harris served on Minter’s staff at Campbell in 2021 and 2022, then served as Houston Christian’s head coach in 2023.
The Camels recruited well when Harris was in Buies Creek. Houston Christian finished 6-5 in 2023 under Harris’ leadership.
“Coach Harris is not only one of the best recruiters in the country,” Hannah Bazemore, Campbell director of athletics, said when he was announced as head coach. “But he has a vision and a plan for Campbell football, focused on accountability and the development of our student-athletes both on and off the field. His familiarity with our team and our community, coupled with his leadership abilities make Coach Harris a perfect fit to continue the upward trajectory of this program, and guide it to its next step.”
Campbell finished 5-6 a year ago in its first season in the CAA.
–> READ MORE: Which FCS teams have had the most success over the past decade?
Campbell’s 2024 Football Signing Class
Jalen Brooks | LB | 5-11 | 240 | Knightdale, N.C. | Cardinal Gibbons
Randall King | WR | 6-2 | 190 | Rocky Mount, N.C. | Northern Nash HS
Donovan Thompson | OL | 6-6 | 315 | Washington, D.C. | Meadowcreek HS (Ga.)
Jordan Weekes | OL | 6-8 | 325 | Toronto, Ontario | Rabun Gap-Nacoochee School (Ga.)
Ashton Allman | OL | 6-5 | 270 | McArthur, Ohio | Vinton County HS
Reginald “Kado” Felder III | LB | 6-1 | 220 | Fresno, Calif. | Washington Union HS
Semaj Jackson | DB | 5-10 | 175 | Ft. Lauderdale, Fla. | American Heritage HS
Jonathan Melvin | LB | 6-1 | 240 | Hampton, Va. | University of Pennsylvania
Donavan Philord | DB | 5-11 | 180 | Hialeah, Fla. | Norland HS
Bryan Wilson | QB | 5-11 | 210 | Corona, Calif. | Eleanor Roosevelt HS
