East Carolina football is officially on the board with the Class of 2026.
After a critical official visit weekend in Greenville, the Pirates have landed their first three commitments from rising seniors — including a pair of in-state prospects. The early class is headlined by three-star edge rusher Terande Spencer from Richmond Senior, joined by offensive lineman Preston Broadway (Metrolina Christian Academy) and defensive tackle Kelton Smith, a diamond-in-the-rough prospect from South Carolina.
Until now, ECU had been the only FBS program in the state — one of the few in the country — without a single 2026 commitment. That changed in a hurry for coach Blake Harrell and staff after the weekend’s recruiting blitz.
Meanwhile, rivals like Appalachian State and Charlotte have been racking up commitments. Each already has 10+ pledges in the fold.
🧨 Edge Rusher Terande Spencer Brings Production, Power
Spencer is a three-star prospect ranked No. 23 in North Carolina by 247Sports and No. 52 nationally among edge defenders. He made an April visit to ECU, returned this past weekend, and gave the Pirates his verbal commitment.
The 6-3, 235-pound pass rusher had a dominant junior year at Richmond, recording 101 tackles, 36 tackles-for-loss and 17 sacks. He also holds offers from UNC, Charlotte, App State, Troy and USF.
“On tape, he shows the ability to impact games consistently with a difference-making pass rush, including a devastating spin that high school linemen struggle to contain.”
Spencer’s decision continues a pipeline trend between Richmond Senior and ECU.
🔨 Broadway Brings A Mauler Mentality
Offensive line commit Preston Broadway doesn’t have a star rating, but ECU’s staff has tracked him closely since he impressed in camp last summer, according to Hoist The Colours, a 247Sports site devoted to the Pirates. Despite a lack of FBS offers and a smaller frame than most major program linemen, Broadway’s physicality and upside made him a priority.
He plays for Metrolina Christian Academy in Indian Trail and was named all-state and first-team all-conference last season.
“Broadway popped up on our radar after an East Carolina offer and he performed well in camp settings this spring. He’s a mauler in the running game and his highlight tape is play after play of him punishing defensive linemen, flattening anyone who gets in his way.” – Prep RedZone
“He is explosive off the ball, plays with violence, and often punishes defenders with pancake blocks… projects as a guard or center at the Division I level.” – 247Sports
ECU is his only current D1 offer, according to 247Sports. He committed after his weekend visit to campus.
🏈 Versatile DT Kelton Smith Will Be One To Watch
Kelton Smith, a 6-4, 310-pound defensive lineman from Gaffney, SC, is just starting to show up on the recruiting radar. He played the 2024 season in an eight-man league at Oakbrook Prep, showcasing freakish versatility — 70 tackles, 11 TFLs, plus two touchdown catches and 94 rushing yards.
Smith committed shortly after receiving his first Division I offer from ECU during the visit.
He’ll return to traditional 11-man football this fall at Gaffney High, a perennial power in South Carolina.
🔁 Pirates Hoping To Build On Momentum
This marks the first full high school class for Blake Harrell, who went from coordinator to interim head coach to full-time head coach during a topsy-turvy 2024. The Pirates fired Mike Houston following a slow start, then surged to eight wins under Harrell, capped by a Military Bowl win over NC State.
Harrell’s steady presence and aggressive evaluation style are already paying off.
While the Pirates’ 2026 class still has a long way to go, this weekend gave ECU a foundation — and maybe a few gems — to build on.
📌 More 2026 Recruiting Coverage:
- 🔁 NC High School Commitment Tracker – Where top NC prospects are committing (in-state & out-of-state)
- 🎯 NC College Commitment Tracker – Who’s heading to North Carolina college programs (from NC and beyond)
- 📊 NC Class of 2026 Player Rankings – Our composite rankings based on 247Sports, Rivals, On3 & ESPN
📊Preston Broadway | ECU 2026 Commit
- 🧩 Position: Offensive Line
- 📍 Hometown: Indian Trail, NC
- 🎓 High School: Metrolina Christian Academy Warriors (5-5 in 2024)
- 🧢 High School Coach: Thomas Langley
- 📏 Height/Weight: 6-3, 280
- 🏅 247Sports Ranking: n/a
- 🎯 Offers/Interest: East Carolina has been bullish since evaluating Broadway at a camp in 2024. Wofford and James Madison also showed interest
- 🗒️News & Notables: Earned all-state status a year ago and has twice been named first-team all-conference
📊Terande Spencer | ECU Commit 2026
- 🧩 Position: Edge
- 📍 Hometown: Rockingham, NC
- 🎓 High School: Richmond Raiders (10-3 in 2024)
- 🧢 High School Coach: Brad Denson
- 📏 Height/Weight: 6-3, 235
- 📚 GPA: 3.2
- 🏅 247Sports Ranking: 3 stars, the No. 23 player in North Carolina and the No. 52 edge rusher nationally.
- 🎯 Offers/Interest: East Carolina’s offer has been on the table since January. Spencer, who has made multiple trips to Greenville, picked the Pirates over in-state offers from North Carolina, Charlotte and Appalachian State, as well as Troy and South Florida.
- 🗒️ News & Notables: Spencer lived in opposing backfields last season, recording 36 tackles for loss and 17 sacks. He finished with 101 total stops, helping Richmond win the Sandhills 3A/4A.
📊Kelton Smith | ECU 2026 Commit
🧩 Position: Defensive Tackle
📍 Hometown: Gaffney, SC
🎓 High School: Gaffney Indians
🧢 High School Coach: Donnie Littlejohn
📏 Height/Weight: 6-4, 310
🏅 247Sports Ranking: n/a
🎯 Offers/Interest: Smith is just starting to arrive on the recruiting scene. East Carolina represented his first known Division I offer.
🗒️ News & Notables: Smith played eight-man football this past year at Oakbrook Prep in Spartanburg, SC, lining up at multiple positions on both sides of the ball. He scored a pair of receiving touchdowns and racked up 70 tackles, including 11 TFLs.
