Elon football added a pair of in-state offensive playmakers to its 2025 commitment list over the Fourth of July weekend.
Wide receivers Jaedon Alford from Rolesville (Rolesville HS) and Ben Kirsch from Charlotte (Ardrey Kell HS) pledged for the Phoenix in separate social media announcements.
Alford (6-0, 190) collected first-team all-state honors at the 4A level last season. He caught 92 passes for 1,815 yards and 21 touchdowns for the Rams, who won 12 games in 2023.
Alford noted a number of FBS offers on his 247Sports profile page, including from Wake Forest, Appalachian State, Charlotte and East Carolina among others. Rolesville landed a top seed for the 4A playoffs before being knocked out of the post-season by Cardinal Gibbons.
Kirsch (6-4, 190) plays wide receiver for Ardrey Kell and earned South Meck 4A all-conference honors this past season. He earned his team’s offensive player of the year award. Per HighSchoolOT, he averaged 77.6 receiving yards per game in ’23.
Kirsch also listed Marshall, Liberty, Old Dominion and Georgia Southern on his interest list, published at MaxPreps.com.
Elon competes in the FCS Coastal Athletic Association.
The Phoenix have been strong in recruiting this summer. Earlier this week, defensive back/athlete Tyler Hart from Baltimore (Dunbar HS) pledged for Elon. Last month, the Phoenix gained commitments from a pair of linemen from the Charlotte area — offensive lineman Nolan Irwin (Northwest Cabarrus HS) and defensive tackle Chaz Knox (Mallard Creek HS).
Elon heads into the 2024 season as one of the top teams to watch in the CAA. The Phoenix open Friday, Aug. 30 at Duke and then will return to Durham the following weekend to face North Carolina Central.
