Credit coaches like Appalachian State’s Dowell Loggains and East Carolina’s Blake Harrell. They’re challenging Power 4 programs for key 2026 recruiting prospects and winning, both for in-state and out-of-state players.
Big official visit weekends netted a new round of pledges for both the Mountaineers and Pirates. We wrote about some of them yesterday (check out our June 21 Recruiting Buzz HERE). But we didn’t get them all.
ECU beat out schools like Michigan State for in-state wide receiver Rai’shawn Elmore (Indian Trail | Porter Ridge HS). Appalachian State got a commitment from edge rusher Tristan Lyles (Phenix City, AL | Central HS), who had multiple SEC, ACC and Big 12 offers.
Here is more information on the most recent pledges to App State, ECU, Duke and Wake Forest:
Appalachian State Mountaineers | Latest 2026 Commits
Tristan Lyles | Edge | Committed 6/22/2025
Phenix City, AL | Central HS | 6-1, 238
Lyles, a three-star edge rusher according to 247Sports, had nearly two dozen offers – including from the SEC (Arkansas, Auburn, Kentucky, Vanderbilt), ACC (Georgia Tech) and Big 12 (Colorado, West Virginia).
App State had Lyles on campus over the weekend, and he committed by Sunday afternoon. His resume includes being a second-team MaxPreps All-American as a sophomore and being all-state as a junior. His 2024 season featured 84 tackles, 33 tackles-for-loss and 11 sacks. He has 27 sacks for his prep career.
Lyles may not have the idyllic size for a blue-chip edge (6-3 or taller), but he overcomes any height deficit by being dynamite off the snap and using his smarts and motor in game situations, scouts say.
“(Lyles) is explosive off the line, uses his hands to win, and even has some bend to help catch the corner,” wrote Prep RedZone in April. “Several P4 schools are in on Lyles and have been for some time.”
East Carolina Pirates | Latest 2026 Commits
Rai’shawn Elmore | Wide Receiver | Committed 6/21/2025
Indian Trail, NC | Porter Ridge HS | 6-2, 185
Elmore contributed in all phases for Porter Ridge a year ago. He caught 26 passes for 347 yards and seven touchdowns. He rushed for another 169 yards and six scores. He returned kickoffs (38.9 yards per return average – including a 97-yarder), blocked a punt, recorded 23 tackles and recovered two fumbles.
Elmore took visits to Charlotte, Liberty and Michigan State before pledging to East Carolina. He also had offers from Appalachian State, Coastal Carolina, James Madison and Jacksonville State.
Elmore represents ECU’s fourth 2026 player from North Carolina.
Three-star WR Rai'shawn Elmore commits to East Carolinahttps://t.co/vc5ChG7a5L pic.twitter.com/8ZZj7mGIeN — Hoist The Colours (@HTC247) June 22, 2025
Trey Burke | Quarterback | Committed 6/21/2025
Spartanburg, SC | Spartanburg HS | 6-2, 205
The ECU coaching staff believes they have found a diamond in the rough in Burke, who has no stars and whose only other offer came from East Tennessee State, an FCS program.
According to Hoist The Colours, an ECU 247Sports site, the Pirates were impressed after seeing Burke in a live workout setting. Burke was offered during a recent official visit and committed to the Pirates late Saturday night.
“It honestly felt like the perfect fit for me when it came down to everything,” Burke told Hoist The Colours. “Every college I talked to was nothing like what I experienced from ECU. Coach (John David) Baker definitely had influence on why I chose to commit here as well.”
Burke has played in 17 games at Spartanburg High over two seasons. He completed 76-of-133 passes for 1,065 yards, 11 touchdowns and five interceptions a year ago. Spartanburg finished 9-3 last season, 5-1 in its region.
Dawson Quarterman | Wide Receiver | Committed 6/22/2025
Loganville, GA | Grayson HS | 6-3, 190
Quarterman spent the past two seasons at Norland High in Miami. He transferred to Grayson High in Loganville, Ga. for his senior year.
In his two years at Norland, Quarterman caught 41 passes for 704 yards and six touchdowns. Most of that yardage came a year ago, including a two-touchdown, 145-yard receiving performance mid-season.
East Carolina outdueled programs like NC State, West Virginia, Colorado, Kentucky, Nebraska, Syracuse, Tulane and others for Quarterman’s commitment.
Duke Blue Devils | Latest 2026 Commits
Jayden Boyd | Cornerback | Committed 6/22/2025
Winnsboro, SC | Fairfield Central HS | 5-9, 165
An emerging prospect, Boyd had just a handful of offers, including a recent one from Virginia.
He camped with the Blue Devils last week and then closed down his recruitment following an official visit to Durham over the weekend.
Boyd caught 27 passes for 364 yards and two scores a season ago. He also rushed for 213 yards and three more TDs. He’s a speedster, winning 2A state championships in the 100 meters, 200 meters, 4×100 meters as well as long jump.
“Every year, even with a staff of seven, we get to this point of the calendar and ask ourselves, ‘How did this kid get past us?’ Yeah, that’s Boyd,” South Carolina’s Prep RedZone outlet wrote earlier this year. “The (Fairfield Central) receiver has a top-end speed that he uses to chase down what should be uncatchable passes or ditch defenders, and possesses a tailback’s mindset when he’s got the ball in traffic.”
Wake Forest Demon Deacons | 2026 Latest Commits
Somad Eaddy | Athlete | Committed 6/22/2025
Greer, SC | Riverside HS | 6-0, 155
Wake Forest coach Jake Dickert landed one of the top prospects from South Carolina on Sunday. Eaddy is listed as a three-star recruit and the No. 17 player from the Palmetto State. He visited Boston College and Appalachian State before traveling to Winston-Salem and deciding on the Deacs.
West Virginia, Virginia Tech, Maryland, Kentucky and Georgia Tech were among the other P4 teams showing interest and extending offers.
Eaddy played on both sides of the ball as a junior. He picked off three passes – including an 85-yard return – and recorded 32 tackles on the defensive side. He broke up 14 more throws. On offense, he caught 23 passes for 393 yards and scored three times.
Dalton DeBoer | Offensive Line | Committed 6/22/2025
Waukee, IA | Northwest HS | 6-5, 355
DeBoer fits the proto-typical mold of a road-grading lineman from the midwest. A high academic prospect, the rising senior had Big Ten offers and interest (Purdue, Minnesota) and Ivy League offers (Yale, Dartmouth, Cornell). SMU, FAU, Kent State and Tulane were the among the other FBS programs extending offers.
NC State Wolfpack | 2026 Latest Commits
Tyreek Copper | WR | Committed 6/21/2025
Kinston, NC | Kinston HS | 6-2, 180
One of eastern North Carolina’s most dynamic receivers had a whirlwind week. He participated in a 7-on-7 at NC State, got invited for an official visit, received an offer and the committed to the Wolfpack. We wrote a full story on Copper yesterday. Read more about this up-and-coming prospect HERE.
📌 More 2026 Recruiting Coverage:
📊 NC Class of 2026 Player Rankings – Our composite rankings based on 247Sports, Rivals, On3 & ESPN
🔁 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)
