Elon adds Charlotte-area standouts to 2027 recruiting class

Elon kept mining the Charlotte metro for its 2027 class, adding Providence Day linebacker Justin Abanquah and Providence High tight end Alex Haywood to a group that already leaned on North Carolina talent. The pair gives Tony Trisciani’s staff two different kinds of playmakers, one built to disrupt in the box and the other built to stress defenses as a receiving threat.

Abanquah arrives with production that jumps off the page. The 6-foot-0, 220-pound inside linebacker posted 100 tackles, 11 tackles for loss and 6.5 sacks in 2025, then backed it up as a two-time all-state and all-conference performer. Providence Day won the 2025 NCISAA Division I championship, so those numbers came against a title-caliber private-school defense. MaxPreps lists Abanquah as a 2027 senior at Providence Day in Charlotte, while Hudl identifies him as a middle linebacker and outside linebacker prospect, a sign that Elon sees more than a straight plug-and-play inside presence. He brings the kind of downhill range and pressure upside that can fit multiple fronts.

Haywood gives the Phoenix another weapon with obvious flex value. MaxPreps lists the Providence High product at 6-foot-5 and 225 pounds, while Hudl labels him a tight end and wide receiver. He finished 2025 with 36 catches, 360 receiving yards and six touchdowns, and one of those scores came in the final minutes of a playoff game to deliver a win. That kind of finish matters for a program recruiting for high-leverage traits, because it shows Haywood has already been trusted when the game tightens. He also drew 16 Division I offers, including several from FBS programs, before the Elon addition.

The June 27 update listed six known 2027 commitments, four of them from North Carolina, with the class split slightly toward defense but still balanced by offensive pieces and hybrid athletes. The group included Myers Park athlete Kameron Guy, Tayjon Palmer of Green Run in Virginia Beach, Wilson quarterback Samuel Finch and Richmond defensive lineman Damari Hawkins. That mix shows Elon is not chasing one mold; it is collecting speed, size and positional versatility from different corners of the region.

The Charlotte emphasis has continued into Elon’s broader roster-building, too. The Phoenix signed 14 high school standouts in 2026, with six from North Carolina, and later added Charlotte wide receiver Alex Voss after he de-committed from Boston College. Taken together, the pattern is clear: Elon is trying to turn one recruiting corridor into a recurring source of impact players for the 2027 class and beyond.