Hough stars highlight busy late-June recruiting wave for FCS programs

Four Hough High seniors turned one June recruiting gathering into a snapshot of the North Carolina tug-of-war. Quarterback Ethan Royal committed to Marshall, safety Jackson Heath chose Army, interior offensive lineman Nori White picked James Madison and defensive back Sincere Daye pledged to Campbell as the Huskies’ championship core split across four programs.

Royal was the headliner for a reason. He led Hough to the 2025 NCHSAA Class 8A title with a 21-0 win over Millbrook at Kenan Stadium, finishing the season 14-0 and delivering the school’s first football state championship. In that game, Hough held Millbrook to 122 total yards while generating 265 of its own, and Royal earned MVP honors after accounting for all three touchdowns. He said Marshall “felt like home” after narrowing his choice to six schools from 34 offers.

Campbell kept working the state’s interior talent base with West Stokes lineman Omari Graham, who committed on June 25. The 6-foot-4, 295-pound junior was an all-conference player on both the offensive and defensive lines and carried a 4.0 GPA. Campbell was the first Division I program to offer Graham in January, and he ultimately picked the Camels over nearly a dozen Division I scholarship offers. For Campbell, the early slate now looks built around length, physicality and players who can move between both sides of the line.

Davidson’s lane looks different, and it was reinforced by Community School of Davidson offensive lineman Matthew Worley, who committed to the Wildcats on June 26 after earning an offer through Davidson’s National Academic Camp. The camp was held June 13 at Davidson College Stadium, and the program used it to identify elite student-athletes who fit its academic profile. That same week also added another layer to Elon’s statewide push. The Phoenix had already announced a 14-player 2026 signing class on December 3, 2025, including six North Carolina prospects, and later added Providence Day School linebacker Justin Abanquah and Providence High tight end Alex Haywood to its 2027 group.

The total number of known 2027 commitments in North Carolina reached 74, a pace that shows how early the in-state map is being drawn. Campbell has leaned into linemen and defensive backs, Davidson has staked out the academic trench market, and Elon has kept mining Charlotte-area talent under Tony Trisciani.