Wingate, N.C.----Wingate University head football coach
Rashaan Jordan announces the signing of 53 student-athletes who will be joining the Bulldogs in the fall of 2026. The 53 student-athletes signed their official paperwork on Wednesday, Feb. 4, which was National Signing Day.
"I'm extremely excited about this class," Jordan says. "We were able to garner some really good athletes at all different positions, getting bigger, stronger and faster. I'm very happy with what we were able to gain on the offensive and defensive lines. From a skill-position perspective, we signed some really great athletes at wide receiver, running back and defensive back. We were able to replenish the linebacker room with some big-time athletes as well."
Jordan and his staff signed 26 offensive student-athletes, 25 defensive student-athletes and two special teams' student-athletes. Six states are represented on Wingate's signee list, led by 30 student-athletes from North Carolina.
The complete state-by-state breakdown:
North Carolina 30
South Carolina 9
Georgia 7
Virginia 3
Florida 2
Maryland 2
What They Are Saying about their WU recruiting journey
Wingate football alumnus
Ryan Webber ('10)
"My time at Wingate started in an unusual way, but it was one of the best choices I ever made. When I finished high school, I was too small. No college wanted me to play football for them. I had visited Wingate and liked it, but I really wanted to keep playing football."
"I went to Guilford College instead. It was the only school that would let me join their football team. By the end of my first semester, I had grown three more inches and gained 25 pounds of muscle. I knew I was ready to play at Wingate. I called then-head coach
Joe Reich and told him I was transferring. I asked if I could try out for the team in the spring."
"When I got to campus, I was last on the depth chart at tight end. I was seventh out of seven players. No one knew who I was. When we picked teams for morning runs, I was one of the last ones chosen. But that spring, my team won the championship. I moved up to third on the depth chart. I earned the trust of the older players and coaches."
"After that, everything changed. I earned a football scholarship for my last two years. I won many awards and had the time of my life. The program meant so much to me. Now I give back through donations, hosting the OneDog Podcast and managing the OneDog Collective. It's my way of supporting a program that helped make me who I am today."
Wingate University Football
Class of 2026 signees
Quarterbacks
Name: Cade Kellar
Position: QB
High School: Watauga
Hometown: Deep Gap, N.C.
Height: 6-0
Weight: 165
Name: Aiden Poole
Position: QB
High School: Lee County
Hometown: Sanford, N.C.
Height: 6-3
Weight: 175
Running backs
Name: Jeremiah Benton
Position: RB
High School: Lincoln Charter
Hometown: Dallas, N.C.
Height: 5-9
Weight: 175
Name: Danye Garvin
Position: RB
High School: Bulloch Academy
Hometown: Springfield, Ga.
Height: 5-7
Weight: 175
Name: Josiah Hill
Position: RB
High School: Gaffney (S.C.)
Hometown: Kings Mountain, N.C.
Height: 5-11
Weight: 210
Name: Travis Hill
Position: RB
High School: Independence
Hometown: Mint Hill, N.C.
Height: 5-8
Weight: 185
Name: Damonte James
Position: RB
High School: Central Cabarrus
Hometown: Concord, N.C.
Height: 6-0
Weight: 180
Name: Jaylen Singletary
Position: RB
High School: Hampton County
Hometown: Yemassee, S.C.
Height: 6-0
Weight: 175
Tight ends
Name: Ayden Guessford
Position: TE
High School: East Wilkes
Hometown: Elkin, N.C.
Height: 5-10
Weight: 225
Name: Romeo Sanders
Position: TE
High School: Crest
Hometown: Shelby, N.C.
Height: 6-5
Weight: 215
Wide receivers
Name: MJ Cann
Position: WR
High School: Bamberg-Ehrhardt
Hometown: Bamberg, S.C.
Height: 6-1
Weight: 190
Name: Hudson Cooper
Position: WR
High School: Grimsley
Hometown: Greensboro, N.C.
Height: 6-0
Weight: 190
Name: James Hurteau
Position: WR
High School: James Island Charter
Hometown: Charleston, S.C.
Height: 5-9
Weight: 150
Name: Tyler Johnson
Position: WR
High School: Community School of Davidson
Hometown: Mount Ulla, N.C.
Height: 5-11
Weight: 175
Name: Jamarion McKinney
Position: WR
High School: Langston Hughes
Hometown: Stockbridge, Ga.
Height: 6-0
Weight: 175
Name: Kelson Tate
Position: WR
High School: Weddington
Hometown: Charlotte, N.C.
Height: 5-8
Weight: 170
Offensive line
Name: Derrin Carr
Position: OL
High School: Providence Day School
Hometown: Matthews, N.C.
Height: 6-3
Weight: 295
Name: John Dilone
Position: OL
High School: Palisades
Hometown: Charlotte, N.C.
Height: 6-0
Weight: 300
Name: Jackson Evans
Position: OL
High School: Green Level
Hometown: Apex, N.C.
Height: 6-3
Weight: 270
Name: Moses Harper III
Position: OL
High School: Ardrey Kell
Hometown: Charlotte, N.C.
Height: 6-1
Weight: 280
Name: Rico Jones
Position: OL
High School: Julius Chambers
Hometown: Charlotte, N.C.
Height: 6-1
Weight: 310
Name: Jaydon Lee
Position: OL
High School: South Pointe (S.C.)
Hometown: Rock Hill, S.C.
Height: 6-3
Weight: 300
Name: Tate Myatt
Position: OL
High School: John T. Hoggard
Hometown: Wrightsville Beach, N.C.
Height: 6-7
Weight: 315
Name: Ryan Self
Position: OL
High School: Temple
Hometown: Bremen, Ga.
Height: 6-4
Weight: 285
Name: Lamereon Thompson
Position: OL
High School: Oceanside Collegiate Academy
Hometown: Summerville, S.C.
Height: 6-3
Weight: 315
Name: Ephraim Wright
Position: OL
High School: Zarepath Academy
Hometown: Jacksonville, Fla.
Height: 6-0
Weight: 280
Defensive tackles
Name: Sincere Brewster
Position: DT
High School: Hough
Hometown: Charlotte, N.C.
Height: 6-1
Weight: 260
Name: Domani Edwards
Position: DT
High School: Junius H. Rose
Hometown: Greenville, N.C.
Height: 6-2
Weight: 295
Name: Xavier Johnson
Position: DT
High School: Jack Britt
Hometown: Fayetteville, N.C.
Height: 6-1
Weight: 220
Defensive ends
Name: Brandon Boone
Position: DE
High School: Randleman
Hometown: Randleman, N.C.
Height: 6-3
Weight: 250
Name: Amir Childs
Position: DE
High School: Mooresville
Hometown: Concord, N.C.
Height: 6-3
Weight: 225
Name: Matthew Hankins
Position: DE
High School: Providence Day School
Hometown: Charlotte, N.C.
Height: 6-0
Weight: 236
Name: Zamir Mosley
Position: DE
High School: Shiloh
Hometown: Stone Mountain, Ga.
Height: 6-2
Weight: 220
Linebackers
Name: George Bell
Position: LB
High School: Newton
Hometown: Covington, Ga.
Height: 6-0
Weight: 190
Name: Hayes Cochrane
Position: LB
High School: Saint James
Hometown: Surfside Beach, S.C.
Height: 6-1
Weight: 220
..
Name: Coltyn Daniels
Position: LB
High School: East Lincoln
Hometown: Denver, N.C.
Height: 5-10
Weight: 210
Name: Ethan Dukes
Position: LB
High School: Magna Vista
Hometown: Martinsville, Va.
Height: 6-0
Weight: 220
Name: Bryce Johnston
Position: LB
High School: IMG Academy (Fla.)
Hometown: Taylorsville, N.C.
Height: 6-4
Weight: 210
Name: Connor McInnis
Position: LB
High School: Swansboro
Hometown: Swansboro, N.C.
Height: 6-0
Weight: 200
Name: Nehemiah Parker
Position: LB
High School: Crest
Hometown: Shelby, N.C.
Height: 6-2
Weight: 210
Name: LJ Richards
Position: LB
High School: Colgan
Hometown: Manassas, Va.
Height: 6-1
Weight: 220
Name: Carter Yow
Position: LB
High School: West Stanly
Hometown: Stanfield, N.C.
Height: 6-0
Weight: 190
Safeties
Name: Jesse Faulkner
Position: S
High School: Dulaney
Hometown: Cockeysville, Md.
Height: 5-11
Weight: 170
Name: Roman Fisher
Position: S
High School: Carolina Forest
Hometown: Myrtle Beach, S.C.
Height: 5-9
Weight: 180
Name: Khamari Griffin
Position: S
High School: Greenwood
Hometown: Greenwood, S.C.
Height: 5-9
Weight: 180
Name: Simeon Moore
Position: S
High School: Magna Vista
Hometown: Ridgeway, Va.
Height: 5-10
Weight: 185
Name: Dominic Tillman
Position: S
High School: Richmond Senior
Hometown: Rockingham, N.C.
Height: 6-3
Weight: 190
Cornerbacks
Name: Perry Brooks
Position: CB
High School: Archbishop Carroll
Hometown: Fort Washington, Md.
Height: 6-1
Weight: 185
Name: Jon Snipes
Position: CB
High School: Independence
Hometown: Charlotte, N.C.
Height: 5-10
Weight: 160
Name: Chase Spellman
Position: CB
High School: Mallard Creek
Hometown: Charlotte, N.C.
Height: 5-8
Weight: 160
Name: Calvin Wallace
Position: CB
High School: Jenkins
Hometown: Savannah, Ga.
Height: 5-11
Weight: 175
Specialists
Name: Quint Johnson
Position: PK
High School: Newnan
Hometown: Newnan, Ga.
Height: 5-9
Weight: 180
Name: Ryan Ladimir
Position: PK
High School: Porter Ridge
Hometown: Indian Trail, N.C.
Height: 5-7
Weight: 165
Wingate University
Wingate University is a lab of difference-making that serves more than 3,400 students in North Carolina and offers 60 degree pathways, including 37 undergraduate majors, 10 pre-professional tracks and five dual-degree programs. Graduate students choose from seven master's and five doctoral programs. The University is home to the Cannon College of Arts and Sciences, the Levine College of Health Sciences, the Byrum School of Business, the Thayer School of Education and the School of Sport Sciences.
Founded in 1896, Wingate University is a leader in healthcare education where nearly one in five undergraduate students is preparing to be a pharmacist, physician assistant, physical therapist, occupational therapist or nurse. Student-athletes on Wingate's 30 teams compete in NCAA Division II and have brought home the SAC Echols Athletic Excellence Award the past 17 times it has been awarded. The University's motto is "Faith, Knowledge, Service." View current news and videos at
www.wingate.edu.
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