Fayetteville football players on college rosters in 2025-26

Cumberland County has produced a slew of college talent through the years, with 45 native freshmen on college football rosters in the 2025-26 season alone.

Two-time reigning NCHSAA East Region champion Seventy-First leads the way in which with 10 freshmen on college football rosters and 15 total. Cape Fear and South View even have greater than 10 graduates on college football rosters for the 2025-26 season.

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More than a 90 native players are on college rosters, with 15 at Division packages, together with three in the ACC.

Here’s a take a look at highschool graduates out of Fayetteville who’re on college football rosters in 2025.

College freshmen

High college graduates from the category of 2025

JACK BRITT

• Elijah Evans, Jack Britt, DT — Wingate

• Makani Morris, Jack Britt, OL — Lawrence

DOUGLAS BYRD

• Ok-Shaun Harris, Douglas Byrd, TE — Shaw

• Isaiah Pope, Douglas Byrd, WR — Minnesota West Community & Technical College

• Justin Richardson, Douglas Byrd, RB — Minnesota West Community & Technical College

CAPE FEAR

• Jhaden Bethea, Cape Fear, DT/OT — Bluefield State

• Bryan Charles, Cape Fear, FB — Barton

• Kamari Faison, Cape Fear, CB/WR — Madonna

• King Faison, Cape Fear, RB — Bluefield State

• Damien Gary, Cape Fear, FS — Bluefield State

• Brandon Little, Cape Fear, WR — NC Wesleyan

GRAY’S CREEK

• Kaleb Caraway, Gray’s Creek, LB — Catawba

• Antwan Frazier, Gray’s Creek, LB — Louisburg College

PINE FOREST

• Mathias Winston, Pine Forest, S — NC Wesleyan

TERRY SANFORD

• Delsin Barrett, Terry Sanford, OL — Winston-Salem State

• Nick Lloyd, Terry Sanford, DL — Virginia – Lynchburg

SEVENTY-FIRST

• Ziare Ealy, Seventy-First, G/DE — Winston-Salem State

• Ryland Graybill, Seventy-First, G/C — NC Wesleyan

• Chayedon Jackson, Seventy-First LB — Methodist

• Christian Jackson, Seventy-First, FS/WR — Olivet Nazarene

• Kalen Lucas, Seventy-First, CB — Olivet Nazarene

• Montez Shaw, Seventy-First, LB — Virginia – Lynchburg

• Anthony Watson-Bethea, Seventy-First, DB — Olivet Nazarene

E.E. SMITH

• Adom Hembrick, E.E. Smith, CB — Livingstone

• Melvin McDougle, E.E. Smith, OL — Northeastern State

• Charlie Rogers, E.E. Smith, DB — Greensboro College

SOUTH VIEW

• Davian Lapointe, South View, DL — Winston-Salem State

• Jayce Lassein, South View, DB — Kentucky State

• William Moore, South View, WR/SS — Concord

TRINITY CHRISTIAN

• Ja’Quaious Crumpler, Trinity Christian, WR — Greensboro College

• Boogie Johnson Jr., Trinity Christian, DB — Guilford College

• Donta’ Marshmon, Trinity Christian, OL/DL — Fayetteville State

• Lavarion Peoples, Trinity Christian, WR/OLB/RB — Guilford College

• Elijah Smith, Trinity Christian, LB — Greensboro College

• Fonzy Smith, Trinity Christian, WR — Western Kentucky

• Xayden Watson, Trinity Christian, WR — Fayetteville State

WESTOVER

• Zach Evans, Westover, QB — Methodist

• Jaylen Gurley, Westover, DL — Olivet Nazarene

• Marc Wagner, Westover, RB — Methodist

• Nasir Wells, Westover, RB — Olivet Nazarene

College sophomores

High college graduates from the category of 2024

JACK BRITT

• Ethan Emery, Jack Britt, Ok/P — Methodist

• Jabari Rone, Jack Britt, TE — Louisburg College

CAPE FEAR

• Desmond Harris, Cape Fear, DT — Wingate

• Jeremiah Melvin, Cape Fear, WR — Wake Forest (RS)

• Landon Sargent, Cape Fear, TE — Campbell (RS)

GRAY’S CREEK

• Zion Bacon, Gray’s Creek, WR — Louisburg College

• Jackson Karcher, Gray’s Creek, LB — UNC Pembroke (RS)

PINE FOREST

• Nyzir Bostick, Pine Forest, DB — NC Central

• Fredrick Logan, Pine Forest, WR — Johnson C. Smith

TERRY SANFORD

• Rashid Jones, Terry Sanford, WR — Louisburg College

• Kenyon Slaughter-Keen, Terry Sanford, RB — Long Island

• Kamal Thames, Terry Sanford, DB — Louisburg College

SEVENTY-FIRST

• Isaiah Kirby, Seventy-First, WR — NC Wesleyan

E.E. SMITH

• Randy Franklin, E.E. Smith, DB — Charlotte (RS)

SOUTH VIEW

• Chase Evans, South View, DB — Guilford College

• Jakari Hood, South View, DL — UNC Pembroke

• Christian Rutledge, South View, RB — Shaw

WESTOVER

• Christian Frazier, Westover, WR — Methodist

College juniors

High college graduates from the category of 2023

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JACK BRITT

• Sincere Baines, Jack Britt, RB — Maine

• Amarie Daniels, Jack Britt, DT — Shaw

• Jay McCollin, Jack Britt, WR — Newberry

CAPE FEAR

• Devonte Hill, Cape Fear, WR — Randolph-Macon

• Jacary Lightsey, Cape Fear, WR — Davidson

• Cole Wilson, Cape Fear, LB — NC State (RS)

GRAY’S CREEK

• Tyler Davis, Gray’s Creek, WR — Barton

PINE FOREST

• Alvin Crosby, Pine Forest, DT — Methodist

• Jeremiah Sansbury, Pine Forest, DE — Methodist

• Leonard Williams, Pine Forest, RB — Barton

TERRY SANFORD

• Paul Blue, Terry Sanford, DL — Methodist

• Carlos Craig, Terry Sanford, DB — Winston-Salem State

• Christian “Chop” Deaver, Terry Sanford, OL — Randolph-Macon

SEVENTY-FIRST

• Jasiah Harper, Seventy-First, DL — NC Central (RS)

• Raymond McCray, Seventy-First, LB — Presbyterian

• Ashton Williams, Seventy-First, OL — Shaw

TRINITY CHRISTIAN

• Quewon Hilliard, Trinity Christian, LB — Shaw (RS)

SOUTH VIEW

• Malik Charles, South View, DB — Fayetteville State

WESTOVER

• Joshua Jones, Westover, QB — NC Central (RS)

College seniors

High college graduates from the category of 2022

DOUGLAS BYRD

• Demarcus Carroll, Douglas Byrd, LB — Chowan

CAPE FEAR

• Caydan Bell-McKethan, Cape Fear, TE — Johnson C. Smith

PINE FOREST

• Justin Eaglin, Pine Forest, CB — James Madison (RS)

• Isaiah Potts, Pine Forest, DL — East Tennessee State (RS)

SEVENTY-FIRST

• Jamieson “Jupe” Alston, Seventy-First, LB — Winston-Salem State

E.E. SMITH

• Randy Franklin, E.E. Smith, DB — Charlotte (RS)

SOUTH VIEW

• Corey Barr, South View, RB — Methodist

• Jay Haggins, South View, Ok — NC A&T

• Michael Herbert, South View, DL — Concord

This article initially appeared on The Fayetteville Observer: Fayetteville football players on college rosters in 2025-26