2025 “All-North Carolina” College Football Team
(Defense)
By David Glenn
North Carolina Sports Network
(last updated Feb. 4, 2026)
On Sunday evening, when the final game of the 2025-26 football season is played, Super Bowl LX will include a handful of key players who are products of the North Carolina high school football ranks.
The New England Patriots will have three such players just in their starting lineup: quarterback Drake Maye (Charlotte Myers Park), center Garrett Bradbury (Charlotte Christian) and defensive end Harold Landry III (Fayetteville Pine Forest).
The Seattle Seahawks will have one starter who fits the same description: linebacker Drake Thomas (Wake Forest Heritage).
Just as the North Carolina Sports Network celebrates those players’ presence on the sport’s biggest stage, we like to honor — once a year — the North Carolina high school products who are having the most outstanding college football careers, with an emphasis on their performance during the most recently completed season.
Throughout the 2025 college football campaign, NCSN contributors tracked the careers of more than 1,000 players — in every NCAA division — who were products of the North Carolina high school ranks.
This year’s “all-state” squad is led by college superstars such as All-Atlantic Coast Conference running backs Hollywood Smothers (NC State) and J’Mari Taylor (Virginia), All-Southeastern Conference wide receiver KC Concepcion (Texas A&M) and All-American Conference defensive linemen Santana Hopper (Tulane) and Zion Wilson (East Carolina).
Reflecting the nomadic nature of the modern game, Smothers (Texas), Hopper (Colorado) and Wilson (Virginia) will play for other schools during the 2026 season. Smothers (from Oklahoma), Taylor (from NC Central), Concepcion (from NC State) and Hopper (from Appalachian State) all had transferred into the schools they represented in 2025.
Below are NCSN’s 2025 “All-North Carolina” college football team honorees on defense, divided among our first-, second- and third-team selections, plus honorable mentions.
(For NCSN’s 2025 honorees on offense, please click HERE.)
Players from all NCAA conferences and divisions were eligible for this team, although there was a heavy focus on those competing in the Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS) or the Football Championship Subdivision (FCS), where programs offer more scholarships and, generally speaking, play against much higher-caliber competition than those in Division Two and especially Division Three (where athletic scholarships aren’t offered).
Each player is listed with his position, 2025 eligibility status (mostly seniors and juniors, with those who took a redshirt year also indicated as such), college team(s), athletic-based honors and North Carolina high school affiliation.
Reminder: Many in-state college stars attended out-of-state high schools. They are not eligible for this team, which is designed to both celebrate North Carolina’s high school football products and explore which college programs are doing the best jobs of signing and developing those in-state stars.
This 2025 “All-North Carolina” college football team was selected after consultation with college coaches, NFL scouts, media members and university media relations representatives.
NOTE: NCSN’s 2023 “All-North Carolina” college football team, led by Maye (who starred collegiately at UNC) and former NC State star linebacker Payton Wilson (Hillsborough Orange), can be found HERE. Our 2024 team, led by former UNC star running back Omarion Hampton (Clayton Cleveland) and former Georgia star linebacker Jalon Walker (Salisbury High), can be found HERE.
2025 “All-North Carolina” College Football Team*
FIRST-TEAM DEFENSE
DE: Vincent Anthony Jr., Sr., Duke
2025 HM All-ACC, 3-year starter, Durham Jordan
DT: Aaron Hall, r-Sr., Duke
2025/2024 3rd-team/HM All-ACC, 2-year starter, Durham Southern
DT: Zion Wilson, r-Sr., East Carolina (Virginia 2026)
2025 1st-team All-AAC, Pinetown Northside
DE: Santana Hopper, r-Jr., Tulane (App State 2022-24/Colorado 2026)
2025 1st-team All-AAC, 2x All-Sun Belt, 3-year starter, Shelby High
LB: Tre Freeman, r-Sr., Duke
2023/2024 2nd-team/HM All-ACC, 3-year starter, Northern Durham
LB: Sean Brown, r-Sr., NC State
2024 HM All-ACC, 3-year starter at S/LB, Cornelius Hough
LB: Dameon Wilson, r-Sr., East Carolina (Missouri 2021-23)
2025 3rd-team All-AAC, Kings Mountain High
S: Terry Moore, r-Jr., Duke (Ohio State 2026)
2024 2nd-team All-ACC (injured 2025), 2-year starter, Washington High
S: Tahj Ra-El, r-Sr., Purdue (ODU 2021-23/Memphis 2024)
2025 HM All-Big Ten, 2-year starter, Charlotte Myers Park
CB: Isaiah Brown-Murray, r-Jr., Virginia Tech (ECU 2022-24)
3-year starter, Cornelius Hough
CB: Ethan Johnson, Sr., Appalachian State
2025/2023 2nd/3rd-team All-Sun Belt, 3-year starter, Cornelius Hough
P: Cole Maynard, r-Sr., Western Kentucky (UNC 2021-23)
2025 1st-team A-A, CUSA Special Teams POY, 2-year starter, Cornelius Hough
SECOND-TEAM DEFENSE
DE: JD Lampley, Sr., East Carolina
2025/2024 2nd-team//HM All-AAC, Rockingham Richmond
DT: Curt Neal, r-Jr., Illinois (Wisconsin 2022-24/Purdue 2026)
2-year starter, Cornelius Hough
DT: Zach Lohavichan, r-Sr., Wake Forest
2-year starter, Charlotte Providence Day
DE: Tamatoa McDonough, r-Sr., Iowa State (Yale 2021-24)
2024 2nd-team All-Ivy, 3-year starter, Asheville High
LB: Stefon Thompson, r-Sr., Florida State (Syracuse 2020-23/Nebraska 2024)
2-year starter for Orange, Charlotte Vance
LB: Brendan Harrington, r-Sr., Georgia Southern (App State 2019-24)
3x HM All-Sun Belt, 4-year starter, Pittsboro Northwood
LB: Ryheem Craig, r-Sr., East Carolina (Louisville 2021-23)
2-year starter, Taylorsville Alexander Central
S: Devan Boykin, r-Sr., Indiana (NC State 2020-24)
2023 HM All-ACC, 3-year starter, Jamestown Ragsdale
S: Gavin Gibson, Sr., North Carolina (Maryland 2022-23/ECU 2024)
2-year starter, Cornelius Hough
CB Jason Chambers, Sr., West Virginia (NCCU 2022-23/App State 2024)
2023 HBCU A-A for Eagles, 4-year starter, Matthews Butler
CB: Elijah Culp, r-Sr., James Madison (APU 2020/Troy 2021-22/Charlotte 2023-24)
2025 2nd-team All-Sun Belt, 3-year starter, Charlotte Mallard Creek
P: Palmer Williams, Jr., Baylor
2x 1st-team All-Big 12, 3-year starter, Mocksville Davie County
THIRD-TEAM DEFENSE
DE: Brayden Manley, Jr., Georgia Tech (Mercer 2023-24)
2024 2nd-team FCS A-A, SoCon DPOY, Vanceboro West Craven
DT: Travali Price, r-Sr., NC State
2-year starter, Lincolnton North Lincoln
DT: CJ Mims, r-Jr., North Carolina (ECU 2022-24/Texas A&M 2026)
2025 starter, Vanceboro West Craven
DE: Kahmari Brown, So., Elon (Iowa 2026)
2025 2nd-team FCS A-A, 1st-team All-CAA, Jacksonville White Oak
LB: Shane Whitter, r-Sr., North Texas (Oklahoma 2020-23)
2-year starter, Burlington Williams
LB: Isaac Walker, r-Sr., Jacksonville State (Georgia Southern 2022-24)
2023 3rd-team All-Sun Belt, 3-year starter, Cornelius Hough
LB: AJ Richardson, r-Jr., NC State (Norfolk State 2022-24)
2024/2023 1st-/2nd-team All-MEAC, 2-year starter, injured 2025, Kings Mountain High
S: Kyron Jones, r-So., Georgia
2025 starter, Charlotte Christian
S: Tamarcus Cooley, r-So., LSU (Maryland 2023/NCSU 2024)
2-year starter, Rolesville High
CB: Justin Eaglin, r-Jr., James Madison (Colorado 2026)
2025 2nd-team All-Sun Belt, Fayetteville Pine Forest
CB: Donovan Platt, r-Jr., Virginia (Army 2022-24)
2-year starter, Jamestown Ragsdale
P: Bryce McFerson, r-Jr., Maryland (Notre Dame 2022-23)
2025/2024 2nd-team/HM All-Big Ten, 3-year starter, Indian Trail Metrolina Christian
*—must have played for NC-based high school(s) to be eligible
HONORABLE MENTION
Defensive Linemen: Bryce Young, So., Notre Dame (prominent backup), Charlotte Christian; Nick Barrett, r-Sr., South Carolina (2025 starter), Goldsboro Eastern Wayne; Kedrick Bingley-Jones, r-Sr., UNC/Mississippi State/Alabama (2025 starter for Bulldogs), Charlotte Providence Day; Isaac Walker, r-Sr., Georgia Southern/Jacksonville State (2023 3rd-team All-Sun Belt, 3-year starter), Cornelius Hough; Keeshawn Silver, r-.Sr., UNC/Kentucky/Southern Cal (2024 starter for Wildcats), Rocky Mount High; Beau Atkinson, r-Jr., UNC/Ohio State (prominent backup), Raleigh Leesville Road; David Santiago, r-So., Air Force/Michigan State/Kansas (2024 starter for Falcons), Raleigh Millbrook; Tylon Dunlap, r-Sr., Georgia State/Kennesaw State (2025 2nd-team All-CUSA, 2-year starter for Owls), Charlotte Harding; Kalil Alexander, r-Sr., Fayetteville State/Coffeyville CC/Texas State (2025 HM All-Sun Belt for Bobcats), Mint Hill Rocky River; Bryce Dixon, Jr., Liberty (2-year starter), Matthews Butler; Joshua Stoneking, r-So., Furman (2025 1st-team FCS A-A, 1st-team All-SoCon), Raleigh Cardinal Gibbons; Cazeem Moore, Sr., Elon/Virginia (2024 2nd-team All-CAA, 2-year starter for Phoenix), Vanceboro West Craven; Arias Nash, Sr., Mercer/Virginia Tech/Tulsa (2024 2nd-team All-SoCon for Bears), Cramerton Cramer; Zairion Jackson-Bass, r-So., Yale (2025 2nd-team All-Ivy), Charlotte Chambers; Shawn Robinson, r-Sr., Fayetteville State (2025 1st-team All-CIAA), Charlotte Mallard Creek; Elihu Lipscomb, Fr., Wingate/Furman (2025 1st-team All-SAC for Bulldogs), Kings Mountain High; Sakarri Morrison, Sr., Mars Hill (2025 1st-team All-SAC), Mooresville Lake Norman.
Linebackers: Steve Zayachkowsky, Jr., Charleston Southern (2025/2024 1st/3rd-team All-Big South, 2-year starter), Indian Trail Porter Ridge; Jalen Brooks, r-Sr., UNC/Campbell/Missouri State (2024 2nd-team All-CAA for Camels), Raleigh Cardinal Gibbons; Ben Cutter, Jr., West Virginia (2023 Big 12 Defensive FOY), Denver East Lincoln; Marco Patierno, r-Jr., Elon/Eastern Michigan (2-year starter for Phoenix), Wake Forest Heritage; Asher Cunningham, r-So., Elon/Utah State (2025 3rd-team All-CAA for Phoenix), Asheville Reynolds; Chase Christopher, Jr., Princeton (2025 HM All-Ivy), Holly Springs High; Matthew Leach, r-Sr., Barton/Fayetteville State (2025 1st-team All-CIAA, 4-year starter), Raeford Hoke County; Keno Jones, Jr., Barton/Troy (2025 1st-team All-Conference Carolinas for Bulldogs), Rocky Mount Northern Nash; Jadin Baptist, r-Fr., UNC Pembroke (2025 1st-team All-Conference Carolinas), Southern Pines Pinecrest.
Safeties: Caleb Curtain, r-Sr., Elon/Charlotte (2023 FCS A-A; 2-year starter, 2x 1st-team All-CAA for Phoenix), Greensboro Grimsley; Ja’Qurious Conley, r-Sr., UNC/Charlotte (2-year starter), Jacksonville Northside; DaShawn Stone, r-So., Duke (2025 starter), Asheville Reynolds; Jaylen Jones, r-So., Georgia State/Virginia (2025 HM All-Sun Belt for Panthers), Matthews Butler; DeAndre Boykins, r-Sr., Oklahoma State/UNC (2022 starter for Tar Heels), Concord Central Cabarrus; Tevin Tucker, r-So., Kent State (2-year starter), Concord Northwest Cabarrus; Devin Vaught, r-So., Maine/Michigan State (2025 2nd-team All-CAA, 2-year starter for Black Bears), Charlotte Mallard Creek; DJ James-Hamilton, r-So., Elon/Ohio (2025 2nd-team All-CAA for Phoenix), Charlotte Mallard Creek; Malcolm Reed, Sr., NC Central (2024 HBCU HM All-American; 1st-team All-MEAC; 3-year starter, injured 2025), Raleigh Cardinal Gibbons; Kedrick Green, r-Jr., Howard (2025 1st-team All-MEAC), Winston-Salem Glenn; Daryl Taybron, Sr., Johnson C Smith (2025 1st-team All-CIAA), Bailey Southern Nash; Keyshawn Monk, r-Jr., Fayetteville State/Portal (2025 1st-team All-CIAA for Broncos), Clayton Cleveland.
Cornerbacks: Chris Peal, r-So., Georgia/Syracuse (2025 starter for Orange), Charlotte Providence Day; Tyrin Taylor, r-Sr., Colorado/Memphis/Jacksonville State (2-year starter), Cornelius Hough; Jaidyn Denis, r-Sr., Elon/Memphis (2023 FCS All-American; 3-year starter), Charlotte Mallard Creek; Jackson Vick, r-Jr., NC State (2025 starter), Bailey Southern Nash; TyMir Brown, r-Sr., UNC/ECU (2025 starter for Pirates), Jacksonville High; Dylan Tucker, r-Sr., Elon/Utah State (3-year starter), Charlotte Vance; Justin Ross, So., Navy/Virginia (2025 starter for Midshipmen), Gastonia Huss; Ishmel Atkins, r-Jr., Elon (2025 2nd-team All-CAA, 2-year starter), Greensboro Northern Guilford; Prince Ford, r-Sr., Golden West CC/Illinois/Montana (2025 starter for Grizzlies), Concord Cox Mill; Aaron Harris, r-Sr., North Carolina A&T (2025 3rd-team All-CAA, 2-year starter), Elizabeth City Northeastern; Donovan Woods, r-Jr., West Virginia Wesleyan/Fayetteville State/UNC Pembroke (2025 1st-team All-Conference Carolinas for Braves), Matthews Butler; Antwone Godley, r-Jr., North Carolina Wesleyan/Chowan (2025 1st-team All-Conference Carolinas), Washington High; Brandon Perry, Sr., Wingate (2025 1st-team All-SAC), Indian Trail Porter Ridge.
Punters: Caden Noonkester, r-Sr., NC State (2025 HM All-ACC, 3-year starter), Waxhaw Marvin Ridge; Jeff Yurk, r-Sr., Elon (2x 1st-team FCS All-American, 3x All-CAA, 4-year starter), Southern Pines Pinecrest; Brandon Bowman, r-So., North Greenville/NC Central (2025 1st-team All-MEAC for Eagles), Harrisburg Hickory Ridge.
