Seven Pirates Earn Spots On The American Bowl 1000 Watch List
August 28, 2026 | Football
GREENVILLE, N.C. – Seven members of the East Carolina football team have been named to the 2026 American Bowl 1000 Watch List the bowl announced Friday.
RB Michael Allen, OL Brandon Best, DL Preston Carr, OL Hayes Creel, OL Ethan Kramer, DL Jasiyah Robinson and WR Brock Spalding are among the 1,000 NFL Draft-eligible seniors named to the 2027 Watch List. The contest will be played in January of 2027 in Orlando, Fla. and aired on the NFL Network.
2026 Preseason Honors List (as of Aug. 28)
RB – Michael Allen
American Bowl 1000 Watch List
OL – Brandon Best
First Team All-American Conference (Phil Steele Magazine)
First Team All-American Conference (Sports Info Solutions)
Second Team All-American Conference (Athlon Sports)
Second Team All-American Conference (Lindy's Sports)
American Bowl 1000 Watch List
Shriner Children's East-West Bowl 1000 Watch List
DL – Preston Carr
First Team All-American Conference (Sports Info Solutions)
Third Team All-American Conference (Pro Football Network)
American Bowl 1000 Watch List
OL – Hayes Creel
Third Team All-American Conference (Phil Steele Magazine)
Fourth Team All-American Conference (Athlon Sports)
American Bowl 1000 Watch List
DL – Kendrick DuJour
Second Team All-American Conference (Athlon Sports)
Second Team All-American Conference (Lindy's Sports)
Second Team All-American Conference (Phil Steele Magazine)
DB – Zyeir Gamble
First Team All-American Conference (Pro Football Network)
RB – Ashton Gray
Doak Walker Award Watch List
Second Team All-American Conference (Athlon Sports)
LB – DJ Johnson Jr.
Third Team All-American Conference (Athlon Sports)
Fourth Team All-American Conference (Phil Steele Magazine)
WR – Tyler Johnson
Third Team All-American Conference (Phil Steele Magazine)
OL – Karson Jones
Allstate AFCA Good Works Team Nominee
Allstate Wuerffel Trophy Watch List
OL – Ethan Kramer
Third Team All-American Conference (Pro Football Network)
American Bowl 1000 Watch List
DB – Kevon Merrell
Third Team All-American Conference (Pro Football Network)
Fourth Team All-American Conference (Athlon Sports)
DB – Ashton Levells-Mitchell
Third Team All-American Conference (Phil Steele Magazine)
Fourth Team All-American Conference (Athlon Sports)
WR – Jaquaize Pettaway
Earl Campbell Tyler Rose Award Watch List
WR – Landon Sides
Earl Campbell Tyler Rose Award Watch List
Third Team All-American Conference (Athlon Sports)
TE – Ismael Smith Flores
Earl Campbell Tyler Rose Award Watch List
Third Team All-American Conference (Pro Football Network)
WR – Brock Spalding
First Team All-American Conference (Athlon Sports)
First Team All-American Conference (Phil Steele Magazine)
Second Team All-American Conference (Lindy's Sports)
American Bowl 1000 Watch List
DL – Jasiyah Robinson
First Team All-American Conference (Athlon Sports)
Second Team All-American Conference (Phil Steele Magazine)
Second Team All-American Conference (Pro Football Network)
Second Team All-American Conference (HERO Sports Group)
Shriner Children's East-West Bowl 1000 Watch List
American Bowl 1000 Watch List
DL – Rion Roseborough
Fourth Team All-American Conference (Athlon Sports)
Fourth Team All-American Conference (Phil Steele Magazine)
OL – Bryce Weaver
Third Team All-American Conference (Pro Football Network)
The Pirates will open the 2026 season on Saturday, Sept. 5 when it travels to Tuscaloosa, Ala. to take on Alabama at Saban Field inside Bryant-Denny Stadium. Kickoff is slated for 12 noon (ET) and will be televised on ABC. Season ticket orders are currently on sale, with packages starting at just $75 for the six-game home slate at Dowdy-Ficklen Stadium this fall. To purchase new season tickets, visit ECUPirates.com or contact the ECU Athletics Ticket Office at (252) 737-4500 during normal business hours (Monday – Friday, 9 a.m. – 5 p.m.).
RB Michael Allen, OL Brandon Best, DL Preston Carr, OL Hayes Creel, OL Ethan Kramer, DL Jasiyah Robinson and WR Brock Spalding are among the 1,000 NFL Draft-eligible seniors named to the 2027 Watch List. The contest will be played in January of 2027 in Orlando, Fla. and aired on the NFL Network.
2026 Preseason Honors List (as of Aug. 28)
RB – Michael Allen
American Bowl 1000 Watch List
OL – Brandon Best
First Team All-American Conference (Phil Steele Magazine)
First Team All-American Conference (Sports Info Solutions)
Second Team All-American Conference (Athlon Sports)
Second Team All-American Conference (Lindy's Sports)
American Bowl 1000 Watch List
Shriner Children's East-West Bowl 1000 Watch List
DL – Preston Carr
First Team All-American Conference (Sports Info Solutions)
Third Team All-American Conference (Pro Football Network)
American Bowl 1000 Watch List
OL – Hayes Creel
Third Team All-American Conference (Phil Steele Magazine)
Fourth Team All-American Conference (Athlon Sports)
American Bowl 1000 Watch List
DL – Kendrick DuJour
Second Team All-American Conference (Athlon Sports)
Second Team All-American Conference (Lindy's Sports)
Second Team All-American Conference (Phil Steele Magazine)
DB – Zyeir Gamble
First Team All-American Conference (Pro Football Network)
RB – Ashton Gray
Doak Walker Award Watch List
Second Team All-American Conference (Athlon Sports)
LB – DJ Johnson Jr.
Third Team All-American Conference (Athlon Sports)
Fourth Team All-American Conference (Phil Steele Magazine)
WR – Tyler Johnson
Third Team All-American Conference (Phil Steele Magazine)
OL – Karson Jones
Allstate AFCA Good Works Team Nominee
Allstate Wuerffel Trophy Watch List
OL – Ethan Kramer
Third Team All-American Conference (Pro Football Network)
American Bowl 1000 Watch List
DB – Kevon Merrell
Third Team All-American Conference (Pro Football Network)
Fourth Team All-American Conference (Athlon Sports)
DB – Ashton Levells-Mitchell
Third Team All-American Conference (Phil Steele Magazine)
Fourth Team All-American Conference (Athlon Sports)
WR – Jaquaize Pettaway
Earl Campbell Tyler Rose Award Watch List
WR – Landon Sides
Earl Campbell Tyler Rose Award Watch List
Third Team All-American Conference (Athlon Sports)
TE – Ismael Smith Flores
Earl Campbell Tyler Rose Award Watch List
Third Team All-American Conference (Pro Football Network)
WR – Brock Spalding
First Team All-American Conference (Athlon Sports)
First Team All-American Conference (Phil Steele Magazine)
Second Team All-American Conference (Lindy's Sports)
American Bowl 1000 Watch List
DL – Jasiyah Robinson
First Team All-American Conference (Athlon Sports)
Second Team All-American Conference (Phil Steele Magazine)
Second Team All-American Conference (Pro Football Network)
Second Team All-American Conference (HERO Sports Group)
Shriner Children's East-West Bowl 1000 Watch List
American Bowl 1000 Watch List
DL – Rion Roseborough
Fourth Team All-American Conference (Athlon Sports)
Fourth Team All-American Conference (Phil Steele Magazine)
OL – Bryce Weaver
Third Team All-American Conference (Pro Football Network)
The Pirates will open the 2026 season on Saturday, Sept. 5 when it travels to Tuscaloosa, Ala. to take on Alabama at Saban Field inside Bryant-Denny Stadium. Kickoff is slated for 12 noon (ET) and will be televised on ABC. Season ticket orders are currently on sale, with packages starting at just $75 for the six-game home slate at Dowdy-Ficklen Stadium this fall. To purchase new season tickets, visit ECUPirates.com or contact the ECU Athletics Ticket Office at (252) 737-4500 during normal business hours (Monday – Friday, 9 a.m. – 5 p.m.).
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