EAST GREENSBORO, NC — North Carolina A&T head coach Shawn Gibbs didn’t hold back when asked about recruiting. Coming off a humbling loss to rival North Carolina Central, Gibbs said the Aggies have to tighten up on the field — but the long-term future will be determined by how they handle business in recruiting.
“If we do what we’re supposed to do in recruiting, we won’t have a battle with anybody in this state,” Gibbs said after the game. “We have the best product of any university in this state. All we’ve got to do is get these kids on campus. When we get them on campus, they can make the decision themselves. And I think the decision will go in our favor.”
Holding the State
That confidence isn’t hollow. North Carolina A&T already has a roster stacked with homegrown talent. Greensboro alone has produced names like running back RJ Baker (Dudley), wideout Ryan Stephens (Grimsley), and safety Steven Davis II (Dudley). Winston-Salem native Jamison Warren has been one of the program’s most reliable receivers, while Charlotte continues to churn out Aggies, from tight end Antoine Bell to offensive lineman Jonathan Cannon Jr.
In fact, more than 40 players on the current roster list North Carolina high schools as their starting point. The Aggies should own the state the way Gibbs sees it.
“We’ve got to make sure that we’re recruiting to what we need,” Gibbs added. “If we have a certain size standard, we can’t deviate from that. We can’t take guys just to be taken because they’re available.”
CAA Means a Wider Footprint
While holding down the state is priority number one, Gibbs knows the Aggies can’t just stay local anymore. Playing in the Coastal Athletic Association (CAA) puts A&T in front of new markets and new recruiting grounds. Games in Virginia, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, and even New England give the Aggies visibility they’ve never had before.
“That’s going to be a benefit of playing in the CAA because we’re going to go to places that we’re normally not,” Gibbs explained. “When you look throughout the conference, and I look on people’s rosters, I was watching Central play New Hampshire and saw their defensive ends. Those guys were some animals — from Massachusetts, from places in the north. That let me know we need to comb through those bushes too and find big, strong guys that can help us.”
The Aggies already have a few pieces from beyond the Southeast. Freshman quarterback Jy Walls comes from Pittsburgh. Lineman Tommy Garcia hails from California. Defensive lineman Marley Gordy is a Virginia product, while linebacker Ryan Tate-Walker comes out of Illinois. Those names show A&T’s reach is widening, but Gibbs wants to turn CAA road trips into recruiting pipelines. North Carolina A&T will fly up to Maine for a game on Saturday.
Building by Need, Not Just Numbers
Depth has been a problem for A&T, and Gibbs knows the answer isn’t just signing as many players as possible. The quarterback room is deep, with Kevin White (Newport News, Va.), Nelson Layne (Highland Springs, Va.), and Braxton Thomas (Florida) all competing for snaps. But in the trenches, Gibbs says they need more size and more bodies.
“We’ve got to be relentless recruiters and be on the right people,” Gibbs said. “We also have to make sure that if we need a certain size or standard, we don’t compromise that.”
With the CAA’s physical style of play, particularly up front, that means prioritizing linemen who can win at the point of attack. Current anchors like Marquis Hood (Georgia), Mitchell Etheridge III (Alabama), and Kelvin Broadhurst Jr. (South Carolina) will need reinforcements in the years ahead.
Culture and Recruiting Go Hand-in-Hand
If there was one theme Gibbs hammered home all week, it was culture. The embarrassing pregame and postgame behavior against NCCU cost one player his spot on the team, and Gibbs made it clear the Aggies can’t afford to bring in talent that doesn’t buy in.
“We can recruit nationwide, but we’ve got to make sure we’re finding the right kind of players,” Gibbs said. “It’s about building a team that understands what it means to represent this university.”
North Carolina A&T looking to put it all together
North Carolina A&T’s tradition, facilities, and alumni base make it an attractive destination for athletes in North Carolina and beyond. But as Gibbs sees it, that reputation won’t mean much if the Aggies don’t put discipline into their recruiting process.
The Aggies have to hold home turf in North Carolina. They have to use the Coastal Athletic Association’s footprint to grab talent from new areas. And they have to do it without lowering standards.
If they do, Gibbs believes there won’t be battles for recruits. There will only be decisions — and in his mind, those decisions will go the Aggies’ way.