Former Charlotte offensive lineman has enrolled at East Carolina University (ECU) and joined the football team. As a local Greenville native and former standout at DH Conley High School, his addition brings regional talent to ECU for the new season.
He is the second former DH Conley lineman to join the ECU roster, joining redshirt freshman Bryce Weaver, who was a three-star recruit in the 2023 class and redshirted last season. Despite having spent four years in college, Askew has two years of eligibility remaining. A former starter for Charlotte under the previous coaching staff, he played in only two games last season following the coaching change, redshirted, and then entered the transfer portal in April. He has made 16 career starts and has logged 1,197 snaps on offense, according to Pro Football Focus.
Askew has been committed to ECU for several months but had to complete some classwork this summer to earn his degree and officially enroll. Although he has missed preseason camp, his experience, particularly at guard and center, should prove beneficial to the offensive line.
Initially recruited by ECU out of high school in the 2020 class, Askew chose Charlotte, where he made an immediate impact. As a true freshman, he played in five games, starting once and logging 147 snaps. In 2021, he started seven games and played in ten, contributing to an offense that secured five wins and saw quarterback Chris Reynolds set school records. Askew’s performance continued to improve in 2022, starting again and helping an offense that surpassed the previous season’s passing records. He played 558 snaps in 2022 and earned a 62.6 overall grade from Pro Football Focus, including a 67.0 grade for run blocking.
Askew joins an ECU offensive line that has good experience and size but needs more proven depth. Standing at 6-3 and weighing 291 pounds, Askew was initially overlooked by some schools due to his size but demonstrated impressive athleticism and footwork, enabling his success as a blocker in college.
ECU has recently produced several notable players from Conley, including quarterback Holton Ahlers and wide receiver C.J. Johnson.
Askew’s real name is Jaden, but he earned the nickname “Panda” from his love of baseball and a comparison to third baseman Pablo Sandoval. The Pirates will kick off their 2024 season on Saturday, August 31, against Norfolk State at Dowdy-Ficklen Stadium.
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