East Carolina has infused its roster with some local talent just in time for the new season through the transfer portal.
Former Charlotte offensive lineman Panda Askew, a Greenville native and standout from DH Conley High School, has officially joined ECU’s roster. Although Askew has been attending practices over the past two days, he hasn’t yet participated as classes begin on Monday. He’s expected to be cleared for practice later this week.
Askew becomes the second former DH Conley lineman on the roster, joining redshirt freshman Bryce Weaver, who signed with ECU as a three-star recruit in the 2023 class and redshirted last season. Askew is an interior offensive lineman with two years of eligibility left, despite already spending four years in college. A former starter under Charlotte’s previous coaching staff, Askew played in just two games last season after the coaching change and redshirted before entering the portal this past April. He has made 16 career starts along the offensive line, accumulating 1,197 FBS snaps on offense, according to Pro Football Focus.
According to sources familiar with the situation, the local talent had committed to ECU a few months ago, but he needed to complete some coursework late this summer to earn his degree and officially enroll. Although he missed preseason camp and is somewhat behind, Askew brings valuable experience to the offensive line, especially at guard and center, and is expected to contribute in due time.
ECU showed some interest in Askew during his high school years as part of the 2020 class, but Charlotte offered him a full scholarship, leading him to join the 49ers. He made an immediate impact, playing in five games as a true freshman, starting one, and logging 147 snaps. In 2021, Askew took on a larger role in an offense that powered five wins and saw quarterback Chris Reynolds break school records for passing touchdowns and yards. Askew started in seven games and played in 10 overall, contributing 483 snaps. In 2022, he returned as a starting guard, helping the offense surpass the previous year’s passing records. He played 558 snaps, earning a Pro Football Focus grade of 62.6, with an impressive 67.0 in run blocking.
Askew joins an ECU offensive line that has experience and size but lacks proven depth beyond the starters. Listed at 6-3 and 291 pounds on his most recent Charlotte profile, Askew was overlooked by some schools due to his size coming out of high school. However, his above-average footwork and athleticism allowed him to thrive early in his college career as a blocker.
ECU has a history of developing standout players from Conley, including recent stars like quarterback Holton Ahlers and wide receiver C.J. Johnson.
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