Jeremiah Roux was just an eighth grader when he received an invitation to participate in spring practice with the Mundy’s Mill High School varsity football team back in 2021.
Despite having only played organized football for about a year, Roux’s performance on the middle school team earned him a shot to showcase his skills with the varsity squad as a quarterback and safety. That early exposure sparked a bigger vision for his football future—one that went far beyond just high school.
“I didn’t start playing football until eighth grade,” Roux explained. “I thought I was going to be a basketball player at first. But once I started going up against guys who were 6-foot-6 and 6-foot-7, I realized football might be the better path.”
His moment with the varsity team sealed it: “After that spring game, I knew I could do this—I wanted to take it to the next level.”
That next level became reality on June 30, when Roux announced his verbal commitment to East Carolina University. He chose the Pirates over offers from several programs, including Georgia Tech, Memphis, South Florida, and Western Kentucky.
Although Jeremiah Roux was a latecomer to football, the sport has been a significant part of his life through family ties. Originally from Tampa, Florida, Roux grew up watching relatives like Derwin James Jr. and Gregory Gaines III rise through the ranks. James, now an NFL safety, starred at Florida State before being selected in the first round of the 2018 NFL Draft by the Los Angeles Chargers. He’s set to begin his eighth NFL season in 2025. Gaines, a wide receiver, was a four-star recruit who started his college career at Iowa State before transferring to Rhode Island. There, he became a top contributor last season, catching 50 passes for 603 yards and three touchdowns. He’ll be a redshirt junior this fall.
Roux also shares a connection to East Carolina through his brother, Kendrick DuJour, a junior defensive lineman who transferred to ECU from Sam Houston State.
“You could say I’m keeping the family tradition going,” Roux said.
He earned a spot on the Mundy’s Mill varsity team as a freshman, mainly contributing at safety, while also serving as a backup quarterback and receiver. That versatility defined his next two seasons. As a sophomore, he played quarterback, receiver, safety, and punter for a squad that finished 8-3 and reached the Georgia 6-A playoffs. His stats included a perfect 1-for-1 passing for four yards, two receptions for 19 yards, 18 tackles, an interception, and a punting average of 33 yards across five attempts.
In his junior season, Roux’s production soared. He completed 5-of-10 passes for 27 yards, rushed 22 times for 45 yards and a touchdown, hauled in 38 catches for 540 yards and two scores, and added 112 kickoff return yards. On defense, he recorded 34 tackles and one tackle for loss, while also punting for an average of 26.2 yards.
Those all-around contributions sparked a wave of offers between January and April of 2025. Roux received interest from Kennesaw State, Georgia State, Troy, Appalachian State, USF, Georgia Tech, Buffalo, Tennessee State, Western Kentucky, Memphis, Howard, UAB, and Liberty.
East Carolina entered the picture in December when outside linebackers coach Rico Zachary visited Mundy’s Mill. Defensive coordinator Josh Aldridge followed up in the spring and extended an offer after observing a few practices.
In early June, Roux narrowed his options to ECU, Troy, Western Kentucky, Memphis, UAB, USF, Georgia Tech, and Georgia State. He took official visits to USF (June 6), Georgia Tech (June 13), and finally ECU (June 19).
It was that trip to Greenville that sealed the deal.
“I loved the energy,” Roux said. “Everywhere I went, people were upbeat and supportive. The workout room had great vibes—guys clapping, cheering each other on. And the whole city is behind ECU. That really stood out to me. The school, the program, the town—it was all positive.”
East Carolina plans to utilize Roux at the WILL linebacker position. He expects to enroll in January 2026 after finishing his senior year at Mundy’s Mill.
Once on campus, Roux will reunite with a familiar face—linebacker Chad Fairchild, a fellow 2026 commit from Hampton, Georgia.
“Chad and I went to middle school together,” Roux said. “Now we’ll be playing linebacker together at ECU.”
Roux and Fairchild are among five Georgia natives committed to East Carolina’s 2026 class, joining safeties Djimon McLendon (Tucker) and David Coleman Jr. (Kingsland), as well as wide receiver Dawson Quarterman (Loganville).
No Comment! Be the first one.