Three Pirates Sign NFL Free Agent Deals

Seattle Seahawks | San Francisco 49ers

GREENVILLE, N.C. – Three former East Carolina University football players in quarterback Holton Ahlers (Seattle Seahawks), wide receiver C.J. Johnson (Seattle Seahawks) and wide receiver Isaiah Winstead (San Francisco 49ers) have officially signed free agent contract according to each National Football League organization. The trio joins tight end Ryan Jones (New York Giants) and running back Keaton Mitchell (Baltimore Ravens) as free agent signees.

AHLERS' CAREER NOTES: Four-year starter at quarterback (50 of 55 games) … Four-time team captain (2019-22) … Five-time letterman (2018-22) … Set 10 ECU records to go along with six American Athletic Conference and two Birmingham Bowl new standards … Named Birmingham Bowl, Hula Bowl and NFLPA Bowl Most Valuable Player honors … Owns one 500-yard, six 400-yard and 18 300-yard passing outings … Thrown at least one scoring pass in 42 of 55 games … In all, completed 1,127-of-1,857 passes (60.7 percent) for 13,927 yards … Threw 97 touchdowns to 37 interceptions … Of his 97 aerial scores, 76 came in league play … Rushed 469 times for 1,446 yards (3.1 ypr) with 25 scores … Ranks second all-time in rushing yards by a quarterback … Completed career standing among the all-time FBS leaders in total yards (seventh) and passing yards (11th) … Ran and passed for a touchdown in the dame game on 15 occasions (2/2018, 4/2019, 1/2020, 4/2021, 4/2022) … As a starter, compiled 15,071 total yards – an average of 301.4 yards per game … Ran for multiple touchdowns in a game three times (2 vs. UNC/2018, 2 vs. GWU/2019, 2 vs. BYU/2022) ... In 55 career contests, led the Pirates in rushing 11 times (8/2018, 2/2019, 1/2022) … 524 of 1,127 completions went for 10 or more yards (203 for 20-plus) … Seventy-five of 97 passing touchdowns went for 10 or more yards (8 of 12/2018, 15 of 21/2019, 14 of 18/2020, 16 of 18/2021, 22 of 28/2022) … Threw multiple touchdowns in a game 28 times in his career (3/'18, 5/'19, 6/'20, 6/'21, 8'22) … Thrown for 300-plus yards in a game 18 times in his career (406/UCF '18, 449/MEM '18, 360/TLN '18, 313/UCF '19, 535/CIN '19, 498/SMU '19, 374/UCONN '19, 308/TLS '19, 330/TLS '20, 351/TLN '20, 368/MAR '21, 313/MEM '21, 405/Navy '21, 465/USF '22, 304/MEM '22, 311/UCF '22, 314/TEM '22, 300/CCU '22) … Three-time Wuerffel Trophy Watch List Candidate … Semifinalist for the 2022 Jason Witten Collegiate Man of the Year Award.

AHLERS' RECORDS: ECU single-game holder for passing yards (535 vs. Cincinnati '19) and touchdown passes in a game (6 vs. SMU '19, South Florida '22) … Owns single-season passing efficiency rating that was set in 2022 (151.1) … Pirates all-time leader in passing yards (13, 927), total offensive yards (15,373), passing touchdowns (97), touchdowns responsible for (122), completions (1,127), pass attempts (1,857) and rushing touchdowns by a quarterback (25) … In The American, established six career records: total plays (2,326), total offensive yards, completions, passing yards, pass attempts and touchdowns responsible for … Set Birmingham Bowl records for most touchdown passes (five) and total touchdowns responsible for (six).

AHLERS' 2022 SEASON: Started all 13 games helping the Pirates to an 8-5 overall record which included a 53-29 win over Coastal Carolina in the Birmingham Bowl – the first win for ECU in a bowl since 2014 … Completed 26 of 38 passes for 300 yards with five ariel scores versus the Chanticleers … Added 48 rushing yards on seven carries with a touchdown on his way to Birmingham Bowl MVP honors … Participated in the Hula Bowl earning MVP accolades after completing 10 of 10 passes for 57 yards with a touchdown passes … Rushed for 22 yards … Completed 22-yard touchdown pass to Michael Ezeike (UCLA) lifting Kai to a 16-13 victory … Also participated in the NFLPA Bowl where he completed 9 of 12 passes for 189 yards and a score on his way to MVP honors and helping the American squad to a 19-17 victory … Lone passing touchdown came in the second quarter hooking up with Christian Sims (Bowling Green) for 42 yards … Also led the American squad to a field goal and an early 10-0 lead in the first half … Connected with Southern Miss receiver Jason Brownlee on a 66-yard completion prior to half time … One of four team captains at the conclusion of the season for the fourth consecutive year … Served as a game captain for all 13 contests … Selected an ECU's Co-Offensive Player of the Year alongside Keaton Mitchell at the programs annual end of the year banquet … Closed out collegiate completing 315 of 469 passes (67.2 percent) for 3,708 yards … Threw 28 touchdown passes to just five interceptions … Did not throw an interception in nine consecutive contests to close out the season, including a pair of all-star games … Ran for 182 yards on 72 carries (2.5 ypr) with six scores … Caught one pass for 14 yards against Coastal Carolina in the Birmingham Bowl … Threw at least one score in 11 of 13 games (multiple eight times) … Twenty-two of 28 aerial scores went for 10 or more yards … Passed for 300 or more yards in a game five times with a season-best 465 against South Florida … Threw for 200-plus yards in 12 of 13 contests … Tied his own single-season record with six touchdown passes against the Bulls … Stands fourth on ECU's single-season passing yards list with his 3,708 yards … Also holds the fifth (3,387 in 2019) and seventh (3,126 in 2021) spots on the list … Ran for scores against Campbell, Memphis, UCF, BYU (two) and Coastal Carolina … Named semifinalist for the Jason Witten Collegiate Man of the Year award (Nov. 16) … Earned AAC Offensive Player of the Week honors (Oct. 3) and selected to the AAC Weekly Honor Roll (Oct. 24) … Named to the Davey O'Brien Great 8 list for Week Five and earned a spot on the Midseason Watch List ... Tabbed to the Manning Passing Academy Week Five Honor Roll ... Garnered a Manning Star of the Week as well as a ESPN Helmet Sticker after his performance against South Florida ... Earned another Manning Star of the Week laurel following the UCF contest and was named the Manning Award Quarterback of the Week ... Directed an offensive unit that ranked 16th nationally in passing offense (290.5 ypg), 23rd in total offense (461.1), 35th in first down offense (294) and 35th in scoring (32.5 ppg) … Individually, he ranked among the FBS leaders in passing yards (10th), completions (13th), passing yards per game (14th), completion percentage (15th), passing touchdowns (16th), points responsible for (16th), total offense (16th) and points responsible for per game (22nd) … 139 of 315 completions went for 10 or more yards (48 for 20-plus yards) … At the conclusion of senior season, was lone FBS quarterback with 13,000 yards passing/1,000 yards rushing for a career … Prior to the season, was named to the 2022 Wuerffel Trophy, Golden Arm, Davey O'Brien and Reese's Senior Bowl Watch Lists … Selected as a coach for the Manning Passing Academy in July 2022 … Tabbed a 2022 Fourth-Team Preseason All-American Athletic Conference selection by Athlon Sports.

JOHNSON'S CAREER NOTES: Four-year letterwinner who started 38 of 46 career games … Two-time All-American Athletic Conference selection (2019, 2022) … Hauled down 175 career passes for 2,849 yards (16.3 ypr) … Scored 21 career touchdowns (4/'19, 6/'20, 1/'21, 10/'22) … Set the ECU single-game receiving yards record against Cincinnati in 2019 (12 for 283 yards) … Tied ECU and AAC single-game record with four touchdown grabs against South Florida (2022) … His 197 yards against the Bulls ranks 10th on the Pirates single-game charts … Stands fifth on ECU's all-time receiving yards (2,849) and touchdown receptions (21) charts … Ranks sixth all-time in receptions at East Carolina (175) … Owns seven career 100-yard receiving games (4/2019, 3/2022) … Hauled down multiple TD passes in a game three times (TEM '19, USF '20, USF '22) … Recorded at least one reception in 43 of 46 career games (multiple 37 times) ... 106 of 175 receptions went for 10 or more yards (47 for 20-plus) … Targeted 2095 times making 175 grabs … Became the eighth player in program history to post 1,000 or more receiving yards in a season (1,016 in 2022) … Earned Second-Team All-AAC (league coaches and Phil Steele Magazine) honors in 2022 … Selected as a Freshman All-America by the Football Writers Association of America (FWAA), while also earning inclusion on Pro Football Focus' All-Freshman Team … Additionally, was a two-time All-AAC choice (first-team/Phil Steele, honorable mention/coaches) in 2019 … Two-time Biletnikoff Watch List selection (2020, 2022).

JOHNSON'S 2022 SEASON: Second-Team All-AAC selection by the leagues head coaches … Also earned second-team all-league honors by Phil Steele Magazine … Set career-highs in receptions (67), receiving yard (1,016) and touchdowns (10) and receptions per game (5.2) … Targeted 88 times making 67 catches … Reached 1,000 yards on the season (first career) against Coastal Carolina in the Birmingham Bowl on his 12-yard grab in the second quarter becoming the eighth receiver in program history to reach that mark … Tallied three 100-yard receiving games (197/South Florida, 140/UCF, 123/Cincinnati) … His 197 yards against the Bulls stands as the 10th-most receiving yards in a single-game and the most in a game by a player in the AAC in 2022 … Caught at least one pass in all 13 games (multiple 12 times) … Hauled in 11 passes against UCF – most since his 12 receptions against Cincinnati in 2019 … Caught career-best four TD passes against South Florida that tied an ECU and AAC single-game record … Earned AAC Weekly Honor Roll status for his performance versus the Bulls … Finished career ranking fifth on ECU's all-time receiving yards (2,849) and touchdowns (21) lists … Stands sixth all-time in receptions (175) … Scored a touchdown in seven of 13 contests … Logged 733 total plays from scrimmage (724/offense, 9/special teams) … Stood 13th nationally (FBS) in touchdowns … Ranked among the AAC leaders in receiving yards per game (seventh/78.15), receptions per game (eighth/5.15) and scoring TDs (ninth) … His 24 points against South Florida was tied for the most by an AAC player in a single game in 2022 … Completed one pass for 14 yards to Holton Ahlers, which came in the Birmingham Bowl … Named to Biletnikoff Watch List on Nov. 14 … Earned selection to the 2023 NFLPA Bowl as well as the 2023 NFL Combine … A 2022 Third-Team Preseason All-American Athletic Conference selection by Phil Steele's Football Preview and a fourth teamer by Athlon Sports.

WINSTEAD CAREER NOTES: Earned five total letters (2/Norfolk State, 2/Toledo, 1/East Carolina) … Two-time all-conference selection (2020/Toledo, 2022/ECU) … Named Third-Team All-AAC by Phil Steele Magazine in 2022 … Appeared in 54 career games making 36 starts … Caught 234 passes for 3,011 yards (12.9 ypr) … Hauled in 18 career TD passes … Tallied six 100-yard receiving games … Caught at least one pass in 40 games (multiple 37 times) … Scored 108 career points … Caught career-best 11 passes against Navy (2022) … Posted career-high 156 receiving yards versus Morgan State (2018) … Hauled in a pair of TD passes in a game twice (Morgan State/'18, Coastal Carolina/'22) … Longest career reception came against Navy (2022) which resulted in a touchdown pass.

Winstead 2022 Season: Earned All-American Athletic Conference Honorable Mention honors … Third-Team All-AAC selection by Phil Steele Magazine … Led the Pirates in receptions (88) and receiving yards (1,085) – both career-highs … Scored six touchdowns to rank second on the squad behind C.J. Johnson … Became the seventh receiver in program history with 1,000 yards in a season on his 14-yard TD grab against Temple in the second quarter … Tied for seventh on ECU's single-season receptions chart while standing ninth in receiving yards … Hauled in multiple receptions in all 13 contests with a career-best 11 against Navy … Tallied three 100-yard receiving games (112/Campbell, 143/Navy, 154/Memphis) which was tied for sixth among AAC receivers … Tied career-high with two TD receptions against Coastal Carolina in the Birmingham Bowl … Also had TD catches versus Navy, South Florida, Memphis and Temple … Logged 905 total plays from scrimmage (895/offense, 10/special teams … Targeted a team-high 127 times hauling down 88 passes … Forty-five of 88 receptions went for 10 or more yards (14 for 20-plus) … Stood eight nationally (FBS) in receptions per game (6.77) and 18th in receiving yards … Officially named to the Biletnikoff Watch List on Oct. 12 … Selected and participated in the College Gridiron Classic Game … Stood among The American leaders receptions per game (third), receiving yards per game (fourth.83.46) and all-purpose yards per game (eighth/83.31).

Additional rookie free agent announcements which involve former Pirates will be released once officially confirmed by their respective NFL teams.

Players Mentioned

Holton Ahlers

C.J. Johnson

Ryan Jones

Keaton Mitchell

Isaiah Winstead

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