C.J. Mims

Position:
Defensive Tackle
Height:
6-0
Weight:
302
Class:
Freshman
Hometown:
New Bern
High School:
West Craven

Verbally committed to East Carolina on June 27, 2021. High School: A key defender for a West Craven program that produced a 6-4 overall record and a perfect 5-0 league mark in 2021 ... Helped the Eagles bounce back from an 0-3 start to roll off six-straight and earn playoff appearances vs. North Lenoir and Wallace-Rose Hill ... Booked a combined 10 stops in WCHS's post-season run ... As a sophomore and junior, tallied a collective 120 tackles, 36 of them behind the line of scrimmage, in just 18 games ... Had 26 solo hits, 11 assists, 13.0 TFLs and 2.0 sacks during an abbreviated (COVID) season in 2020-21 to help guide head coach Michael Twichell's Eagles to a 4-1 ledger ... Played a key role in West Craven's 10-4 campaign in 2019 that resulted in a berth in the state 2-A quarterfinals ... Collected 83 tackles - 23 for lost yardage - and five sacks to earn all-area honors from the New Bern Sun Journal ... Registered 11 stops and three sacks in the quarterfinals against Clinton ... Experienced action in 13 outings as a freshman and made 29 tackles and 2.0 TFLs ... Academically, ranked in the top 10 in his class ... Also received FBS offers from Army, Charlotte, Coastal Carolina, Duke, Georgia State, Liberty and Navy while additionally being recruited by Atlantic Coast Conference members NC State, North Carolina and Wake Forest ... Older brothers Claron and Shaundre also lettered under Twichell as standout defensive linemen at WCHS as both earned First-Team All-Craven County and Coastal 3-A Conference selections as seniors (2016-17) ... Is part of a Craven County tradition that through the years has developed future Pirates and NFL players such as linebacker George Koonce (West Craven), offensive lineman Guy Whimper (Havelock), tight end Davon Drew (New Bern) and receiver great Justin Hardy (West Craven). Personal: Son of Clarence Mims and Charndra Coward.