ODU Football Offensive Newcomers
Impact Newcomers ON OFFENSE
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By Mike Langston
Under Head Coach Ricky Rahne, Old Dominion has built a track record of newcomers making an immediate difference. The modern transfer portal landscape and NIL have sped up roster turnover league-wide and opened more doors for new arrivals to make an impact; but ODU has also simply done a good job identifying playmakers on offense. Guys who can flat-out ball. Zack Kuntz, Ali Jennings, Tyran Hunt, Zach Barlev, Ryan Joyce, Ja'Cory Thomas, and Tre Brown all produced right from their first snaps in Norfolk. With another strong wave of talent joining the program, here's a look at the offensive newcomers poised to contribute right away.
Quick disclaimer: leaving a player off this list doesn't mean he won't make noise this season. We expect a number of new faces to show up in the box score; listing every one of them would turn this into a novel. These are simply the names we feel most confident spotlighting today.
Opportunity is there for the taking. With Devin Roche standing as the only returning starter on offense, the door is open for new blood to walk through. The five newcomers to know on offense: Brayden Walker, Bubba Craig, Leon Haughton Jr., JJ Harrell, and Trey Hall.
BRAYDEN WALKER Center
Center has long been a position of importance for ODU under Coach Rahne, and last season the Monarchs got about as good as it gets there with Ryan Joyce at the helm. Brayden Walker steps in after a standout performance at Elon. The Culpeper, Virginia, native started all 12 games as a redshirt sophomore, following nine starts the year before as a redshirt freshman. In that second year as a starter, he didn't allow a single sack, gave up just 7 pressures across 417 pass-blocking snaps, and posted the top pass-blocking grade of any offensive lineman in the FCS at 88.4. He looked right at home in the spring, immediately standing out for his power and technique.
BUBBA CRAIG Right Tackle
Left tackle remains an open competition, but right tackle looks to be spoken for by Carmarion "Bubba" Craig. The 6'6", 312-pound junior arrives after a season with the Arkansas Razorbacks. Before Fayetteville, Craig starred at Hutchinson Community College β€” a well-worn pipeline to ODU β€” in 2024, following a 2023 redshirt year. That season, he helped Hutch to a 9-1 record, earned First-Team All-KJCCC honors at offensive tackle, and was tabbed by 247Sports as the nation's top-ranked JUCO offensive lineman and the No. 28 overall JUCO prospect in the 2025 class. The Fort Wayne, Indiana, native was originally recruited to Hutchinson by Phil Serchia, now ODU's offensive line coach, and that existing relationship looked like a real asset in rebuilding the line this spring.
JJ HARRELL Wide Receiver
We covered the receiver room in depth last week, but JJ Harrell earns another mention here. He was a consistent standout at every spring practice we watched, flashing both versatility and playmaking ability. Landing one of ODU's coveted single-digit jerseys wasn't handed to him by accident.
LEON HAUGHTON JR. Tight End
Leon Haughton Jr. joins ODU after four seasons at Maryland, where he appeared in 27 games and caught 7 passes for 79 yards and a touchdown at tight end. Β Last season, Leon graded highest as a run blocker. But according to one ODU staffer, he's the most complete tight end ODU has had since Rahne took over; a notable statement given what Pat Conroy and Zack Kuntz brought to the position. That praise checked out in the spring, where Haughton impressed with his route awareness (adjusting when plays broke down), his blocking, and his ability to win with both power and speed.
TREY HALL Running Back
Trey Hall arrives after spending 2025 at Ole Miss, where a fall camp injury led to a redshirt year. He was fully cleared and participating this spring. Prior to Ole Miss, he starred for Mississippi Gulf Coast, where he played alongside fellow ODU newcomer and linebacker Montrell Chapman. Hall was dominant at the JUCO level; as a freshman in 2023, he rushed for 883 yards and 7 touchdowns at 7.2 yards per carry, then improved even further in 2024 with 1,098 yards and 13 touchdowns at 7.4 yards per carry, earning NJCAA All-American honors. He's got good pad balance, great speed and can break loose at any moment. If he and Roche both stay healthy, ODU could have one of the best backfield duos in the Group of Six.Β 
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Fall camp officially opens tomorrow, August 5th, and we'll be on the ground bringing you as much coverage as possible. Stay tuned to ODUMonarchists.com, and look out for our next preview breaking down the newcomers set to make an impact on defense. Until then, Go Monarchs!