GREENSBORO – The Carolina Cobras have signed former NFL running back and Greensboro native James Summers (6’3”, 223) as a wide receiver.
“James is a complete athlete that we can use in multiple sets and positions.” Coach Back mentioned, “He’s versatile and can be a matchup problem for other teams. He’s a local product that we are excited to have apart of the Cobra Family.”
The Page High School quarterback attended East Carolina University where he shifted his role to running back, accruing 1315 rushing yards and 15 touchdowns in 22 games for the Pirates in the 2015 and 2016 seasons.
Following his collegiate career, Summers went on to play five pre-season games with the Arizona Cardinals, rushing for 95 yards and one touchdown in those games. He participated in workouts for the Pittsburgh Steelers as well.
Summers expressed his enthusiasm in returning to Greensboro. “It feels like home being back in Greensboro because it is!”
Summers believes that his time in the NFL will help him learn the game of arena football fast and that his developed study habits from playing at a high level will come in handy as well.
We followed James from back in his in Middle School days, and then on to the Page JV’s, the Varsity team at Page, where James Summers led Page to the 2011 NCHSAA 4-A football championship and then on to I think it was Hargrave up in Chatham, Virginia, then down to Hinds Community College in Mississippi, then to East Carolina University…James had some big games for ECU at QB, then the Pirates of ECU moved him to tight end and then on to running back…
Page High School was unbeaten James’ senior year in high school and he led them to a perfect (15-0) record, under the leadership coaching of head coach Kevin Gillespie, and defensive coordinator Norman Weeks and in the State Championship Game vs. Garner, James did his regular Superman job at QB and he also played DB that game and intercepted a pass…I asked James one time, what about all of these big games and the ‘Big Game’ moments and James told me during an interview up at the Shane’s Rib Shack, “Oh we got this”, and I was thinking maybe James was being a little cocky, but no, when he said he it meant it and he sure believed it, and that is why he was also known as “Big Games James”…That fact alone is what set James apart from the others…..And you should have seen this kid on the basketball court….
James Summers can help the Cobras and if this guy is right, he can play all day, as in “All Day Long”/”All Night Long”!!!!!
**********Some of James Summers’ Page HS teammates off of that 2011 team, that you might remember:
Carter Stanley, Brian Spain, Blake Hickman, Jordan Putnam, Christian Cranford, Ed Britt, Drew Rogers, Shaun Workinger, DeAnthony Brooks, Savon Wall, Orlando Hatfield, Will Henry….**********