There were no late surprises and no blockbuster last-minute signings for the East Carolina football team on Wednesday’s National Signing Day.

But more important than that, there were numerous signatures from scholastic and junior college football players who fit the Pirates’ greatest needs heading into the 2012 season.

Head coach Ruffin McNeill accepted letters of intent from 18 athletes from nine different states, including five from North Carolina, three from South Carolina, two from Virginia, two from Florida, two from Mississippi and two from California.

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