Isaiah "Ike" Charlton IV joined the Norfolk State football coaching staff in 2026 as the Spartans' defensive backs coach, bringing more than a decade of coaching experience and a distinguished professional playing career in both the National Football League (NFL) and Canadian Football League (CFL) .
Charlton has built a reputation as an accomplished developer of defensive backs, mentoring athletes at the high school, collegiate, professional, and international levels. Throughout his coaching career, he has emphasized technical development, football IQ, and mental resilience while helping players maximize their potential on and off the field.
Prior to Norfolk State, Charlton served as the defensive backs coach at St. Ignatius High School in Cleveland, Ohio, where he implemented position-specific training programs for cornerbacks and safeties and helped elevate the performance of the secondary through detailed instruction and player development .
Before returning to the high school ranks, Charlton coached professionally with the Toronto Argonauts of the CFL, directing the defensive secondary while overseeing game planning, film study, technique development, and in-game adjustments. Earlier, he served as Special Teams Coordinator and Defensive Backs Coach at Lake Erie College, where he coached two All-Conference selections, and was a member of the inaugural coaching staff of the Ottawa REDBLACKS as passing game coordinator. During his four seasons in Ottawa, the REDBLACKS captured two Grey Cup appearances and the 2016 Grey Cup Championship, while Charlton helped develop multiple CFL All-Stars who advanced to NFL careers .
In 2018, Charlton was selected to participate in the prestigious Bill Walsh NFL Minority Coaching Fellowship with the Houston Texans and was previously one of just 30 coaches chosen nationally for the NFL-NCAA Coaches Academy, a premier leadership and professional development program for aspiring collegiate coaches .
Outside of coaching, Charlton founded The Charlton Group, a multi-platform organization dedicated to athletic performance, youth development, and mentorship. Through the organization, he has trained athletes across multiple sports and mentored more than 100 young athletes, emphasizing discipline, leadership, and personal growth .
As a player, Charlton spent a decade competing professionally as a defensive back in the NFL and CFL. His NFL career included stints with the Seattle Seahawks, Jacksonville Jaguars, New York Giants, Oakland Raiders, New England Patriots, and Detroit Lions, while he also played for the Winnipeg Blue Bombers and Montreal Alouettes in the CFL .
A native of Orlando, Fla., Charlton earned a Bachelor of Science in Hospitality Administration and Management from Virginia Tech and an Associate of Applied Science in Information Technology – Programming and Development from Cuyahoga Community College .
