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The Wolfpacker top 25 presented by JFQ Lending (May 5)

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These are the top 25 players ranked in order of the odds we see them ending up at NC State.

The following have committed to NC State:

Three-star center/guard Rylan Vann, Cary (N.C.) High

1. Three-star athlete Jackson Vick, Bailey (N.C.) Southern Nash High

As we have noted the past few weeks, we think NC State is in an excellent position with Vick, who will likely be a summer-time decision. Our guess remains that Wake Forest is the top competition, with Duke and East Carolina also possibilities.

Vick was a dynamic playmaker in 2019. He ran 99 times for 937 yards and 11 touchdowns while catching six passes for 129 yards and two scores. He also added 26 tackles (including a sack), four interceptions and seven pass breakups while playing 16 games for a Southern Nash team that reached a state title game before losing to Charlotte Catholic.

In his first five games this year, Vick had rushed 108 times for 833 yards and 11 scores.

Last week: 1
Projection: NC State

2. Three-star defensive lineman Nick Campbell, Minneola (Fla.) Lake Minneola High

We’re almost tempted to say that the 6-foot-3, 265-pound could be considered a 1B on the top 25 as each week that goes by we seem to pick up further indications that NC State is in an excellent position.

Campbell has scheduled an official visit on June 4 for NC State. He’s also set to visit Virginia a week later and West Virginia on June 23. Worth noting that Campbell’s visit plans have changed some, so it may not be best to etch that in stone, yet. The clear top five that seems to be emerging is NC State, Missouri, Nebraska, Virginia and West Virginia with Pittsburgh and perhaps Louisville being potential wildcards.

As a junior, Campbell had 70 tackles, including 19 for loss and seven sacks, and four fumble recoveries, one of which he returned for a score

Last week: 4
Projection: NC State

3. Three-star defensive back Isaiah Crowell, Winston-Salem (N.C.) East Forsyth High

We have said the last few weeks that the key in the 5-foot-11, 175-pounder’s recruitment is going to be if some bigger name schools get involved. From talking with sources close to Crowell, for example, teams like Georgia and Ohio State have reached out. The question is will Crowell do some camps to try to earn offers or not. Thus far this spring, his latest offers have been more from the mid-majors like Appalachian State and Georgia Tech. Crowell has set up an official visit to East Carolina in June, as well.

His spring season ended with 75 tackles, including six for losses. He’s also added an interception, two pass breakups, a forced fumble, two fumble recoveries and seven quarterback hurries.

Last week: 3
Projection: NC State

4. Receiver Wesley Grimes, Raleigh (N.C.) Millbrook High

The 6-foot-3, 180-pounder recently visited for the NC State spring game. Now the big question is what will happen when the dead period expires after the end of the month and colleges could get a closer look at Grimes. He had a huge spring season with 44 catches for 872 yards and 13 touchdowns.

Appalachian State, Duke, Louisville, Tennessee, Vanderbilt, Virginia, Wake Forest and Wisconsin have also offered. Others, including Notre Dame, have begun to reach out to Grimes.

Last week: 4
Projection: NC State

5. Three-star receiver Mehki Wall, Greensboro (N.C.) Dudley High

As we noted previously, a lot depends on how hard NC State pursues the 5-foot-10, 165-pounder. The communications are still there, but how many wide receivers will the Pack take? Wall also seems willing to be patient, and if there is limited space available that could affect his recruitment with the Wolfpack.

As a sophomore, Wall made 42 receptions for 812 yards and eight touchdowns, and he has returned four kicks for scores in his career. Through nine games this spring, Wall caught 27 passes for 412 yards and three touchdowns and has returned six kickoffs for a total of 357 yards and a score. He’s also run a punt back for a score and is averaging 25.6 yards on 15 punt returns.

Last week: 5
Projection: NC State

6. Three-star defensive lineman Davin Jackson, Sumter (S.C.) High

A recent interview confirmed our thought process that the Pack has an edge over offers from Georgia Tech, Kansas, Syracuse and West Virginia, although Jackson himself has not explicitly said that.

Like Wall, a major question will be where Jackson fits in the numbers will colleges. He has set up an official visit in June to Coastal Carolina for the end of June.

The caveat here is if South Carolina offers, that could be a gamechanger. Jackson appears willing to be a little patient (wants to decide in September) to allow the Gamecocks to step forward with a scholarship.

Jackson had 64 tackles, including 20 for loss and seven sacks, with 10 quarterback hurries, an interception and a forced fumble in 2020.

Last week: 6
Projection: NC State

7. Four-star running back Michael Allen, Greenville (N.C.) Rose High

We will be having a story with an update from Allen pretty soon. Realistically, this is a UNC-NC State recruiting battle with East Carolina a strong wildcard. We’d be very surprised if Allen did not pick one of those three. We currently give NC State the edge because we feel like the Pack has made it clear that Allen is a huge priority for NC State, but this one could go either way.

It should also be noted that Allen’s personality comes across as someone who will have a hard time saying no to all of the three in-state schools involved.

Allen is a legit sub-4.5 seconds speed in the 40-yard dash sprinter who has also shown a nearly 40-inch vertical leap in combines. He ran 128 times for 906 yards and 11 touchdowns and caught 24 passes for 284 yards and five scores in 2019. Many around Raleigh see a good comparison to Nyheim Hines.

Allen only played two games this spring due to a meniscus tear but appears healthy now.

Last week: 7
Projection: NC State

8. Three-star defensive back Ahmarian Granger, Norfolk (Va.) Maury High

There has not been a lot new with Granger. Some schools like Granger, 5-foot-11, 170 pounds, at defensive back (NC State), while a few prefer him as either an athlete or a receiver (Maryland for instance).

We rank him this high with the caveat of a lot will come down to how hard NC State pursues, much like Wall and Jackson, listed above. We cannot imagine NC State taking more than a couple of corners in this class, which may limit space, especially if Vick commits sooner rather than later.

As a sophomore, Granger had 47 tackles, two interceptions, five pass breakups and three fumble recoveries (one returned for a touchdown). He lists offers from Arkansas, Georgia Tech, Maryland (most recent), NC State, Nebraska, Pittsburgh, Syracuse and Virginia.

Last week: 8
Projection: NC State

9. Four-star linebacker Torren Wright, Kannapolis (N.C.) A.L. Brown High

We should have a better understanding of Wright’s recruitment soon as he is expected to drop a top five list in the near future. If we had to guess, that group would include NC State, Kentucky, Michigan, South Carolina and West Virginia. He has an official visit lined up to WVU in June.

We still have Wright listed as a NC State projection, but it’s not a high-confidence pick. Like Allen, we will have an update on Wright later this week.

The 6-foot-3, 215-pounder had 84 tackles, including 12 for loss and three sacks, while piling up an astounding 25 quarterback hurries in 2019.

Last week: 9
Projection: NC State

10. Four-star defensive lineman Brandon Cleveland, Tampa (Fla.) Carrollwood Day

We have been wanting to move Cleveland up on the list for a while based on the chatter we were hearing, and his coming out with news of an official visit the second weekend of June is the update we needed to justify going ahead with the leap.

NC State has prioritized the former Miami commit, even offering him a chance to play baseball in college. The Hurricanes are not likely to be in play anymore according to our sources.
A week after he is at NC State, Cleveland is expected to visit Vanderbilt. Cal and West Virginia are a couple of his recent offers, and we know that even while he was committed to Miami he was communicating with Oregon (along with NC State). Georgia Tech and Florida State are two more schools to watch.

Cleveland had 46 tackles, including 18 for loss and 11 sacks, in nine games as a junior.

Last week: 17
Projection: Unknown
 
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