1. Desmond Evans, DE
Sanford Lee County High
The state has a long history of lengthy, athletic defensive ends. First-round NFL Draft talents like Mario Williams and Manny Lawson from NC State fit that mold, for instance. Evans appears to be the next in line.
He broke onto the scene when he was a freshman and collected an offer from NC State, among others, at that point. Over the following two years, the 6-foot-6, 240-pounder piled up 26 total sacks. As a junior, he had 12 sacks, 25 tackles for loss and 16 quarterback hurries in 10 games.
Evans has visited NC State on multiple occasions, but by mid-summer UNC appeared to have moved into frontrunner status. Rivals.com ranks him as a four-star talent, top player in the state, No. 2 weakside defensive end nationally and No. 41 overall prospect nationally.
2. Trenton Simpson, LB
Charlotte Mallard Creek High
Simpson has the prototype frame and athleticism for a blue-chip linebacker prospect. At the Nike Opening in Charlotte in April, he checked in at a chiseled 6-3, 220 pounds and was laser-timed at 4.69 seconds in the 40-yard dash. He also had a 4.34-second shuttle time and an impressive 37.8-inch vertical jump.
The latter is proof of the explosiveness he shows on film when blitzing off the edge from his outside linebacker position. Although Simpson also had quite a bit of success running the football for Mallard Creek, defense is his future.
He verbally committed to Auburn in June. Rivals.com lists Simpson as a four-star prospect, No. 3 player in the state, No. 8 outside linebacker and No. 76 overall prospect overall in the country.
3. Kedrick Bingley-Jones, DL
Charlotte Providence Day School
At nearly 6-5 and pushing 270 pounds, Bingley-Jones is a physical specimen that plays mostly defensive end for Providence Day, but he will probably move inside as a pass rushing defensive tackle in college.
Last year in eight games, Bingley-Jones had 52 tackles and eight sacks. He also forced two fumbles and recorded two safeties.
Once committed to Florida, he is now open but still made an official visit to UF in June along with UNC and Ohio State. Rivals.com rates Bingley-Jones as a four-star prospect, No. 8 recruit in North Carolina, No. 8 strongside defensive end nationally and No. 134 overall player in the nation.
4. Myles Murphy, DL
Greensboro Dudley High
Murphy (6-4, 260 pounds) is similar to Bingley-Jones, although he is not nearly as defined in his frame. Murphy played defensive end for Southwest Guilford High in High Point last year and piled up 53 tackles, 18 stops for loss and 10 sacks in 12 games. He transferred to Dudley High in the offseason.
Murphy’s future, based on his continued growth, is likely on the interior of the defensive line. He made official visits in May and June to Alabama, Florida, North Carolina and South Carolina, and picked the Tar Heels.
Rivals.com ranks Murphy as a four-star player, No. 11 prospect in the state and No. 21 strongside defensive end in the country.
5. Porter Rooks, WR
Charlotte Myers Park High
In a year where there are quite a few solid receivers in the state, Rooks tops the list. He has nice size for an outside receiver at 6-1 and 190 pounds. Although he may not be a burner, he is fast enough and overall a good athlete. At the Nike Opening in Charlotte, he had a vertical jump of 33.9 inches.
As a junior, Rooks caught 50 passes for 652 yards and 10 touchdowns in eight games. He had 66 receptions for 810 yards and 11 scores as a sophomore, both years while playing for Providence Day in Charlotte. Rooks transferred to Myers Park to be able to graduate early and enroll in the spring at NC State, where he committed in December.
Rivals.com ranks Rooks as a four-star prospect, No. 2 recruit in North Carolina, No. 9 wide receiver and No. 49 overall senior in the land.
6. Ja’Qurious Conley, S
Jacksonville Northside High
Conley has the physical frame colleges are seeking in a safety, checking in at a well put together 6-2 and 195 pounds. He also is very productive. Last year, Conley caught 11 passes for 290 yards and three scores, and ran 72 times for 517 yards and seven touchdowns.
However, his future is on defense where he piled up 79 tackles, seven tackles for loss, three interceptions, three passes broken up, two forced fumbles, a fumble recovery and blocked a kick. He also is an effective returner on special teams, averaging 38.8 yards on 11 kickoff returns and 27.4 yards on five punt runbacks. He returned two kickoffs and one punt for scores.
Duke, North Carolina and South Carolina are Conley’s top three schools. He is ranked by Rivals.com as a three-star recruit, No. 16 player in the state and No. 32 safety in the country.
7. Jacolbe Cowan, DL
Charlotte Providence Day High
Cowan has enough upside that a case could be made that he is a top-three player in the state. In the mold of Bingley-Jones and Murphy, Cowan is a physically impressive 6-5, 277 pounds and may be more athletic than the other two.
The key for Cowan is turning those physical gifts into consistency and production on the field. As a junior, he recorded 24 tackles and five sacks in eight games for Providence Day. Those numbers were down from his sophomore year, when he had 65 stops, 23 tackles for loss and 12 sacks in nine contests.
Cowan made an official visit to Ohio State in June and unofficially went to Georgia in May. Rivals.com ranks Cowan as a four-star prospect, No. 5 recruit in the state, No. 5 strongside defensive end and No. 88 overall player in the country.
8. Muhsin Muhammad, WR
Charlotte Myers Park High
Muhammad comes from good bloodlines as the son of the former Carolina Panthers standout by the same name. As a junior, Muhammad caught 58 passes for 1,003 yards and eight touchdowns, and the year before while playing for Providence Day he had 54 receptions for 703 yards and six scores.
Size-wise, Muhammad (6-0, 170 pounds) is probably best suited to be a slot receiver in college. He’s not an exceptional athlete, but that has not stopped him from being productive or from dominating in the various spring and summer camps.
Muhammad verbally committed to Texas A&M in June. He is regarded by Rivals.com as a four-star recruit, No. 6 prospect in North Carolina, No. 25 wide receiver and No. 108 overall player nationally.
9. Mitchell Mayes, OL
Raleigh Leesville Road High
Mayes moves well on his feet despite his massive size at 6-5 and 315 pounds. While his ranking is more about upside, as a junior he flashed signs of the dominating offensive lineman he could potentially become. Although he played tackle last fall at Sanderson High (he transferred to city rival Leesville Road in the spring), he could be a guard in college.
Mayes verbally committed to Clemson in March. Rivals.com lists him as a four-star prospect, No. 7 recruit in the state, No. 3 offensive guard and No. 112 overall player in the nation.
10. Mohamed Kaba, LB
Clinton High
Kaba is a rangy, 6-3, 205-pound linebacker who displays athleticism and good range. He certainly has the frame to add considerably more weight, which will only help his already good physicality on the field.
Kaba made a verbal commitment to South Carolina in May. Rivals.com ranks him as a three-star player, No. 17 prospect in the state and No. 45 outside linebacker in the land.
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