1. When the schedules came out last spring, the game that instantly became in ink was Columbia (S.C.) Richland Northeast at Fort Mill (S.C.) Nation Ford.

The game was scheduled for tonight, but with the fear of rain coming, it got moved to Thursday. The crowd was sparse, but they missed out on the show that NC State senior quarterback commit Will Wilson put on in a 58-49 win over Nation Ford, which has a beautiful stadium setup and FieldTurf.

Wilson threw for five touchdowns, passed for three scores and accounted for three two-point conversions. That would be 54 of the 58 points he was involved in.

The game was wild and sloppy and fun all at once. For instance, Nation Ford successfully ran not one, but two reverse kickoffs and a halfback pass for a touchdown — just in the first quarter.

So, Nation Ford was leading for most of the game, but Wilson showed a few traits that will become clear at NC State.

Wilson is unbelievably poised. He’s just business-like in getting the team in-and-out of plays and executing. His father, Walt Wilson, is the Richland Northeast coach, is not stoic on the sidelines. He’s entertaining.

Wilson and the offense is similar to when Syracuse used to have the freeze option with Donovan McNabb and Marvin Graves at quarterback in the hey day of the Orange. Wilson will run some option, throw on roll outs and has a strong arm. He spread the ball around to a number of targets.

Wilson is also just a great all-around athlete. If he didn’t play quarterback, I would predict that he would have made it to college football at one or two other positions. When he turned upfield and got a head of steam, it was impressive.

Now, due to Nation Ford playing “optional” defense at times, the big thing came down to decision making. He had three or four passes that were not ideal decisions, so that will need to be worked on as coaches do not like turnovers [see Grayson McCall in the Tennessee game].

Subscribers will love the scouting video that will come out, and I also have a video interview with him on a variety of topics. Wilson will enroll early to NC State, but does want to play in the Shrine Bowl if selected in mid-December in Spartanburg, S.C.

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2. NC State has continued to build up its defensive board in recruiting with offers to Wake Forest linebacker commit Bailey Benson and Coastal Carolina linebacker commit Josh Smith.

NC State is now up three offers this fall to South Carolina commits in defensive ends Jaquavioius Dodd of Taylors (S.C.) Eastside and Anthony Addison of Sumter (S.C.) High and outside linebacker Jaquel Holman of Blackville (S.C.) Hilda High.

Dodd and Addison are both long-armed pass-rushers, with Dodd having the look at the Under Armour Camp in Charlotte, N.C., as having all the physical tools of being a quality college player at a listed 6-6 and 215 pounds and picked the Gamecoks on June 20, 2024. It is surprising he didn’t get more P4 offers.

Addison is listed at 6-4 and 215 pounds, and committed to South Carolina on April 12, 2024. NC State quarterback commit Wilson said he has been working on Addison after the offer came out.

Holman is pure speed and plays running back and outside linebacker and was offered by NC State on Aug. 13 on the defensive side.

The 6-1, 205-pound Benson attends Covington (Ga.) Eastside High and picked Wake Forest on April 13, 2024. He has offers from Kansas, Cincinnati, Arkansas State, Coastal Carolina, Georgie Southern, Georgia State, Memphis, Tory, Western Kentucky, Western Michigan and Wofford.

On the offensive line, NC State offered Purdue tackle Takhyian Whitset of Antioch (Tenn.) High. He picked Purdue on April 30, 2024, and has P4 offers from Purdue, Vanderbilt and NC State, and also offers from Alabama State, Arkansas State, Austin Peay, Ball State, East Carolina, Liberty, Morgan State, Tennessee State, Tennessee-Martin, Toledo and UAB.

Whitset said he wants to visit NC State officially Sept. 27-29, but he’s also working on some recruits to join him at Purdue, so he is all over the map. South Carolina hasn’t offered him, but he is also keenly looking at the Gamecocks.

3. Few wide receivers in the state of North Carolina have been as hot on the recruiting trail as Cornelius (N.C.) Hough junior wide receiver Tyran Evans.

NC State joined that party Friday with a scholarship offer. The lanky 6-3, 170-pounder was at Charlotte Chambers his first two years, and is friends with Kevin Concepcion and Arrion Concepcion, who he played with at Chambers.

Evans has great speed and is vertical threat for Hough. Evans has been a hot name with new offers now from NC State, Florida, Miami (Fla.), North Carolina, South Carolina and Virginia Tech. He also has offers from Bryant, Charlotte, East Carolina, Eastern Kentucky, James Madison, Kent State, Liberty, Middle Tennessee State, South Florida, Temple and Troy.

Evans in the first two games of the season against Rock Hill (S.C.) Northwestern and Charlotte Myers Park had a combined eight catches for 301 yards and five touchdowns.

It further emphasizes how deep the class of 2026 is in the state of North Carolina. The Wolfpack have offered 24 in-state prospects in the class of 2026.

Evans is joined by Myers Park’s Brody Keefe, Kernersville East Forsyth’s Jaire Richburg and Charlotte Providence Day’s Gordon Sellars are the other in-state junior receivers with an offer.

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