1. NC State senior wide receiver commit
Jamar Browder is back in town for the first time since he officially visited June 7-9, and committed to the Wolfpack.
Browder didn’t have many high major offers back in June, and knew that the wanted to commit to NC State as long as his visit went well. Browder was the classic case of picking up offers at certain points in his recruitment, but then schools backed off some. NC State, Boston College, Georgia Tech, Houston, Illinois, Indiana, Syracuse and Pittsburgh were his P4 offers during his recruitment.
NC State originally offered him Jan. 26, 2024, but what happened with the Woflpack is that he showed during spring practices last May he was fast enough, and that got the coaches excited. At one points, some wondered if he was going to be a flex tight end at 6-foot-4 and 205 pounds, but he’s a outside receiver.
Browder’s play his senior year has justified NC State’s faith in him. He busted out for 12 catches for 208 yards and three touchdowns last Friday against Midland (Texas) High. He also had five catches for 160 yards and two scores Sept. 20 against Loxahatchee (Fla.) Seminole Ridge, which includes senior offensive line target
Daniel Pierre Louis, so college coaches were checking that game out. Pierre Louis is officially visiting NC State this weekend.
As result of his bust-out fall, Michigan, Kentucky and Missouri have jumped in with new offers. He immediately unofficially visited Michigan, and hopes to officially visit in a return trip.
With the new schools, it became crucial to get Browder to come to his first ever NC State game this fall. He is what the recruiting industry would call a “soft verbal” but then schools know they have to recruit their commits all the way until signing day.
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2. NC State continues to recruit players at other schools as well. Last week, we discussed the formula that usually works is a player from the region, who is committed to a college that might be struggling some or is a Group of Five, or committed to a college outside the region.
NC State has tried with three South Carolina commits who are from the Palmetto State, but they have all said they are going to be committed to the Gamecocks. That isn’t surprising.
The formula is working well with tackle
Takyhian Whitset of Antioch (Tenn.) High, who officially visited NC State while being committed to Purdue. He’s now decommitted from the Boilermakers and the Wolfpack have to now hold off Florida State, who quickly offered this week.
Now the formula is turning toward offensive lineman
Sean Poret of Atlanta (Ga.) Riverwood, who picked South Florida on June 24, 2024. He has P4 offers from NC State, Boston Colleges, Duke, Florida State, SMU and Vanderbilt. NC State offered Poret on Sept. 9.
Two players closer to home are former Clinton (N.C.) High defensive back standout
Jakarrion Kenan, who followed his coach to Bennettsville (S.C.) Marlboro County High. Keenan helped Clinton reach the NCHSAA 2A state title game and is quality athlete, good hitter and solid size potential at 6-1 and 175 pounds at free safety/nickel or possibly cornerback.
Keenan picked Rutgers on June 16 and NC State had never offered him. His other P4 offers were Cincinnati, Duke, Georgia Tech, Indiana and Mississippi State.
Another old name but good one is wide receiver
Jamien Little, who NC State targeted early in the process Oct. 29, 2023, but he ended up picking Wake Forest. Little and Winston-Salem (N.C.) Mount Tabor senior wide receiver
Shamarius Peterkin, who committed to Virginia Tech, probably fall into the category of too good to just totally close the book on.
Little led Hickory (N.C.) High to the NCHSAA 3A state title and picked Wake Forest early in the process March 27, 2024. Little had nine catches for 133 yards and added four tackles in the 33-26 win over Fayetteville (N.C.) Seventy-First.
Little has 22 catches for 488 yards and seven touchdown in six wins this season. He is also handling the punt returning and kick returning duties, and playing safety, with 10 tackles. He also took in the North Carolina at Duke game Sept. 28, so he’s making the rounds.
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3. The traveling road show isn’t going too far from home tonight with Raleigh Millbrook (6-0) at Rolesville (N.C.) High (5-1).
Clayton (N.C.) High at South Garner (N.C.) High is also tonight, so some good games in the Triangle, at least for recruiting purposes.
I was able to watch Greensboro (N.C.) Grimsley top Rolesville High earlier this season Aug. 30, but came away with impressed with sophomore safety
Marquis Bryant and sophomore running back
Amir Brown. NC State has offered Bryant, but not Brown.
The big player to evaluate tonight is Millbrook sophomore middle linebacker
Quinton Cypher. He’s a major target for the Wolfpack, with his father a NC State graduate and his older brother on the path of becoming one.
I’ve been able to watch Cypher in preseason jamboree’s the last two years, but not a regular season game yet. Seeing good vs. good is always key, and Cypher is going to get challenged tonight against Brown and senior running back
De’Von Thomas. I’d also be a faux reporter if I didn’t see him play, even as young as a sophomore.
Cypher has 62 tackles, 11 tackles for loss and two sacks in six games played this season.
Cypher was offered by NC State by June 1 following a day at camp. He has P4 offers from NC State, Virginia Tech, South Carolina, Florida State, Texas A&M, Michigan, Ohio State, Georgia, North Carolina, Wisconsin and Duke.
I mentioned the term “soft verbal” and few are more soft than Rolesville junior defensive end
Zavion Griffin-Haynes, who picked North Carolina on Sept. 8. Another player bigger schools might take a hard look at is senior defensive end
Jayden Fry, who is committed to South Florida.
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