1. I figured NC State would be done with portal recruiting by now, but former East Carolina power forward
Ezra Ausar is still going through process.
Ausar officially visited NC State starting Tuesday and all signs pointed to a commitment, but then like everything in the NIL world, things have gotten complicated by money. Maybe he won’t break the bank this season at NC State, but playing for a top 30ish team (maybe even top 20) and being near his home area of Atlanta, Ga., has its own currency. With two years of eligibility remaining, he can simply play well and get rewarded for it at this time next year.
If NC State closes out Ausar and keep him away from an alleged certain talent-bereft Big 12 program, he’ll fit the bill. NC State isn’t going to run plays for Ausar or feature him, but will want him to be physical and be athletic on the boards at both ends. He can be a garbage guy to the tune of 10-12 points and 7-8 rebounds if he fits in as well as expected. If he can improve his free-throw shooting, that would be the cherry on top because his best gift on offense is driving from about 15 feet out and getting in the paint.
Doing the transfer portal this spring, it has been surprising how fast players are making up their minds this cycle. Out of the top 250-270 or so, I’d guess about 70-75 are still on the market.
South Florida power forward
Kasean Pryor is still out there and fits the pattern of being someone the staff has recruited in the past. However, Pryor is also testing the waters for the NBA. I still like
Myles Foster of Illinois State as a low-post scorer and freshmen
Seydou Traore of Manhattan and
Eli Wilborn can get the job done and maybe come at a solid price.
The portal ended at midnight May 1, but players can still trickle in this week if they verbalized their plans before the deadline. Some shiny new objects did come in at power forward with Vanderbilt’s
Ven-Allen Lubin, Arkansas’
Trevon Brazile, Illinois’
Coleman Hawkins, Kansas State’s
Arthur Kaluma, Samford’s
Achor Achor and Florida State’s
Jamir Watkins. Brazile, Hawkins, Kaluma and Watkins also are testing the NBA waters.
If NC State really did reach out to USC freshman power forward
Brandon Gardner, who will have four years of eligibility remaining, that would be the “in case of an emergency — break glass” option.
2. The Wolfpack Central had a series of stories on players that NC State have recently offered and locked in official visits with.
• Defensive end Nikolas Alston of Alabaster (Ala.) Thompson High
• Nose tackle Landon Simmons of Flowood (Miss.) Hartfield Academy
• Outside linebacker Cameron White of Riverview (Fla.) Sumner
• Outside linebacker Jaiden Braker of Snellville (Ga.) South Gwinnett
This could be the backbone of NC State defensive recruiting class. Simmons and Alston are unrated at this point, but Alston shows some impressive physical traits. White and Braker are currently three stars by Rivals.com, with White ranked a smidge higher, but Braker is posting impressive track times this spring.
The vibe I got is that they don’t know much about NC State, but are eager to learn about the program and like the first impressions of the coaches. There are different kind of recruitments, some that lost multiple years like Marshville (N.C.) Forest Hills junior wide receiver
Je’Rel Bolder, or in these players cases, maybe less than six months (or really 2 1/2 months with a few).
Because they are impressionable at this point and just getting started on their recruitments, they’ll be seeing NC State for the first time on their official visits. Simmons is a key one because he has joined junior
JaQuentin Madison of Alpharetta (Ga.) HIgh as key nose tackle targets. Cincinnati (Ohio) Taft junior
Drayden Pavey didn’t have NC State in his top three this week.
I also talked to massive offensive lineman
Toby Mealer for a story next week, and he fits that vibe of never been to NC State before, but excited to see Raleigh and spend time with the coaches. Unlike the others, his recruitment isn’t just beginning. He was committed at different points to both Arizona and Arizona State. He has moved from Arizona to Lehi, Utah, and will be officially visiting NC State on June 7-9, and that will be his first time on campus.
3. Akron senior defensive back
Kerry “K.J.” Martin arrives into town May 7-9 for his official visit.
Michigan State offered him Friday morning and that gives him another option, but this definitely falls into a “who you know” recruitment. Martin played at West Virginia in 2019 and 2021, so while NCSU defensive coordinator
Tony Gibson didn’t coach him, he knows him from the recruiting process. He wasn’t the point man on Martin for WVU, but he probably knows every good player the state has produced over the last few decades.
Martin had 50 tackles and five passes defended in 2019, and then got hurt. He finally got to show what he could do in 2022 at Akron and had 53 tackles and an interception. He followed that up 45 tackles, six passes defended, two interceptions and a sack. He said he can play either safety position or nickel, so that kind of versatility is always welcomed.
Martin, who played quarterback at Charleston (W.Va.) Capital High, would give NC State 13 safeties/nickels for next year. NC State had
Devon Marshall,
Tamarcus Cooley and
Asaad Brown at nickel in the spring.
Terrente Hinton moved from cornerback to safety.
Auburn transfer
Donovan Kaufman can play multiple positions in the secondary. NC State moved freshman
Jimmar Boston from cornerback back to wide receiver. If Marshall remains at nickel, that would leave five cornerbacks in place.
