1. I like to lay claim to creating two phrases in the recruiting world — speed dating and the silly season. Both are upon us.
Speed-dating with prep recruits can sometimes be worrisome, but it’s clear that NC State is aiming for a class in the mid-20s, so speed dating it is. Some others who are a little more modern might refer to it as swiping right or left like Tinder or Bumble. Either way, you might feel good about a player physically and on film, but the shortened time period makes it harder to really vet a recruit. For some of the future recruits, NC State will have known them for about two weeks.
NC State is aware of that short-coming when it comes to vetting players. There might not be any assistant coaches around from the
class of 2017, but that class taught coach
Dave Doeren some valuable lessons. The 20-man group was ranked No. 53 by Rivals.com and did produce some key recruits such as defensive tackle
Larrell Muchison, who fell into the Wolfpack’s lap on Signing Day from Louisburg (N.C.) J.C., and wide receiver
Emeka Emezie, who committed, decommitted and then came back into the fold.
Middle linebacker
Isaiah Moore and defensive tackle turned center
Grant Gibson also came in the class of 2017. However, many never made it to Senior Day.
NC State won’t have a game-day atmosphere to sell, but the Wolfpack still will be hosting players on official visits.
Looking at the landscape of things, it’s hard to not call junior college defensive end commit
A.J. Prim not a soft verbal at this point. To commit to NC State on Saturday and be so happy, and then in record time set up an official visit to Houston as the Cougars go speed dating is cause for alarm. He’s impressionable and recruiting is kind of all new to him.
NC State, if the official visits go solidly, should be able to land Columbus (Texas) High senior running back
Grayson Rigdon and Delray Beach (Fla.) Atlantic senior receiver
Teddy Hoffmann, who has committed to Appalachian State and Florida Atlantic already. Rigdon is a former Air Force commit.
The three players who it’s too early to get a great feel for yet are Toledo safety commit
Terris Dudley of Hilliard (Ohio) Bradley, Tulane wide receiver commit
Antwaun Parham of Coconut Creek (Fla.) High, South Alabama outside linebacker commit
Tristan Jackson of Fort Walton Beach (Fla.) Choctawhatchee.
Linebacker
Zacari Thomas of Gray (Ga.) Jones County decided to officially visit North Carolina this weekend, so that’s telling.
USF offensive lineman
Sean Poret officially visited NC State and then went underground. History is usually never positive when players don’t want to talk about their official visits.
Defensive end
Alexander McPherson of Bradenton (Fla.) IMG Academy is a Oklahoma State commit, but Colorado has a nice pipeline to IMG Academy. I’ve also learned over the last two years that recruits who like the Colorado sales pitch, usually want something different than NC State.
Upcoming official visitors:
Login to view embedded media
Login to view embedded media
Login to view embedded media
Login to view embedded media
Login to view embedded media
Login to view embedded media
Other targets:
Login to view embedded media
Login to view embedded media
Previous official visitors:
Login to view embedded media
Login to view embedded media
Login to view embedded media
Login to view embedded media
www.carolinajournal.com