1. After a gazillion words written on the class of 2023, what more can be said about the Rivals.com’s No. 40-ranked recruiting class?
The news was fast and furious since Thanksgiving, with seven players added to the class of 2023 and four four-year transfers committed. Getting the essence of the 17 signees from their prep coaches or junior college coaches was a big undertaking. All the interviews happened after their season’s ended to keep the information fresh.
Related link: NC State's class of 2023 signees
My favorite story that didn’t make it to the Internet was one coach — who will remain anonymous — sharing how he has the tradition of never watching the last loss of the season and doing the stats until the spring.
I asked the coach, “Did your player have a big game in the playoff loss?” And he said, “Yes, he did.” I responded with, “Then he needs his stats to be accurate before he gets to NC State.” We both laughed, but it also shows to not believe every bit of statistical info is the gospel.
I’ve sensed most of the discussion this week has been on the big name players that got away, or the various jokes that they’ll transfer back to NC State in the future. In a glass half-full perspective, the class should be a good one down the road.
There are a lot of multi-sport athletes, with a few who hoped college basketball was the path to college.
Defensive backs
Zack Myers and
Brandon Cisse could have been college wide receivers, and defensive end
Isaiah Shirley showed a lot of promise as a tight end. Myers and Cisse were excellent in track and field, and Myers once talked about doing two sports in college.
Offensive lineman
Kamen Smith will also play basketball and track and field this year for Wilkesboro (N.C.) Wilkes Central, and he’ll be able to share some special memories with his father the track and field coach. His prep football coach thinks Smith could have been a quality defensive tackle in college.
When it’s all said and done, it could be Naples (Fla.) High running back
Kendrick Raphael, Charlotte (N.C.) Chambers wide receiver
Kevin Concepcion and Havelock (N.C.) High tight end
Javonte Vereen who have both the short term and long term impacts from the class.
NC State is also loaded with young linebackers, but
Kamal Bonner, which I learned is pronounced more like “Kelmel,” could be that long-term bet when he’s older and puts on added weight.
It’s clear that college coaches (or high school and junior college coaches) aren’t a fan of a mid-December signing period. There has always been talk of having one at the end of the summer, and that would have led to signing
Charlie Symonds,
Tamarcus Cooley and
Kyron Jones probably would have moved up his commitment date and signed. However, it would have meant not getting Bonner,
Rohan Davy,
Kelvon McBride and perhaps Raphael.
2. Everyone likes a good package deal in recruiting.
It’s like catnip in the recruiting world. It rarely every happens though, but it’s fun to discuss. One Charlotte source insisted this month that if NC State had found a way to add undersized linebacker
Jordan Thompson of Chambers High to go with Concepcion, there would be no way running back
Daylan Smothers wouldn’t have joined his buddies. Thompson signed with Middle Tennessee State and Smothers with Oklahoma.
The biggest and boldest package deals talk was clear how quarterback
Lex Thomas would get his buddies at wide receiver
Nathan Leacock and
Noah Rogers to join him at NC State. Leacock ended up at Tennessee and Rogers signed with Ohio State.
The last package deal was Rogers and
Tamarcus Cooley after they reunited at Rolesville (N.C.) High, and both ended up elsewhere, with Cooley signing with Maryland.
So what to make of the public alliance of Burlington (N.C.) Cummings junior wide receiver
Jonathan Paylor and Greensboro (N.C.) Grimsley junior wide receiver
Alex Taylor? That would be great news to most likely NC State, Clemson or North Carolina.
Paylor is ranked No. 2 overall in the state of North Carolina in the class of 2024, and No. 146 overall nationally by Rivals.com. Taylor is at No. 5 in the state and No. 216 overall in the country. Odds are good if either NC State or North Carolina, landed the duo, it would make it even easier for a third receiver to join the class in what is being hailed as the year of the wide receiver.
Currently, 11 wide receivers from North Carolina have high major offers in 2024. NC State has offered six of them thus far.
3. As the portal turns.
It’s interesting how the football coaches have been up in arms about the tampering issues, and the college basketball coaches are laughing saying, “Now, you know what we’ve been dealing with for the last 10 years (or more).”
NC State has landed four transfers, and it remains to be seen how many more will get added, but one player who on paper fits an absolute need is Texas Tech nose tackle
Philip Blidi.
Related link: NC State's transfer hot board
NC State has offered Blidi and he got an in-person view of the Wolfpack program in the Red Raiders loss last September. It’s hazy on whether there is any sort of pre-existing relationship with the NCSU coaches, but there is a need for a backup behind
C.J. Clark at nose tackle next year, plus allow Clark to swing out to defensive end if need be.
Blidi had four tackles against NC State and matched his season high. He finished with 18 tackles and two sacks in six games, suffering a season-ending injury vs. Baylor on Oct. 29.
The 6-3, 295-pounder is from Portales, N.M., and was a three-star prospect, who had 11 offers coming out of high school. Texas Tech, Kansas, UCLA and Utah were his four Power Five Conference offers.
