Big Men Arrive At NC State
Sometimes NC State football camp can be as much about who is watching the action when it comes to recruiting.NC State had four big offensive lineman that took in the camp, plus a fifth that participated Saturday. A trio of Georgia products were visiting — Obadiah Obasuyi of Alpharetta (Ga.) High, Robert Grigsby of Kennesaw (Ga.) North Cobb High and Johnny Williams of Macon (Ga.) Northeast High — with Obasuyi and Grigsby officially visiting.
Grigsby has been recruited by the Wolfpack since January, and Obasuyi was just offered May 15. Both are three-star prospects by Rivals.com. Grigsby has a top six of NC State, North Carolina, UCF, Mississippi, Mississippi State and Vanderbilt. He has scheduled official visits the next two weekends to the Commodores and Tar Heels.
Obasuyi has 18 scholarship offers and his recruitment essentially got started in early May after Georgia Tech offered him May 4. Obasuyi went to see both Duke and NC State on May 14-15 and was offered by both.
The 6-6, 315-pound Williams has seen his recruitment exploded and hasn’t been to many campuses, He was joined by his mother. NC State, Arizona State, Duke, Florida State, Georgia, Georgia Tech, Louisville, Oregon, Syracuse, Virginia and West Virginia have offered. NCSU offensive line coach John Garrison just offered him May 18.
Joining Williams as an unofficial visitor included Illinois commit Rico Jackson of Fort Lauderdale (Fla.) Dillard High, who was part of a massive group that is taking bus trips to various colleges. The 6-foot-5, 300-pound Jackson had verbally committed to Illinois on June 5, but one source in the Dillard contingent said there could be some wiggle room. He has 12 offers and is part of the Team Tate Tour.
Another lineman from a different travel bus contingent was 6-6, 298-pound senior Chrisdasson Saint-Jean of Orlando (Fla.) Evans, who has a 6-10 1/4 wingspan.
“I’m on the bus tour [to get seen] and we came to NC State to camp,” Saint-Jean said. “NC State is new to me, but it has been great with a lot of fundaments [from Coach Garrison]. We’ll be going to Clemson next.”
Saint-Jean has nine offers, including Maryland, Pittsburgh, Purdue and West Virginia from Power Five Conferences.
“The two schools sticking out have been West Virginia and Indiana,” Saint-Jean said.
Speed Burns For Ondre Evans
Ondre Evans didn’t need the NC State camp to prove he’s fast Saturday, but he sure confirmed it.The Nashville (Tenn.) Christ Presbyterian Academy rising junior has become a hot name in recruiting this spring. He checked in at 6-0 1/2 and 183 pounds, and clocked 4.41 seconds in the 40-yard dash. He laos had a 9-11 broad jump and 30.5 inches in the vertical jump.
The wide receiver prospect has earned Power Five Conference offers from Arkansas, Kentucky, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri and Tennessee. When the Rebels and Volunteers jumped in, he knew his recruitment was getting serious.
“When Tennessee offered, and then Ole Miss and Kentucky, it just started going from there,” Evans said.
Evans has been to Oklahoma and LSU prior to his trip to NC State, and has upcoming trips to Arkansas on June 18 and Tennessee on June 26.
“The NC State coaches said to come up here and camp in front of them,” said Evans, 16. “I want a good relationship with the coach and what do they do differently. What makes them different.”
Evans played for Nashville Pearl-Cohn High and recently made the move to CPA.
Evans’ track times this spring have helped his recruitment. He clocked 10.89 seconds in the 100-meter dash and he did a high 21 in the 200.
“My track times have helped me a lot,” Evans said. “We run relays at state for private schools. We won the 4x100.”
Evans looks up to NFL players Jalen Ramsey, a cornerback for the Los Angeles Rams, and wide receiver Julio Jones, who played last year for the Tennessee Titans, but released March 16. Ramsey played at Nashville (Tenn.) Brentwood Academy.
“He shows that it is possible to do it and he came from a private school,” Evans said.
