Underclassmen stole the show at Sunday’s camp, with class of 2023 quarterback Pierce Clarkson from St. John Bosco High in Bellflower, Calif., headlining the group. Rivals.com already has Clarkson as a four-star, and there are some prior connections that NC State offensive coordinator/quarterbacks coach Tim Beck has that will help NC State with its recruitment of Clarkson.
Odds are good that Clarkson will make a return trip to NC State at some point, but he will also be a national level recruitment. Clarkson got the same treatment that four-star QB commit MJ Morris from Carrollton (Ga.) High received Saturday, a more private workout with Beck in the early part of camp before joining the rest of the campers for one-on-ones. Clarkson didn’t stay too long however before leaving to meet with head coach Dave Doeren.
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There would be two underclassmen offered quarterbacks at camp. That’s because Chapin (S.C.) High ninth-grader Jayden Bradford would be the revelation. He is a good athlete at 6-foot, 174 pounds, running the 40-yard dash in 4.61 seconds and the shuttle in 4.28 seconds. He had a 10-foot-5 broad jump and did a 35.2-inch vertical leap.
Bradford’s natural arm strength is what stood out, though. The accuracy was not always there, but the raw arm talent combined with his athleticism, especially for someone in the class of 2024, led us to believe that an offer was likely forthcoming.
Bradford was one of two 2024 offers given out on the day, joining very intriguing DE/LB Dylan Stewart from Friendship Collegiate Academy near Washington, D.C. The 6-foot-4.5, 206-pound Stewart is already a good athlete (4.6-second shuttle, 9-foot-9 broad jump and 34.6-inch vertical) and carries his frame very well.
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Two rising senior receivers were the main attraction among the 2022 class. Greensboro (N.C.) Dudley’s Mehki Wall didn’t test as well as expected, but he did shine in one-on-ones, where he proved to be difficult to cover and sure-handed.
On the flip side, Chapin (S.C.) High’s Zavier Short proved to be a workout star at nearly 6-foot-1, 206 pounds and running the 40-yard dash in 4.44 seconds. He also had a 4.25-second shuttle, 10-foot-5 broad jump and 32.9-inch vertical leap. However, Wall, of the two of them, probably did better in the one-on-ones that we saw.
Both were given tours before camp ended.
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Class of 2023 lineman Jamaal Jarrett from Greensboro (N.C.) Smith High has become a hot commodity in his class with several impressive offers, including NC State. He’s young for his class and already looks the part at nearly 6-foot-4.5, 312 pounds with a 6-foot-8 wingspan. That said, he needs to improve his athleticism and is still quite a bit raw in the one-on-ones that we watched him participate.
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A class of 2023 product that caught our eye during one-on-ones was Devin Malloy, a corner from Alexandria (Va.) Episcopal. The 5-foot-10, 176-pounder held up well and is a solid athlete. Reportedly Boston College has already offered.
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We did not see him work out, and apparently he may have suffered a leg injury, but NC State coaches were giving Middlesex, N.C., native Darius Edmundson, a defensive back originally from Southern Nash High who will be playing this fall at Louisburg (N.C.) College. The 5-foot-11, 168-pounder is a nice athlete with a 4.62-second 40, 4.3-second shuttle, 10-foot broad jump and 37.3-inch vertical leap.
Odds are good that Clarkson will make a return trip to NC State at some point, but he will also be a national level recruitment. Clarkson got the same treatment that four-star QB commit MJ Morris from Carrollton (Ga.) High received Saturday, a more private workout with Beck in the early part of camp before joining the rest of the campers for one-on-ones. Clarkson didn’t stay too long however before leaving to meet with head coach Dave Doeren.
•••
There would be two underclassmen offered quarterbacks at camp. That’s because Chapin (S.C.) High ninth-grader Jayden Bradford would be the revelation. He is a good athlete at 6-foot, 174 pounds, running the 40-yard dash in 4.61 seconds and the shuttle in 4.28 seconds. He had a 10-foot-5 broad jump and did a 35.2-inch vertical leap.
Bradford’s natural arm strength is what stood out, though. The accuracy was not always there, but the raw arm talent combined with his athleticism, especially for someone in the class of 2024, led us to believe that an offer was likely forthcoming.
Bradford was one of two 2024 offers given out on the day, joining very intriguing DE/LB Dylan Stewart from Friendship Collegiate Academy near Washington, D.C. The 6-foot-4.5, 206-pound Stewart is already a good athlete (4.6-second shuttle, 9-foot-9 broad jump and 34.6-inch vertical) and carries his frame very well.
•••
Two rising senior receivers were the main attraction among the 2022 class. Greensboro (N.C.) Dudley’s Mehki Wall didn’t test as well as expected, but he did shine in one-on-ones, where he proved to be difficult to cover and sure-handed.
On the flip side, Chapin (S.C.) High’s Zavier Short proved to be a workout star at nearly 6-foot-1, 206 pounds and running the 40-yard dash in 4.44 seconds. He also had a 4.25-second shuttle, 10-foot-5 broad jump and 32.9-inch vertical leap. However, Wall, of the two of them, probably did better in the one-on-ones that we saw.
Both were given tours before camp ended.
•••
Class of 2023 lineman Jamaal Jarrett from Greensboro (N.C.) Smith High has become a hot commodity in his class with several impressive offers, including NC State. He’s young for his class and already looks the part at nearly 6-foot-4.5, 312 pounds with a 6-foot-8 wingspan. That said, he needs to improve his athleticism and is still quite a bit raw in the one-on-ones that we watched him participate.
•••
A class of 2023 product that caught our eye during one-on-ones was Devin Malloy, a corner from Alexandria (Va.) Episcopal. The 5-foot-10, 176-pounder held up well and is a solid athlete. Reportedly Boston College has already offered.
•••
We did not see him work out, and apparently he may have suffered a leg injury, but NC State coaches were giving Middlesex, N.C., native Darius Edmundson, a defensive back originally from Southern Nash High who will be playing this fall at Louisburg (N.C.) College. The 5-foot-11, 168-pounder is a nice athlete with a 4.62-second 40, 4.3-second shuttle, 10-foot broad jump and 37.3-inch vertical leap.
