1. The Keenan Jackson battle between NC State and North Carolina made it the 10th one over the last year and a half where a player officially visited both schools in the class of 2023 and 2024.
Jackson, who attended Waxhaw (N.C.) Cuthbertson for three years and then Matthews (N.C.) Weddington, scheduled NC State for his second official trip last June. He methodically visited Virginia Tech, NC State, Duke and North Carolina, with the Tar Heels last.
Jackson was a good politician during the process and never tipped his hand, but there was always a sense that UNC was his leader. There were some clues, big and small. When Jackson came for Junior Day on Jan. 21, 2023, he wasn’t planning on going to NC State, just Duke and North Carolina, but squeezed in some time before going to watch Miami at Duke hoops at 12 p.m. Whether it meant something, his uncle-in-laws for a small period of time were former UNC and NBA hoopers Vince Carter and Antawn Jamison.
Jackson definitely thoroughly looked at NC State, Duke and UNC over and over with unofficial visits, and then saw all three officially before picking the Tar Heels on June 29.
The fact that NC State kept in contact and kept it quit all these months later, is impressive. Also, a good learning lesson for individuals to not criticized a prospects decision as things can change in time. I’m sure Jackson has the receipts on faux media folks or others that criticized his UNC decision. He has that type of personality, which gives him his edge.
This is what I had in The Run Down on Aug. 18, where I mentioned Jackson and Greensboro (N.C.) Grimsley’s Terrell Anderson in some ways:
“Another player that was a ghost of NC State’s recruiting past was Weddington senior wide receiver Keenan Jackson. He’s been interesting to follow the last 18 months because I’ve seen Jackson in camps and know his personality pretty good, but had never seen him play because last year wasn’t easy for him at Waxhaw (N.C.) Cuthbertson. He ended up making the move to Weddington, and then picked North Carolina over NC State, Duke and Virginia Tech.
“What watching Jackson proved, and he probably had over 100 yards and a touchdown in a little over a half of action, is that his playing style is more like Anderson. With the class of 2024 being the year of the receiver, there was going to be some overlap, with Burlington (N.C.) Cummings senior Jonathan Paylor, a NC State commit, the one who is most unique.
“Jackson has a good body, enough speed and without any insider knowledge about the size of his hands, he seems to have big mitts.”
Jackson showed that once again in the NCHSAA 4A state title game, and he should be a money target on third and five yards, kind of plays.
2. NC State had four big NC State vs. UNC official visit recruiting battles last June:
• Wide receiver Kevin Concepcion
• Offensive lineman Kamen Smith
• Nickel Tamarcus Cooley
• Offensive lineman Robert Grigsby
In a round about way, the Wolfpack went three-for-four in those battles, if you count Cooley, who picked NC State, flipped to Maryland and is now transferring to NCSU.
The addition of Concepcion might have been the difference between going 10-3 vs. 7-6 perhaps. Some would argue for an ever worse mark I’m sure.
Smith picked NC State over North Carolina and Virginia Tech.
The lone loss, Grigsby was a player that NC State wanted at guard and it just didn’t work out. Missing out on Grigsby (and Charlie Symonds) led to Rico Jackson coming to NC State.
That helped set the stage for big battles over this group of players:
• Wide receiver Jonathan Paylor
• Wide receiver Jordan Shipp
• Wide receiver Keenan Jackson
• Wide receiver Alex Taylor
• Cornerback Tyrane Stewart
• Nose tackle Justin Terrell
The four wide receivers all officially visited last June, with Stewart last weekend to both schools.
The perception with Paylor was about South Carolina and NC State, with UNC running third, and he picked the Wolfpack on Aug. 4, and to his credit, didn’t listen to other colleges.
Taylor did not get Clemson to circle back and picked North Carolina over NC State and Virginia Tech.
Shipp might have hoped for a Georgia offer at one point, and Michigan was also strongly in the mix with the Wolverines getting quarterback Jadyn Davis and Channing Goodwin. He ended up picking North Carolina.
Stewart looked like he was going to commit to NC State, but UNC stuck in late and basically won him over, similar to how NCSU snuck in late to get outside linebacker Wyatt Wright from the junior college ranks.
Terrell obviously picked Wake Forest, and then NC State pounced on him after he decommitted. It looked like UNC was going to get him the second time around, but the official visits proved the difference, and that was NC State.
The scorecard is now 7-4 NC State when official visits to both schools are involved (if you count Cooley), and it will be interesting to see what class of 2025 guys emerge for both.
Jackson, who attended Waxhaw (N.C.) Cuthbertson for three years and then Matthews (N.C.) Weddington, scheduled NC State for his second official trip last June. He methodically visited Virginia Tech, NC State, Duke and North Carolina, with the Tar Heels last.
Jackson was a good politician during the process and never tipped his hand, but there was always a sense that UNC was his leader. There were some clues, big and small. When Jackson came for Junior Day on Jan. 21, 2023, he wasn’t planning on going to NC State, just Duke and North Carolina, but squeezed in some time before going to watch Miami at Duke hoops at 12 p.m. Whether it meant something, his uncle-in-laws for a small period of time were former UNC and NBA hoopers Vince Carter and Antawn Jamison.
Jackson definitely thoroughly looked at NC State, Duke and UNC over and over with unofficial visits, and then saw all three officially before picking the Tar Heels on June 29.
The fact that NC State kept in contact and kept it quit all these months later, is impressive. Also, a good learning lesson for individuals to not criticized a prospects decision as things can change in time. I’m sure Jackson has the receipts on faux media folks or others that criticized his UNC decision. He has that type of personality, which gives him his edge.
This is what I had in The Run Down on Aug. 18, where I mentioned Jackson and Greensboro (N.C.) Grimsley’s Terrell Anderson in some ways:
“Another player that was a ghost of NC State’s recruiting past was Weddington senior wide receiver Keenan Jackson. He’s been interesting to follow the last 18 months because I’ve seen Jackson in camps and know his personality pretty good, but had never seen him play because last year wasn’t easy for him at Waxhaw (N.C.) Cuthbertson. He ended up making the move to Weddington, and then picked North Carolina over NC State, Duke and Virginia Tech.
“What watching Jackson proved, and he probably had over 100 yards and a touchdown in a little over a half of action, is that his playing style is more like Anderson. With the class of 2024 being the year of the receiver, there was going to be some overlap, with Burlington (N.C.) Cummings senior Jonathan Paylor, a NC State commit, the one who is most unique.
“Jackson has a good body, enough speed and without any insider knowledge about the size of his hands, he seems to have big mitts.”
Jackson showed that once again in the NCHSAA 4A state title game, and he should be a money target on third and five yards, kind of plays.
2. NC State had four big NC State vs. UNC official visit recruiting battles last June:
• Wide receiver Kevin Concepcion
• Offensive lineman Kamen Smith
• Nickel Tamarcus Cooley
• Offensive lineman Robert Grigsby
In a round about way, the Wolfpack went three-for-four in those battles, if you count Cooley, who picked NC State, flipped to Maryland and is now transferring to NCSU.
The addition of Concepcion might have been the difference between going 10-3 vs. 7-6 perhaps. Some would argue for an ever worse mark I’m sure.
Smith picked NC State over North Carolina and Virginia Tech.
The lone loss, Grigsby was a player that NC State wanted at guard and it just didn’t work out. Missing out on Grigsby (and Charlie Symonds) led to Rico Jackson coming to NC State.
That helped set the stage for big battles over this group of players:
• Wide receiver Jonathan Paylor
• Wide receiver Jordan Shipp
• Wide receiver Keenan Jackson
• Wide receiver Alex Taylor
• Cornerback Tyrane Stewart
• Nose tackle Justin Terrell
The four wide receivers all officially visited last June, with Stewart last weekend to both schools.
The perception with Paylor was about South Carolina and NC State, with UNC running third, and he picked the Wolfpack on Aug. 4, and to his credit, didn’t listen to other colleges.
Taylor did not get Clemson to circle back and picked North Carolina over NC State and Virginia Tech.
Shipp might have hoped for a Georgia offer at one point, and Michigan was also strongly in the mix with the Wolverines getting quarterback Jadyn Davis and Channing Goodwin. He ended up picking North Carolina.
Stewart looked like he was going to commit to NC State, but UNC stuck in late and basically won him over, similar to how NCSU snuck in late to get outside linebacker Wyatt Wright from the junior college ranks.
Terrell obviously picked Wake Forest, and then NC State pounced on him after he decommitted. It looked like UNC was going to get him the second time around, but the official visits proved the difference, and that was NC State.
The scorecard is now 7-4 NC State when official visits to both schools are involved (if you count Cooley), and it will be interesting to see what class of 2025 guys emerge for both.
