1. Sometimes you need to use advantages where you have them.
In this case, Clemson offered three players in the state of North Carolina in the class of 2023, and Rolesville (N.C.) High junior Noah Rogers wasn’t one of them. Rogers might not care, but we’ve seen instances where players do care.
Clemson offered Hickory (N.C.) High weakside defensive end Rico Walker, New Bern (N.C.) High defensive tackle Keith Sampson Jr. and Harrisburg (N.C.) Hickory Ridge wide receiver Christian Hamilton. The latter one is a little dicey because Rogers is ranked higher than Hamilton nationally, in the state and for pure statistics.
Rivals.com ranks the 6-foot-3, 185-pound at No. 64 overall nationally, the No. 1 player in the state of North Carolina and he finished with 70 catches for 1,432 yards and 22 touchdowns for the 9-6 Rams, which reached the NCHSAA 4A eastern state semifinals.
Hamilton was the No. 1 player in the state, but fell to No. 2, and is ranked No. 86 overall nationally. He had 46 catches for 855 yards and 12 touchdowns, and he rushed seven times for 38 yards, and added 309 kickoff returns.
Rogers from a physical standpoints is bigger, faster and can high point a jump ball with the best of them. He’s a big play waiting to him. He also had South Florida quarterback signee Byrum Brown.
Hamilton could be more of a slot receiver and didn’t have the quarterback that Rogers had.
NC State has made Rogers the No. 1 priority in the class of 2023, and the reasons are obvious. Rogers has wasn’t that Clemson offer, so driving a wedge is always a positive.
As for Walker and Sampson, the new offers by Clemson might slow down things a bit with them. Walker is ranked No. 3 in the state and Sampson is No. 8, but has supply and demand on his side. There simply many 6-3, 285-pound defensive bodies in the state. That makes Sampson and strongside defensive end Isaiah Shirley of Boone (N.C.) Watauga High coveted prospects. Shirley is listed at 6-4 and 235 pounds.
Sampson was going to come out with a top five list Jan. 15, but the Clemson offer probably jumbled things up since the Tigers weren’t on his list.
2. James Madison redshirt freshman receiver Antwane Wells Jr. is an intriguing new name to the NCAA Transfer portal.
Everything indicates that the NFL isn’t overly intrigued with 6-3, 216-pound Devin Carter of Clayton (N.C.) High this year. Carter had 31 receptions for 556 yards and six touchdowns last year, and will need to double those numbers to go in the middle rounds in a year.
However, one regional receiver in the portal is intriguing. The 6-1, 204-pounder is from Richmond (Va.) Highland Springs High. had made too good of a season to resist. He had 33 receptions for 603 yards and six touchdowns in 2020-21 as a freshman, and then exploded this past season.
Wells was named first-team All-CAA and he had six games over 100 yards this season. He caught 83 passes for 1,250 yards and 15 touchdowns from quarterback Cole Johnson, who threw for 3,779 yards, 41 yards and four interceptions.
The head coach of JMU is a familiar name — Curt Cignetti. He was the recruiting coordinator, quarterbacks and tight ends coach at NC State from 2000-06.
Wells, who is Fork Union (Va.) post graduate, has offers from North Carolina, Auburn, South Carolina, Louisville, UNLV, Old Dominion, Buffalo, East Carolina, Coastal Carolina, Virginia Tech, Mississippi State, Miami (Fla.), within a few days.
3. Track times can be iffy at times, but not with Burlington (N.C.) Cummings High sophomore athlete Jonathan Paylor.
Paylor just clocked 6.52 seconds in the 55-meter dash, 19-feet, 4 inches in the long long jump and 8.73 in the 55 hurdles on Dec. 9 in the Eastern Alamance Polar Bear Meet. He set a Cummings High record and had the fourth-best time in the country. Track and field and football might be a one-two punch for Paylor in college.
NCSU defensive tackles coach Charley Wiles is recruiting him for the Wolfpack. Paylor was named first-team sophomore by MaxPreps.com on Thursday. He was joined by Cornelius (N.C.) Hough sophomore kicker Nolan Hauser.
NC State, Georgia, Maryland, Michigan State, North Carolina, Penn State, Purdue, South Carolina and West Virginia, have all offered him. The previous staffs at Duke, LSU and Virginia Tech had offered him
If Rogers is the “it” guy in the class of 2023, then Paylor is the one to watch in 2024. He can play wide receiver, cornerback, kick returner, punt returner and can run out of the slot if needed.
The 5-10, 180-pound Paylor caught 42 passes for 936 yards and seven touchdowns, plus rushed 68 times for 655 yards and five scores. He’s special with the ball in this hands and in the open field. MaxPreps.com doesn’t have his defensive statistics listed, but he’s a tough and sure-handed tackler and has enough toughness to do what is needed in the open field.
NC State offered Paylor’s teammate Dylantae James, who is on the small side, but makes things happen. He had 32 receptions for 676 yards and seven touchdowns.
In this case, Clemson offered three players in the state of North Carolina in the class of 2023, and Rolesville (N.C.) High junior Noah Rogers wasn’t one of them. Rogers might not care, but we’ve seen instances where players do care.
Clemson offered Hickory (N.C.) High weakside defensive end Rico Walker, New Bern (N.C.) High defensive tackle Keith Sampson Jr. and Harrisburg (N.C.) Hickory Ridge wide receiver Christian Hamilton. The latter one is a little dicey because Rogers is ranked higher than Hamilton nationally, in the state and for pure statistics.
Rivals.com ranks the 6-foot-3, 185-pound at No. 64 overall nationally, the No. 1 player in the state of North Carolina and he finished with 70 catches for 1,432 yards and 22 touchdowns for the 9-6 Rams, which reached the NCHSAA 4A eastern state semifinals.
Hamilton was the No. 1 player in the state, but fell to No. 2, and is ranked No. 86 overall nationally. He had 46 catches for 855 yards and 12 touchdowns, and he rushed seven times for 38 yards, and added 309 kickoff returns.
Rogers from a physical standpoints is bigger, faster and can high point a jump ball with the best of them. He’s a big play waiting to him. He also had South Florida quarterback signee Byrum Brown.
Hamilton could be more of a slot receiver and didn’t have the quarterback that Rogers had.
NC State has made Rogers the No. 1 priority in the class of 2023, and the reasons are obvious. Rogers has wasn’t that Clemson offer, so driving a wedge is always a positive.
As for Walker and Sampson, the new offers by Clemson might slow down things a bit with them. Walker is ranked No. 3 in the state and Sampson is No. 8, but has supply and demand on his side. There simply many 6-3, 285-pound defensive bodies in the state. That makes Sampson and strongside defensive end Isaiah Shirley of Boone (N.C.) Watauga High coveted prospects. Shirley is listed at 6-4 and 235 pounds.
Sampson was going to come out with a top five list Jan. 15, but the Clemson offer probably jumbled things up since the Tigers weren’t on his list.
2. James Madison redshirt freshman receiver Antwane Wells Jr. is an intriguing new name to the NCAA Transfer portal.
Everything indicates that the NFL isn’t overly intrigued with 6-3, 216-pound Devin Carter of Clayton (N.C.) High this year. Carter had 31 receptions for 556 yards and six touchdowns last year, and will need to double those numbers to go in the middle rounds in a year.
However, one regional receiver in the portal is intriguing. The 6-1, 204-pounder is from Richmond (Va.) Highland Springs High. had made too good of a season to resist. He had 33 receptions for 603 yards and six touchdowns in 2020-21 as a freshman, and then exploded this past season.
Wells was named first-team All-CAA and he had six games over 100 yards this season. He caught 83 passes for 1,250 yards and 15 touchdowns from quarterback Cole Johnson, who threw for 3,779 yards, 41 yards and four interceptions.
The head coach of JMU is a familiar name — Curt Cignetti. He was the recruiting coordinator, quarterbacks and tight ends coach at NC State from 2000-06.
Wells, who is Fork Union (Va.) post graduate, has offers from North Carolina, Auburn, South Carolina, Louisville, UNLV, Old Dominion, Buffalo, East Carolina, Coastal Carolina, Virginia Tech, Mississippi State, Miami (Fla.), within a few days.
3. Track times can be iffy at times, but not with Burlington (N.C.) Cummings High sophomore athlete Jonathan Paylor.
Paylor just clocked 6.52 seconds in the 55-meter dash, 19-feet, 4 inches in the long long jump and 8.73 in the 55 hurdles on Dec. 9 in the Eastern Alamance Polar Bear Meet. He set a Cummings High record and had the fourth-best time in the country. Track and field and football might be a one-two punch for Paylor in college.
NCSU defensive tackles coach Charley Wiles is recruiting him for the Wolfpack. Paylor was named first-team sophomore by MaxPreps.com on Thursday. He was joined by Cornelius (N.C.) Hough sophomore kicker Nolan Hauser.
NC State, Georgia, Maryland, Michigan State, North Carolina, Penn State, Purdue, South Carolina and West Virginia, have all offered him. The previous staffs at Duke, LSU and Virginia Tech had offered him
If Rogers is the “it” guy in the class of 2023, then Paylor is the one to watch in 2024. He can play wide receiver, cornerback, kick returner, punt returner and can run out of the slot if needed.
The 5-10, 180-pound Paylor caught 42 passes for 936 yards and seven touchdowns, plus rushed 68 times for 655 yards and five scores. He’s special with the ball in this hands and in the open field. MaxPreps.com doesn’t have his defensive statistics listed, but he’s a tough and sure-handed tackler and has enough toughness to do what is needed in the open field.
NC State offered Paylor’s teammate Dylantae James, who is on the small side, but makes things happen. He had 32 receptions for 676 yards and seven touchdowns.
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