1. The NC State recruiting event will start at 5 p.m. today, but some visitors trickled in Thursday and then this morning/afternoon.
Charlotte Providence Day sophomore wide receiver Jordan Shipp loved his unofficial visit Thursday, which we’ll have a story on. He and sophomore wide receiver teammate Channing Goodwin came during the afternoon. For Shipp, it was his first trip back since attending the Louisville at NC State game Oct. 30.
Pfafftown (N.C.) Reagan High junior offensive lineman Sam Pendleton arrived this morning to watch NC State practice. He had previously attended the first spring practice. Pendleton is fresh off of checking out Michigan and all signs point to a spring decision coming up.
We were able to talk to many players last Sunday at the Rivals Camp Series in Fort Mill, S.C., and still have a boatload of stories coming out.
Expected visitors Friday include:
Class of 2023
Lex Thomas, QB, Wake Forest Heritage (NC State commit)
Daylan Smothers, RB, Charlotte Chambers
Kevin Concepcion, WR, Charlotte Chambers
Nathan Leacock, WR, Raleigh Millbrook
Chris Culliver, WR, Maiden High
Javonte Vereen, TE, Havelock High
Sam Pendleton, OL, Pfafftown Reagan
Sullivan Absher, OL, Belmont South Point
Desmond Umeozulu, DE, Springdale (Md.) Flowers
Ki’Shawn Harvey, NT, Knightdale High
Rohan Davy, OLB, Washington (D.C.) St. John’s
Class of 2024:
Anthony Quinn Jr., RB, Fayetteville Seventy-First
Jonathan Paylor, WR, Burlington Cummings
Jack Larsen, TE, Charlotte Catholic
Jivan Bay, CB, Norcross (Ga.) Meadowcreek
Braydon Lee, CB, Springdale (Md.) Flowers
Class of 2025:
Gus Ritchey, DE, Pittsboro Northwood
NC State could be the leader for Davy, who is a unique linebacker at 5-10 and 215 pounds. He wants to pick a college April 3, and if everything goes well, all signs could be pointing toward the Wolfpack. Maryland and Cincinnati could be the competition. This is his first trip to Raleigh.
Vereen will announce a top three Saturday. Florida hasn’t offered even though he just took an unofficial visit, so we’ll roll with a projected top three of NC State, Louisville and Maryland.
The reality with Vereen is that he’s nothing like the stereotype of a tight end, which got confirmed when he measured 6-foot-2 and 201.5 pounds at the Rivals.com camp. That would make him the same size as Leacock basically. He’ll need to gain some weight and he’ll slide right into the Christopher Toudle role.
The two players that NC State absolutely needs to hit a home run with would be Culliver and Absher.
In the case of Absher, Notre Dame might be leading Clemson and UNC and he grew up a Tar Heels fan. NC State was in there strong in the beginning, but things got tricky after Notre Dame and Clemson jumped. Mother Nature prevented Absher from coming in mid-January, and it has become a scramble.
Culliver has been making the rounds, and the story has been told enough times. NC State offered him much later than his other choices Jan. 20, losing valuable months in the process. Florida State, Ohio State, Virginia Tech and North Carolina, seem to be positioned well.
In a more low-key scenario because he’s a sophomore, but this is also a big trip with Charlotte Catholic tight end Larsen. We’ve been touting him since early November, but boy, has his recruitment exploded. Alabama tight ends coach Joe Cox, a Charlotte native, offered Larsen on Friday. NC State was early on the bandwagon with an offer June 11, 2021, but now the bus has gotten crowded. Alabama, Notre Dame, Michigan, Tennessee and Florida have offered in March. Seeing Larsen play next fall will be a key priority.
2. In a past The Run Down, I touched on the importance of Charlotte (N.C.) Providence Day junior defensive back Chris Peal.
Kicking the tires on Peal’s recruitment, he’s kind of gone underground. He normally takes trips with Providence Day sophomore teammates Goodwin and Shipp. That duo was joined by Goodwin’s dad, a former NFL offensive lineman, in checking out NC State on Thursday. Noticeably absent was Peal, so I’ve been doing some digging.
One theory is that Peal’s head is spinning a bit after getting a flurry of high-major offers — Auburn, Georgia, Duke, Virginia Tech, West Virginia, Florida State, Penn State and Tennessee, since Jan. 21.
The 6-2, 180-pounder seems to best project at free safety for college. He has some great reported track times and clearly loves that sport too. He plays running back, cornerback, safety and sometimes returns kicks for Providence Day.
Getting Peal back on campus, and he’s not expected today, will be of utmost importance for NC State in this difficult race.
Charlotte Providence Day sophomore wide receiver Jordan Shipp loved his unofficial visit Thursday, which we’ll have a story on. He and sophomore wide receiver teammate Channing Goodwin came during the afternoon. For Shipp, it was his first trip back since attending the Louisville at NC State game Oct. 30.
Pfafftown (N.C.) Reagan High junior offensive lineman Sam Pendleton arrived this morning to watch NC State practice. He had previously attended the first spring practice. Pendleton is fresh off of checking out Michigan and all signs point to a spring decision coming up.
We were able to talk to many players last Sunday at the Rivals Camp Series in Fort Mill, S.C., and still have a boatload of stories coming out.
Expected visitors Friday include:
Class of 2023
Lex Thomas, QB, Wake Forest Heritage (NC State commit)
Daylan Smothers, RB, Charlotte Chambers
Kevin Concepcion, WR, Charlotte Chambers
Nathan Leacock, WR, Raleigh Millbrook
Chris Culliver, WR, Maiden High
Javonte Vereen, TE, Havelock High
Sam Pendleton, OL, Pfafftown Reagan
Sullivan Absher, OL, Belmont South Point
Desmond Umeozulu, DE, Springdale (Md.) Flowers
Ki’Shawn Harvey, NT, Knightdale High
Rohan Davy, OLB, Washington (D.C.) St. John’s
Class of 2024:
Anthony Quinn Jr., RB, Fayetteville Seventy-First
Jonathan Paylor, WR, Burlington Cummings
Jack Larsen, TE, Charlotte Catholic
Jivan Bay, CB, Norcross (Ga.) Meadowcreek
Braydon Lee, CB, Springdale (Md.) Flowers
Class of 2025:
Gus Ritchey, DE, Pittsboro Northwood
NC State could be the leader for Davy, who is a unique linebacker at 5-10 and 215 pounds. He wants to pick a college April 3, and if everything goes well, all signs could be pointing toward the Wolfpack. Maryland and Cincinnati could be the competition. This is his first trip to Raleigh.
Vereen will announce a top three Saturday. Florida hasn’t offered even though he just took an unofficial visit, so we’ll roll with a projected top three of NC State, Louisville and Maryland.
The reality with Vereen is that he’s nothing like the stereotype of a tight end, which got confirmed when he measured 6-foot-2 and 201.5 pounds at the Rivals.com camp. That would make him the same size as Leacock basically. He’ll need to gain some weight and he’ll slide right into the Christopher Toudle role.
The two players that NC State absolutely needs to hit a home run with would be Culliver and Absher.
In the case of Absher, Notre Dame might be leading Clemson and UNC and he grew up a Tar Heels fan. NC State was in there strong in the beginning, but things got tricky after Notre Dame and Clemson jumped. Mother Nature prevented Absher from coming in mid-January, and it has become a scramble.
Culliver has been making the rounds, and the story has been told enough times. NC State offered him much later than his other choices Jan. 20, losing valuable months in the process. Florida State, Ohio State, Virginia Tech and North Carolina, seem to be positioned well.
In a more low-key scenario because he’s a sophomore, but this is also a big trip with Charlotte Catholic tight end Larsen. We’ve been touting him since early November, but boy, has his recruitment exploded. Alabama tight ends coach Joe Cox, a Charlotte native, offered Larsen on Friday. NC State was early on the bandwagon with an offer June 11, 2021, but now the bus has gotten crowded. Alabama, Notre Dame, Michigan, Tennessee and Florida have offered in March. Seeing Larsen play next fall will be a key priority.
2. In a past The Run Down, I touched on the importance of Charlotte (N.C.) Providence Day junior defensive back Chris Peal.
Kicking the tires on Peal’s recruitment, he’s kind of gone underground. He normally takes trips with Providence Day sophomore teammates Goodwin and Shipp. That duo was joined by Goodwin’s dad, a former NFL offensive lineman, in checking out NC State on Thursday. Noticeably absent was Peal, so I’ve been doing some digging.
One theory is that Peal’s head is spinning a bit after getting a flurry of high-major offers — Auburn, Georgia, Duke, Virginia Tech, West Virginia, Florida State, Penn State and Tennessee, since Jan. 21.
The 6-2, 180-pounder seems to best project at free safety for college. He has some great reported track times and clearly loves that sport too. He plays running back, cornerback, safety and sometimes returns kicks for Providence Day.
Getting Peal back on campus, and he’s not expected today, will be of utmost importance for NC State in this difficult race.
