It’s been a slower start to the recruiting cycle in the 2022 class, but we are far enough along now to begin making projections on mock classes.
For now, we are going with a size of 15 signees, but admittedly that is guesswork at this point. We decided to have eight on offense and seven on defense.
Here is a look at the defensive side of the ball, broken down by position.
DL — Three-star Nick Campbell, Minneola (Fla.) Lake Minneola High
Ever since the 6-foot-3, 265-pounder was offered by NC State in the winter, his recruitment has progressed nicely from the Wolfpack’s perspective. He made a pair of unofficial visits during the extended dead period, and he is coming back for an official visit on June 4.
Campbell has also set up official visits to Virginia (June 11) and West Virginia (June 23) and also appears to be considering Louisville, Missouri and Nebraska, but if you believe that actions speak louder than words, than NC State is in a good position.
As a junior, Campbell had 70 tackles, including 19 for loss and seven sacks, and four fumble recoveries, one of which he returned for a score.
DL — Four-star Brandon Cleveland, Tampa (Fla.) Carrollwood Day
Cleveland seems like a good fit for the NC State defensive line. The 6-foot-3, 265-pounder is the profile of what the Wolfpack looks for in its three-man front. Cleveland had 46 tackles, including 18 for loss and 11 sacks, in nine games as a junior.
He is a one-time Miami commit, but the two had what could be described as a mutual parting after a defensive line coaching change for the Hurricanes. NC State was, along with Oregon, one of the schools Cleveland was still communicating with despite his Miami pledge.
Since opening up his recruitment, Cleveland has set up an official visit to Raleigh on June 12.
DL — Three-star Davin Jackson, Sumter (S.C.) High
Defensive line is tricky, and we are taking a guess that NC State would be willing to take three defensive linemen with three similar body types. Jackson checks in at 6-foot-2, 260 pounds, and he had 64 tackles, including 20 for loss and seven sacks, with 10 quarterback hurries, an interception and a forced fumble in 2020.
Jackson is also a good wrestler, and head coach Dave Doeren is partial to linemen who wrestle in high school (see the Vann brothers, Davin and Rylan, Joe Sculthorpe and Ikem Ekwonu). So the initial hunch here is that NC State would make room for Jackson with Campbell and Cleveland.
Jackson visited for the spring game in April. He has an official visit lined up to Coastal Carolina in June and also reports offers from Georgia Tech, Kansas, Syracuse and West Virginia.
LB — Four-star Torren Wright, Kannapolis (N.C.) A.L. Brown High
NC State has been recruiting the 6-foot-3, 215-pounder since his early days at A.L. Brown and been one of the programs on him the hardest. The bet here is that perseverance will pay off down the road, but the competition for Wright is challenging. He has lined up an official visit to West Virginia in June and is also contemplating offers from Kentucky, Michigan and South Carolina.
The 6-foot-3, 215-pounder had 84 tackles, including 12 for loss and three sacks, while piling up an astounding 25 quarterback hurries in 2019.
LB — Transfer
Our initial class leaves room for three transfers, with running back and offensive tackle being the other two in our initial mock class. It’s quite possible that NC State could be losing starters Payton Wilson and Isaiah Moore leave for NFL aspirations following the season, potentially opening up a spot in the class for an older linebacker.
CB — Three-star Jackson Vick, Bailey (N.C.) Southern Nash High
Vick has offers from all the in-state programs sans UNC, and NC State also has the benefit of having on its roster close friend and former teammate Zonovan “Bam” Knight, a sophomore running back for the Wolfpack.
Vick visited in the spring and should be back over the summer.
Vick was a dynamic playmaker in 2019. He ran 99 times for 937 yards and 11 touchdowns while catching six passes for 129 yards and two scores. He also added 26 tackles (including a sack), four interceptions and seven pass breakups while playing 16 games for a Southern Nash team that reached a state title game before losing to Charlotte Catholic.
DB — Three-star Isaiah Crowell, Winston-Salem (N.C.) East Forsyth High
Crowell visited for the spring game, and his older brother Micah Crowell is a freshman receiver who enrolled early for the Wolfpack in January. The bet here is that the family (and East Forsyth) tradition continues at some point this summer.
The 5-foot-11, 175-pounder’s spring season ended with 75 tackles, including six for losses. He’s also added an interception, two pass breakups, a forced fumble, two fumble recoveries and seven quarterback hurries.
Crowell is considered a nickel/corner prospect. Our first class did not include a safety in favor of a second wideout on the offensive side of the class.
For now, we are going with a size of 15 signees, but admittedly that is guesswork at this point. We decided to have eight on offense and seven on defense.
Here is a look at the defensive side of the ball, broken down by position.
DL — Three-star Nick Campbell, Minneola (Fla.) Lake Minneola High
Ever since the 6-foot-3, 265-pounder was offered by NC State in the winter, his recruitment has progressed nicely from the Wolfpack’s perspective. He made a pair of unofficial visits during the extended dead period, and he is coming back for an official visit on June 4.
Campbell has also set up official visits to Virginia (June 11) and West Virginia (June 23) and also appears to be considering Louisville, Missouri and Nebraska, but if you believe that actions speak louder than words, than NC State is in a good position.
As a junior, Campbell had 70 tackles, including 19 for loss and seven sacks, and four fumble recoveries, one of which he returned for a score.
DL — Four-star Brandon Cleveland, Tampa (Fla.) Carrollwood Day
Cleveland seems like a good fit for the NC State defensive line. The 6-foot-3, 265-pounder is the profile of what the Wolfpack looks for in its three-man front. Cleveland had 46 tackles, including 18 for loss and 11 sacks, in nine games as a junior.
He is a one-time Miami commit, but the two had what could be described as a mutual parting after a defensive line coaching change for the Hurricanes. NC State was, along with Oregon, one of the schools Cleveland was still communicating with despite his Miami pledge.
Since opening up his recruitment, Cleveland has set up an official visit to Raleigh on June 12.
DL — Three-star Davin Jackson, Sumter (S.C.) High
Defensive line is tricky, and we are taking a guess that NC State would be willing to take three defensive linemen with three similar body types. Jackson checks in at 6-foot-2, 260 pounds, and he had 64 tackles, including 20 for loss and seven sacks, with 10 quarterback hurries, an interception and a forced fumble in 2020.
Jackson is also a good wrestler, and head coach Dave Doeren is partial to linemen who wrestle in high school (see the Vann brothers, Davin and Rylan, Joe Sculthorpe and Ikem Ekwonu). So the initial hunch here is that NC State would make room for Jackson with Campbell and Cleveland.
Jackson visited for the spring game in April. He has an official visit lined up to Coastal Carolina in June and also reports offers from Georgia Tech, Kansas, Syracuse and West Virginia.
LB — Four-star Torren Wright, Kannapolis (N.C.) A.L. Brown High
NC State has been recruiting the 6-foot-3, 215-pounder since his early days at A.L. Brown and been one of the programs on him the hardest. The bet here is that perseverance will pay off down the road, but the competition for Wright is challenging. He has lined up an official visit to West Virginia in June and is also contemplating offers from Kentucky, Michigan and South Carolina.
The 6-foot-3, 215-pounder had 84 tackles, including 12 for loss and three sacks, while piling up an astounding 25 quarterback hurries in 2019.
LB — Transfer
Our initial class leaves room for three transfers, with running back and offensive tackle being the other two in our initial mock class. It’s quite possible that NC State could be losing starters Payton Wilson and Isaiah Moore leave for NFL aspirations following the season, potentially opening up a spot in the class for an older linebacker.
CB — Three-star Jackson Vick, Bailey (N.C.) Southern Nash High
Vick has offers from all the in-state programs sans UNC, and NC State also has the benefit of having on its roster close friend and former teammate Zonovan “Bam” Knight, a sophomore running back for the Wolfpack.
Vick visited in the spring and should be back over the summer.
Vick was a dynamic playmaker in 2019. He ran 99 times for 937 yards and 11 touchdowns while catching six passes for 129 yards and two scores. He also added 26 tackles (including a sack), four interceptions and seven pass breakups while playing 16 games for a Southern Nash team that reached a state title game before losing to Charlotte Catholic.
DB — Three-star Isaiah Crowell, Winston-Salem (N.C.) East Forsyth High
Crowell visited for the spring game, and his older brother Micah Crowell is a freshman receiver who enrolled early for the Wolfpack in January. The bet here is that the family (and East Forsyth) tradition continues at some point this summer.
The 5-foot-11, 175-pounder’s spring season ended with 75 tackles, including six for losses. He’s also added an interception, two pass breakups, a forced fumble, two fumble recoveries and seven quarterback hurries.
Crowell is considered a nickel/corner prospect. Our first class did not include a safety in favor of a second wideout on the offensive side of the class.
