Current commits:
Three-star receiver Jakolbe Baldwin, Rockingham (N.C.) Richmond County High
Four-star receiver Micah Crowell, Kernersville (N.C.) East Forsyth High
Three-star offensive tackle Jaleel Davis, Rockingham (N.C.) Richmond County High
Three-star cornerback Nate Evans, Virginia Beach (Va.) Cox High
Three-star linebacker Caden Fordham, Jacksonville (Fla.) Bolles High
Two-star offensive lineman Thornton Gentry, Chapin (S.C.) High
Three-star receiver Julian Gray, Huntersville (N.C.) Hopewell High
Three-star cornerback Mario Love Jr., Cornelius (N.C.) Hough High
Three-star quarterback Aaron McLaughlin, Alpharetta (Ga.) Denmark High
These are the top 40 players ranked in order of the odds we see them ending up at NC State.
1. Two-star safety Sean Brown, Charlotte (N.C.) Hough High
Last week we noted that Brown and Lyndon Cooper (No. 2) were really 1A and 1B. We flip-flopped the order because Brown is likely to be announcing his choice soon. The 6-foot-1, 190-pounder also has offers from Louisville, Michigan State, Missouri and Wake Forest. As a junior, Brown had 65 tackles, including four for loss and three sacks, in 13 games. He also had a pick.
Last week: 2
Projection: NC State
2. Three-star offensive lineman Lyndon Cooper, Carrollton (Ga.) High
We repeat what we said last week. To us, it appears a matter of time before Cooper picks NC State. The 6-foot-3, 315-pounder sounded as someone who might have his mind made up, but who also wants to make sure he is not making a decision while being caught up in the moment of receiving his first Power Five offer and then taking a visit to Raleigh in a span of a couple of weeks. It does not appear that his recent offer from Syracuse did much to change his recruitment, and he noted unless his coach knows of other schools he has not heard from anyone new.
Last week: 1
Projection: NC State
3. Two-star running back/athlete Demie Sumo, Willingboro (N.J.) High
NC State is the lone Power Five school on Sumo, and assuming it’s a committable offer then the Pack is in great position. Indications are that is the case. In 12 games as a junior, Sumo carried 65 times for 648 yards, averaging almost 10.0 yards per rush, and 11 touchdowns. He also caught 21 passes for 430 yards and eight scores. He averaged 24.8 yards on eight kickoff returns, running one back the distance.
Last week: 3
Projection: NC State
4. Three-star linebacker Jordan Poole, Oakboro (N.C.) West Stanly High
The 6-foot, 215-pounder picked a couple of new offers in May, but thus far not a surge. One source we talked to last week felt like Poole, if a season is played this fall, could then really pick up steam if he waited that long. Our understanding is that Poole is torn between potentially taking some virtual visits in the summer versus going ahead and making a commitment. South Carolina and Virginia Tech are NC State’s chief competition. The athletic Poole ran 113 times for 1,534 yards and 21 touchdowns on offense (in eight games) and had 36 tackles, including 4.5 for loss, a pick and a forced fumble.
Last week: 4
Projection: NC State
5. Three-star defensive lineman Travali Price, Lincolnton (N.C.) North Lincoln
Price made a virtual visit to NC State similarly to how Cooper did. He was supposed to do one with Tennessee this past weekend. Price wants to play with Jayden Tate in college. We flip-flopped Tate and Price in the order since an observant message board poster correctly pointed out Tate’s future at NC State is probably contingent on Price. The apparent gist is that NC State has a lead on Tennessee at the moment with perhaps South Carolina and Louisville also in the mix. The recent visits lead us to wonder if Price may be inching closer to making a decision. The 6-foot-4, 240-pounder had 84 tackles, including 21 for loss and 5.5 sacks, and 27 quarterback hurries last year.
Last week: 9
Projection: NC State (previously unknown)
6. Long snapper/defensive tackle Jayden Tate, Lincolnton (N.C.) North Lincoln High
Tate has reported offers from Louisville, NC State, South Carolina and Tennessee, with the latter most potentially a preferred walk-on opportunity. Price and Tate are practically brothers. NC State and Louisville are recruiting Tate (5-foot-11, 250 pounds) to play defensive tackle, while South Carolina and Tennessee like him at fullback.
Last week: 8
Projection: NC State (previously unknown)
7. Three-star linebacker/defensive end Jabril McNeill, Raleigh Sanderson High
McNeill came out with a top 11 that includes NC State, Kentucky, Louisville, Michigan State, Oklahoma, Oklahoma State, Oregon, South Carolina, Virginia Tech, Washington and West Virginia. A source told us last week that McNeill is tempted by some of the national programs that are after him. However, we still fall back to the fact that ultimately, it is difficult to imagine McNeill not going where his brother went, all things being equal. As a junior, McNeill (6-foot-4, 225 pounds) had 35 tackles, including 6.5 for loss and two sacks, in 11 games. He also recovered a pair of fumbles.
Last week: 5
Projection: NC State
8. Safety Rakeim Ashford, Jones County JC in Ellisville, Miss.
Ashford (6-foot-1, 190 pounds) reported an offer last week, and NC State would be his first Power Five offer. Assuming it’s a committable offer, this would obviously be a recruitment that NC State would be in the driver’s seat. One thing about junior college players however is they tend to accumulate offers in the fall. He had 39 tackles and four picks as a freshman at Jones County and was an honor roll student.
Last week: Unrated
Projection: NC State
9. Three-star offensive lineman Yousef Mugharbil, Murphy (N.C.) High
The 6-foot-4, 300-pounder is playing out a (very) low-key recruitment, which is often times the type that NC State does best. NC State loves Mugharbil and has emerged as the likely in-state school of choice. He also has family ties to the school. Florida has been making a push, however, and we have heard from a source that Tennessee may still remain prominently in the mix.
Last week: 10
Projection: Unknown
10. Three-star safety Chase Hattley, Cary (N.C.) Panther Creek High
There is really nothing new on the Hattley front. The 6-foot-3, 205-pounder is a good athlete (has cleared 6-foot-4 in the high jump in track) and productive. He had 29 tackles, nine interceptions and five pass breakups as a junior. On offense he caught seven passes for 161 yards and three scores. He also claims offers from Florida State and Oklahoma, among others.
Last week: 12
Projection: Unknown
11 (tie). Three-star tight ends Cedric Seabrough and Fredrick Seabrough, Swainsboro (Ga.) High
The two came out with a top three of NC State, UAB and Coastal Carolina. That’s obviously a recruiting battle that under normal circumstances NC State will win. So a lot here may depend on how NC State wants to play it out. They want to play in college together. The two 6-4, 220-pounders have already visited NC State. Last year, Cedric caught 58 passes for 800 yards and 13 scores and Fredrick had 37 receptions for 703 yards and eight touchdowns..
Last week: 16
Projection: Unknown
Three-star receiver Jakolbe Baldwin, Rockingham (N.C.) Richmond County High
Four-star receiver Micah Crowell, Kernersville (N.C.) East Forsyth High
Three-star offensive tackle Jaleel Davis, Rockingham (N.C.) Richmond County High
Three-star cornerback Nate Evans, Virginia Beach (Va.) Cox High
Three-star linebacker Caden Fordham, Jacksonville (Fla.) Bolles High
Two-star offensive lineman Thornton Gentry, Chapin (S.C.) High
Three-star receiver Julian Gray, Huntersville (N.C.) Hopewell High
Three-star cornerback Mario Love Jr., Cornelius (N.C.) Hough High
Three-star quarterback Aaron McLaughlin, Alpharetta (Ga.) Denmark High
These are the top 40 players ranked in order of the odds we see them ending up at NC State.
1. Two-star safety Sean Brown, Charlotte (N.C.) Hough High
Last week we noted that Brown and Lyndon Cooper (No. 2) were really 1A and 1B. We flip-flopped the order because Brown is likely to be announcing his choice soon. The 6-foot-1, 190-pounder also has offers from Louisville, Michigan State, Missouri and Wake Forest. As a junior, Brown had 65 tackles, including four for loss and three sacks, in 13 games. He also had a pick.
Last week: 2
Projection: NC State
2. Three-star offensive lineman Lyndon Cooper, Carrollton (Ga.) High
We repeat what we said last week. To us, it appears a matter of time before Cooper picks NC State. The 6-foot-3, 315-pounder sounded as someone who might have his mind made up, but who also wants to make sure he is not making a decision while being caught up in the moment of receiving his first Power Five offer and then taking a visit to Raleigh in a span of a couple of weeks. It does not appear that his recent offer from Syracuse did much to change his recruitment, and he noted unless his coach knows of other schools he has not heard from anyone new.
Last week: 1
Projection: NC State
3. Two-star running back/athlete Demie Sumo, Willingboro (N.J.) High
NC State is the lone Power Five school on Sumo, and assuming it’s a committable offer then the Pack is in great position. Indications are that is the case. In 12 games as a junior, Sumo carried 65 times for 648 yards, averaging almost 10.0 yards per rush, and 11 touchdowns. He also caught 21 passes for 430 yards and eight scores. He averaged 24.8 yards on eight kickoff returns, running one back the distance.
Last week: 3
Projection: NC State
4. Three-star linebacker Jordan Poole, Oakboro (N.C.) West Stanly High
The 6-foot, 215-pounder picked a couple of new offers in May, but thus far not a surge. One source we talked to last week felt like Poole, if a season is played this fall, could then really pick up steam if he waited that long. Our understanding is that Poole is torn between potentially taking some virtual visits in the summer versus going ahead and making a commitment. South Carolina and Virginia Tech are NC State’s chief competition. The athletic Poole ran 113 times for 1,534 yards and 21 touchdowns on offense (in eight games) and had 36 tackles, including 4.5 for loss, a pick and a forced fumble.
Last week: 4
Projection: NC State
5. Three-star defensive lineman Travali Price, Lincolnton (N.C.) North Lincoln
Price made a virtual visit to NC State similarly to how Cooper did. He was supposed to do one with Tennessee this past weekend. Price wants to play with Jayden Tate in college. We flip-flopped Tate and Price in the order since an observant message board poster correctly pointed out Tate’s future at NC State is probably contingent on Price. The apparent gist is that NC State has a lead on Tennessee at the moment with perhaps South Carolina and Louisville also in the mix. The recent visits lead us to wonder if Price may be inching closer to making a decision. The 6-foot-4, 240-pounder had 84 tackles, including 21 for loss and 5.5 sacks, and 27 quarterback hurries last year.
Last week: 9
Projection: NC State (previously unknown)
6. Long snapper/defensive tackle Jayden Tate, Lincolnton (N.C.) North Lincoln High
Tate has reported offers from Louisville, NC State, South Carolina and Tennessee, with the latter most potentially a preferred walk-on opportunity. Price and Tate are practically brothers. NC State and Louisville are recruiting Tate (5-foot-11, 250 pounds) to play defensive tackle, while South Carolina and Tennessee like him at fullback.
Last week: 8
Projection: NC State (previously unknown)
7. Three-star linebacker/defensive end Jabril McNeill, Raleigh Sanderson High
McNeill came out with a top 11 that includes NC State, Kentucky, Louisville, Michigan State, Oklahoma, Oklahoma State, Oregon, South Carolina, Virginia Tech, Washington and West Virginia. A source told us last week that McNeill is tempted by some of the national programs that are after him. However, we still fall back to the fact that ultimately, it is difficult to imagine McNeill not going where his brother went, all things being equal. As a junior, McNeill (6-foot-4, 225 pounds) had 35 tackles, including 6.5 for loss and two sacks, in 11 games. He also recovered a pair of fumbles.
Last week: 5
Projection: NC State
8. Safety Rakeim Ashford, Jones County JC in Ellisville, Miss.
Ashford (6-foot-1, 190 pounds) reported an offer last week, and NC State would be his first Power Five offer. Assuming it’s a committable offer, this would obviously be a recruitment that NC State would be in the driver’s seat. One thing about junior college players however is they tend to accumulate offers in the fall. He had 39 tackles and four picks as a freshman at Jones County and was an honor roll student.
Last week: Unrated
Projection: NC State
9. Three-star offensive lineman Yousef Mugharbil, Murphy (N.C.) High
The 6-foot-4, 300-pounder is playing out a (very) low-key recruitment, which is often times the type that NC State does best. NC State loves Mugharbil and has emerged as the likely in-state school of choice. He also has family ties to the school. Florida has been making a push, however, and we have heard from a source that Tennessee may still remain prominently in the mix.
Last week: 10
Projection: Unknown
10. Three-star safety Chase Hattley, Cary (N.C.) Panther Creek High
There is really nothing new on the Hattley front. The 6-foot-3, 205-pounder is a good athlete (has cleared 6-foot-4 in the high jump in track) and productive. He had 29 tackles, nine interceptions and five pass breakups as a junior. On offense he caught seven passes for 161 yards and three scores. He also claims offers from Florida State and Oklahoma, among others.
Last week: 12
Projection: Unknown
11 (tie). Three-star tight ends Cedric Seabrough and Fredrick Seabrough, Swainsboro (Ga.) High
The two came out with a top three of NC State, UAB and Coastal Carolina. That’s obviously a recruiting battle that under normal circumstances NC State will win. So a lot here may depend on how NC State wants to play it out. They want to play in college together. The two 6-4, 220-pounders have already visited NC State. Last year, Cedric caught 58 passes for 800 yards and 13 scores and Fredrick had 37 receptions for 703 yards and eight touchdowns..
Last week: 16
Projection: Unknown
