Current commits:
Three-star receiver Jakolbe Baldwin, Rockingham (N.C.) Richmond County High
Three-star receiver Julian Gray, Huntersville (N.C.) Hopewell High
These are the top 50 players ranked in order of the odds we see them ending up at NC State.
1. Three-star linebacker/defensive end Jabril McNeill, Raleigh Sanderson High
Physically, McNeill is a nice athlete who is really filling out his 6-foot-4 frame nicely, to the point he could project at several positions in college. Arkansas, Oklahoma State, South Carolina, Virginia Tech and West Virginia have offered him, among others, but it’s hard to see the younger brother of NC State junior defensive tackle Alim McNeill going elsewhere. He picked up a couple of mid-major offers last week in Central Florida and East Carolina.
Last week: 1
Projection: NC State
2. Two-star offensive lineman Thornton Gentry, Chapin (S.C.) High
We have Gentry high because in a race between NC State and Missouri (as it is at the moment), it’s hard to see a native of South Carolina going halfway across the country over playing in what would be a reasonable drive for his family. The 6-foot-5, 290-pounder has a handful of offers from the region’s best mid-major programs as well (Appalachian State and South Florida probably standing out in the group). He was supposed to visit both Missouri and NC State, but those trips are obviously on hold.
Last week: 2
Projection: NC State
3. Three-star running back Caleb McDowell, Leesburg (Ga.) Lee County High
As we noted last week when McDowell debuted on our list, NC State would seem to have to just beat out Purdue for the 5-foot-10, 170-pounder who could project at a number of positions in college (running back, slot receiver, cornerback, kick returner, etc.). This could be a name to watch once the visits start back up.
Last week: 3
Projection: NC State
4. Four-star quarterback Aaron McLaughlin, Alpharetta (Ga.) Denmark High
All our best information on McLaughlin is that NC State is emerging as a bit of a clear frontrunner for the 6-foot-5, 215-pounder. He was able to visit Louisville before everything shut down. He had trips to NC State, Arizona and South Carolina planned before the cancellations came. If we had to guess, Louisville is the top challenger at the moment. Interestingly there is a wide range of opinions on McLaughin, so we are not sure how many more options he will get. Our guess is what’s on the table now is what he will have, and thus do not be surprised to see McLaughlin speed things up once the quarantines are lifted. McLaughlin threw for 2,018 yards and 17 touchdowns last year, and his new coach this season will be former Mallard Creek coach Mike Palmieri, who has a good friendship with Doeren.
Last week: 4
Projection: NC State
5. Two-star defensive tackle Zeek Biggers, Mt. Ulla (N.C.) West Rowan High
Right now this would seem to be a battle between Georgia Tech and NC State, and he made a trip to Atlanta on March 12, just as campuses were shutting down athletics. Biggers (bigger than the 6-foot-2, 294 pounds he’s listed on his Rivals profile page) is projected as a nose tackle in NC State’s 3-man front. We have him projected to the Pack but don’t discount GT in this race at all.
Last week: 2
Projection: NC State
6. Three-star receiver Jacob Gill, Raleigh Cardinal Gibbons High
A recent offer to another receiver makes it clear NC State is holding room for a third in this class, however we still have questions if one would be reserve for a slot-style receiver such as Gill when NC State already has a commitment from Julian Gray. If he does have a legit offer, then we like the Pack’s chances quite a bit, especially with head coach Dave Doeren’s connections to Cardinal Gibbons. Gill received his Power Five offers (NC State, Louisville and Virginia after a huge sophomore season for Cardinal Gibbons (74 receptions for 1,170 yards and 18 scores). That production dipped some in 2020 to 64 catches for 794 yards and eight touchdowns, and so far he has not added any new major offers.
Last week: 6
Projection: NC State
7. Three-star offensive tackle Jaleel Davis, Rockingham (N.C.) Richmond County High
Landing Davis’ teammate, Jakolbe Baldwin, is sure to help NC State with the 6-foot-5, 300-pounder. (Although Badlwin reported an offer from Vanderbilt over the weekend.) Kansas joined the offer list last week, and he also has scholarships from Georgia Tech, South Carolina and Tennessee. The Gamecocks probably figure most prominently among those teams. We like where NC State sits now.
Last week: 7
Projection: NC State
8. Three-star linebacker Jordan Poole, Oakboro (N.C.) West Stanly High
NC State fell in love with the 6-foot, 215-pound Poole when he put on a strong showing at its summer camp last year, and Poole (who has family connections to NC State) has made several visits to Raleigh since then. We do not discount Virginia Tech, who we could easily see landing Poole. Duke, Louisville, South Carolina and Virginia have also offered.
Last week: 8
Projection: NC State
9. Three-star offensive tackle Colby Smith, Wentworth (N.C.) Rockingham County High
We have said for a while that we think this is a recruitment that may quietly play out well for NC State, and the signs are starting to show. In a recent interview with UNC rivals, Smith listed his favorites as NC State, Tennessee, South Carolina and Louisville as his top schools, and then added “UNC is up there with them.” That’s notable because many thought this would be a NC State-UNC battle with South Carolina as a wildcard. Smith is not going to get out and take a bunch of recruiting visits, and we think UNC’s aggressively moving to fill up its class could help NC State here.
Last week: 13
Projection: NC State
10. Tight end Gunnar Greenwald, Satellite Beach (Fla.) High
Among the long list of tight ends on this list, which is a tribute to the job that tight ends coach Todd Goebbel did establishing the board for the position, we continue to think NC State is best positioned with Greenwald. He has been consistently enthusiastic about the Pack from the beginning, and that has held up even as his stock has risen (Northwestern joined his offer list last week). Just before things shut down, he took a visit to Florida State. Greenwald had been expected to come back to NC State for a visit this spring. Georgia Tech, Louisville, Maryland, Miami, Purdue, UCLA, Utah and West Virginia are others to have offered the 6-4, 220-pounder that caught 43 passes for 379 yards and three scores.
Last week: 10
Projection: NC State
11 (tie). Three-star tight ends Cedric Seabrough and Fredrick Seabrough, Swainsboro (Ga.) High
The twins added offers from Florida Atlantic and Western Kentucky over the weekend. NC State was the first school to offer the twins and then Maryland. They have made it clear they will sign with the same school in college. 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. A source familiar with the state of Georgia recruiting noted that the twins come from a part of the state that is not known for producing a lot of talent, thus NC State may have the benefit of flying somewhat under the radar. The question is how will the tight ends board shake out.
Last week: 11
Projection: NC State
Three-star receiver Jakolbe Baldwin, Rockingham (N.C.) Richmond County High
Three-star receiver Julian Gray, Huntersville (N.C.) Hopewell High
These are the top 50 players ranked in order of the odds we see them ending up at NC State.
1. Three-star linebacker/defensive end Jabril McNeill, Raleigh Sanderson High
Physically, McNeill is a nice athlete who is really filling out his 6-foot-4 frame nicely, to the point he could project at several positions in college. Arkansas, Oklahoma State, South Carolina, Virginia Tech and West Virginia have offered him, among others, but it’s hard to see the younger brother of NC State junior defensive tackle Alim McNeill going elsewhere. He picked up a couple of mid-major offers last week in Central Florida and East Carolina.
Last week: 1
Projection: NC State
2. Two-star offensive lineman Thornton Gentry, Chapin (S.C.) High
We have Gentry high because in a race between NC State and Missouri (as it is at the moment), it’s hard to see a native of South Carolina going halfway across the country over playing in what would be a reasonable drive for his family. The 6-foot-5, 290-pounder has a handful of offers from the region’s best mid-major programs as well (Appalachian State and South Florida probably standing out in the group). He was supposed to visit both Missouri and NC State, but those trips are obviously on hold.
Last week: 2
Projection: NC State
3. Three-star running back Caleb McDowell, Leesburg (Ga.) Lee County High
As we noted last week when McDowell debuted on our list, NC State would seem to have to just beat out Purdue for the 5-foot-10, 170-pounder who could project at a number of positions in college (running back, slot receiver, cornerback, kick returner, etc.). This could be a name to watch once the visits start back up.
Last week: 3
Projection: NC State
4. Four-star quarterback Aaron McLaughlin, Alpharetta (Ga.) Denmark High
All our best information on McLaughlin is that NC State is emerging as a bit of a clear frontrunner for the 6-foot-5, 215-pounder. He was able to visit Louisville before everything shut down. He had trips to NC State, Arizona and South Carolina planned before the cancellations came. If we had to guess, Louisville is the top challenger at the moment. Interestingly there is a wide range of opinions on McLaughin, so we are not sure how many more options he will get. Our guess is what’s on the table now is what he will have, and thus do not be surprised to see McLaughlin speed things up once the quarantines are lifted. McLaughlin threw for 2,018 yards and 17 touchdowns last year, and his new coach this season will be former Mallard Creek coach Mike Palmieri, who has a good friendship with Doeren.
Last week: 4
Projection: NC State
5. Two-star defensive tackle Zeek Biggers, Mt. Ulla (N.C.) West Rowan High
Right now this would seem to be a battle between Georgia Tech and NC State, and he made a trip to Atlanta on March 12, just as campuses were shutting down athletics. Biggers (bigger than the 6-foot-2, 294 pounds he’s listed on his Rivals profile page) is projected as a nose tackle in NC State’s 3-man front. We have him projected to the Pack but don’t discount GT in this race at all.
Last week: 2
Projection: NC State
6. Three-star receiver Jacob Gill, Raleigh Cardinal Gibbons High
A recent offer to another receiver makes it clear NC State is holding room for a third in this class, however we still have questions if one would be reserve for a slot-style receiver such as Gill when NC State already has a commitment from Julian Gray. If he does have a legit offer, then we like the Pack’s chances quite a bit, especially with head coach Dave Doeren’s connections to Cardinal Gibbons. Gill received his Power Five offers (NC State, Louisville and Virginia after a huge sophomore season for Cardinal Gibbons (74 receptions for 1,170 yards and 18 scores). That production dipped some in 2020 to 64 catches for 794 yards and eight touchdowns, and so far he has not added any new major offers.
Last week: 6
Projection: NC State
7. Three-star offensive tackle Jaleel Davis, Rockingham (N.C.) Richmond County High
Landing Davis’ teammate, Jakolbe Baldwin, is sure to help NC State with the 6-foot-5, 300-pounder. (Although Badlwin reported an offer from Vanderbilt over the weekend.) Kansas joined the offer list last week, and he also has scholarships from Georgia Tech, South Carolina and Tennessee. The Gamecocks probably figure most prominently among those teams. We like where NC State sits now.
Last week: 7
Projection: NC State
8. Three-star linebacker Jordan Poole, Oakboro (N.C.) West Stanly High
NC State fell in love with the 6-foot, 215-pound Poole when he put on a strong showing at its summer camp last year, and Poole (who has family connections to NC State) has made several visits to Raleigh since then. We do not discount Virginia Tech, who we could easily see landing Poole. Duke, Louisville, South Carolina and Virginia have also offered.
Last week: 8
Projection: NC State
9. Three-star offensive tackle Colby Smith, Wentworth (N.C.) Rockingham County High
We have said for a while that we think this is a recruitment that may quietly play out well for NC State, and the signs are starting to show. In a recent interview with UNC rivals, Smith listed his favorites as NC State, Tennessee, South Carolina and Louisville as his top schools, and then added “UNC is up there with them.” That’s notable because many thought this would be a NC State-UNC battle with South Carolina as a wildcard. Smith is not going to get out and take a bunch of recruiting visits, and we think UNC’s aggressively moving to fill up its class could help NC State here.
Last week: 13
Projection: NC State
10. Tight end Gunnar Greenwald, Satellite Beach (Fla.) High
Among the long list of tight ends on this list, which is a tribute to the job that tight ends coach Todd Goebbel did establishing the board for the position, we continue to think NC State is best positioned with Greenwald. He has been consistently enthusiastic about the Pack from the beginning, and that has held up even as his stock has risen (Northwestern joined his offer list last week). Just before things shut down, he took a visit to Florida State. Greenwald had been expected to come back to NC State for a visit this spring. Georgia Tech, Louisville, Maryland, Miami, Purdue, UCLA, Utah and West Virginia are others to have offered the 6-4, 220-pounder that caught 43 passes for 379 yards and three scores.
Last week: 10
Projection: NC State
11 (tie). Three-star tight ends Cedric Seabrough and Fredrick Seabrough, Swainsboro (Ga.) High
The twins added offers from Florida Atlantic and Western Kentucky over the weekend. NC State was the first school to offer the twins and then Maryland. They have made it clear they will sign with the same school in college. 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. A source familiar with the state of Georgia recruiting noted that the twins come from a part of the state that is not known for producing a lot of talent, thus NC State may have the benefit of flying somewhat under the radar. The question is how will the tight ends board shake out.
Last week: 11
Projection: NC State
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