Football recruiting is about to enter a slow-down over the next few months, especially with linebacker Jayland Parker from Macon (Ga.) Westside High apparently not visiting this weekend.
We would not be shocked if NC State adds a defensive back between now and the start of the season, but that might be it. Obviously the hope is three-star Joseph Johnson from Richmond (Va.) Life Christian Academy, but Penn State and perhaps Texas A&M have similar thoughts.
If NC State loses out on Johnson, it will have to decide whether to go with a new offer at corner like the two that did well at Thursday’s camp — the Washington (D.C.) H.D. Woodson High duo of three-star Sean Tucker and two-star Arthur White — or go all-in on speedy but undersized three-star Joshua Pierre-Louis.
Pierre-Louis shined during his camp performance, but he measured 5-foot-8.5, and NC State already has a pair of 5-foot-10 defensive backs in the class in three-stars Devan Boykin from Ragsdale High near Greensboro, N.C. and Nehki Meredith from Virginia Beach (Va.) Bishop Sullivan High. Hence the reservations about taking another smaller defensive back
It sounds like, from talking with various sources, that NC State feels it can take 5-6 more in this class, with a corner, a safety, a defensive end and a linebacker the most prominent positions. NCSU has not ruled out a sixth offensive lineman. Based on the board is shaping up, we anticipate newer names filling some of those positions, especially at defensive end.
Adding another tight end could also be in the works, but not through the prep ranks. William & Mary tight end Nick Muse entered the transfer portal. The 6-5, 240-pounder caught 30 passes for 453 yards and a touchdown in seven games played last year. He had a 71-yard reception against Virginia Tech.
If the name sounds familiar, he’s the younger brother of Clemson safety Tanner Muse, and he played at Belmont (N.C.) South Point High. Muse would redshirt and have two years of eligibility remaining.
With a little over a month before training camp starts, here are some chatter about the current state of the football team:
• At quarterback, redshirt sophomore Matt McKay seemed to emerge as the leader leaving spring over redshirt sophomore Bailey Hockman and redshirt freshman Devin Leary. As head coach Dave Doeren told us in a recent interview that we will publish soon, McKay is not thinking about the offensive plays when he’s out on the field, he’s thinking about the defense. The other two quarterbacks are not there yet, but the staff is going to give them time to get there in the fall.
Sources have also told us that McKay has done a real good job in the summer taking a leadership role during workouts.
• How good was freshman running back Zonovan Knight during the spring? Apparently good enough that there are some who believe he could legitimately start this fall even over a healthy sophomore Ricky Person Jr. Also worth noting that redshirt freshman Trent Pennix has slimmed down 13-plus pounds to get more explosive and is now checking in at 212 pounds.
• Wide receiver and tight end are the two positions on offense that the coaches might feel best about at this point.
• Fifth-year senior and former ballyhooed four-star signee Emanuel McGirt Jr. is as healthy as he’s ever been at NC State and will have a chance to finally compete for a starting job, but his classmate Tyrone Riley has really made strides and probably remains the early favorite.
NC State has had some bad luck, as one source described it to us, on the offensive line. Aaron Wiltz and Harrison Gee are two offensive linemen that would be possible if not probable starters had their careers not been derailed by foot injuries, and it’s not out of the realm that redshirt freshman Jalynn Strickland would have been in the mix for a job had he not been setback last fall and spring.
That has led to depth on the offensive line being a concern (since it will be young).
• We noticed during camp that redshirt freshman Derrick Eason quickly added the weight since moving to the inside, and it’s been proven. Eason’s updated weight is 286 pounds and one source thought he might be in position to make the biggest impact among the newcomers this fall on the defensive line.
Freshman defensive end Savion Jackson has leaned out his frame since arriving and also looks ready to make a quick impact.
The quiet revelation of the spring though was redshirt junior defensive tackle Val Martin. We’ve always said junior college players do so much better in their second year, and it’s proven just about every time. Martin could be another case of that, as he is in contention for a starting job.
• Remember when the updated weights for newcomers arriving in the spring showed USC transfer Levi Jones at 197 pounds? That was not a misprint. He was indeed pushing 200 pounds when he arrived. That has quickly changed and he is now 220 pounds. One source told us that he had the same reaction of fellow USC transfer and tight end Cary Angeline: they worked much harder at strength and conditioning at NC State than they did at Southern Cal.
Pack hopes to have Jones eligible this fall (but we don’t get the feeling they are counting on it), and he has the potential to be a huge addition whenever he gets on the field.
Also, it would be a surprise if true freshman Drake Thomas redshirts this fall.
• NC State has made a subtle change with the secondary: the corners, safeties and nickels are all meeting together. New safeties coach Tony Gibson may have played a role in this, but we can’t confirm it. We do know that Gibson believes in interchangeability in the secondary.
Nearly every source we have talked to firmly believes the Pack is about to turn the corner on the back end of the defense after a couple of seasons of struggling and that the talent is as good as it has been.
We would not be shocked if NC State adds a defensive back between now and the start of the season, but that might be it. Obviously the hope is three-star Joseph Johnson from Richmond (Va.) Life Christian Academy, but Penn State and perhaps Texas A&M have similar thoughts.
If NC State loses out on Johnson, it will have to decide whether to go with a new offer at corner like the two that did well at Thursday’s camp — the Washington (D.C.) H.D. Woodson High duo of three-star Sean Tucker and two-star Arthur White — or go all-in on speedy but undersized three-star Joshua Pierre-Louis.
Pierre-Louis shined during his camp performance, but he measured 5-foot-8.5, and NC State already has a pair of 5-foot-10 defensive backs in the class in three-stars Devan Boykin from Ragsdale High near Greensboro, N.C. and Nehki Meredith from Virginia Beach (Va.) Bishop Sullivan High. Hence the reservations about taking another smaller defensive back
It sounds like, from talking with various sources, that NC State feels it can take 5-6 more in this class, with a corner, a safety, a defensive end and a linebacker the most prominent positions. NCSU has not ruled out a sixth offensive lineman. Based on the board is shaping up, we anticipate newer names filling some of those positions, especially at defensive end.
Adding another tight end could also be in the works, but not through the prep ranks. William & Mary tight end Nick Muse entered the transfer portal. The 6-5, 240-pounder caught 30 passes for 453 yards and a touchdown in seven games played last year. He had a 71-yard reception against Virginia Tech.
If the name sounds familiar, he’s the younger brother of Clemson safety Tanner Muse, and he played at Belmont (N.C.) South Point High. Muse would redshirt and have two years of eligibility remaining.
•••
With a little over a month before training camp starts, here are some chatter about the current state of the football team:
• At quarterback, redshirt sophomore Matt McKay seemed to emerge as the leader leaving spring over redshirt sophomore Bailey Hockman and redshirt freshman Devin Leary. As head coach Dave Doeren told us in a recent interview that we will publish soon, McKay is not thinking about the offensive plays when he’s out on the field, he’s thinking about the defense. The other two quarterbacks are not there yet, but the staff is going to give them time to get there in the fall.
Sources have also told us that McKay has done a real good job in the summer taking a leadership role during workouts.
• How good was freshman running back Zonovan Knight during the spring? Apparently good enough that there are some who believe he could legitimately start this fall even over a healthy sophomore Ricky Person Jr. Also worth noting that redshirt freshman Trent Pennix has slimmed down 13-plus pounds to get more explosive and is now checking in at 212 pounds.
• Wide receiver and tight end are the two positions on offense that the coaches might feel best about at this point.
• Fifth-year senior and former ballyhooed four-star signee Emanuel McGirt Jr. is as healthy as he’s ever been at NC State and will have a chance to finally compete for a starting job, but his classmate Tyrone Riley has really made strides and probably remains the early favorite.
NC State has had some bad luck, as one source described it to us, on the offensive line. Aaron Wiltz and Harrison Gee are two offensive linemen that would be possible if not probable starters had their careers not been derailed by foot injuries, and it’s not out of the realm that redshirt freshman Jalynn Strickland would have been in the mix for a job had he not been setback last fall and spring.
That has led to depth on the offensive line being a concern (since it will be young).
• We noticed during camp that redshirt freshman Derrick Eason quickly added the weight since moving to the inside, and it’s been proven. Eason’s updated weight is 286 pounds and one source thought he might be in position to make the biggest impact among the newcomers this fall on the defensive line.
Freshman defensive end Savion Jackson has leaned out his frame since arriving and also looks ready to make a quick impact.
The quiet revelation of the spring though was redshirt junior defensive tackle Val Martin. We’ve always said junior college players do so much better in their second year, and it’s proven just about every time. Martin could be another case of that, as he is in contention for a starting job.
• Remember when the updated weights for newcomers arriving in the spring showed USC transfer Levi Jones at 197 pounds? That was not a misprint. He was indeed pushing 200 pounds when he arrived. That has quickly changed and he is now 220 pounds. One source told us that he had the same reaction of fellow USC transfer and tight end Cary Angeline: they worked much harder at strength and conditioning at NC State than they did at Southern Cal.
Pack hopes to have Jones eligible this fall (but we don’t get the feeling they are counting on it), and he has the potential to be a huge addition whenever he gets on the field.
Also, it would be a surprise if true freshman Drake Thomas redshirts this fall.
• NC State has made a subtle change with the secondary: the corners, safeties and nickels are all meeting together. New safeties coach Tony Gibson may have played a role in this, but we can’t confirm it. We do know that Gibson believes in interchangeability in the secondary.
Nearly every source we have talked to firmly believes the Pack is about to turn the corner on the back end of the defense after a couple of seasons of struggling and that the talent is as good as it has been.
Last edited by a moderator:
