The Wolfpacker

March 2013 - Signing Day Edition

The Wolfpacker: An Independent Magazine Covering NC State Sports

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H 2013 football recruiting issue Class Awards ere is The Wolfpacker���s best of the best and superlatives from the 2013 recruiting class. Biggest Get: Weston (Fla.) Cypress Bay High running back Matt Dayes nearly ascended to four-star status in the final Rivals.com rankings. He recommitted to NC State over Vanderbilt, and he also picked up late offers from Miami and Tennessee. Biggest Steal: Defensive tackle Kenton all as a senior. He had 10 touchdowns rushGibbs has been one of the most productive ing and seven receiving ��� and added three defensive players for Detroit���s powerhouse defensive scores, including a pick-six of Cass Tech program the 109 yards that tied a state past three years. Gibbs had record. Late Bloomer: Wide reoriginally committed to Ilceiver Jumichael Ramos linois, but then backed out from Lovejoy (Ga.) High and eventually picked the was splitting his focus Pack over Pittsburgh. Most Underrated: If you between basketball and are looking for a productive football until prior to his athlete, Bra���Lon Cherry senior season. The impact from New Bern (N.C.) of making football his priHigh fits the mold. Pound mary sport is reflected in for pound, he is as athletic his stats. Ramos went from as most any prospect in the catching 16 passes for 217 country, and he stood out yards and two scores as a Defensive tackle Kenton Gibbs on both sides of the ball as from Detroit prep powerhouse junior to 44 receptions for a senior for the 4-A state Cass Tech had originally commit- 842 yards and five touchchamps. ted to Illinois, but he ended up downs last season. Potential Surprise Instant picking the Pack. Late Find: Few recruits photo by tim sullivan in the country benefitted Impact: The new coaches at NCSU have been on cornerback Sean Paul from coaching changes as much as receiver from Vero Beach (Fla.) High since they were Marquez Valdes from St. Petersburg (Fla.) at Northern Illinois and are very familiar Lakewood High. He picked up offers from with him. New head coach Dave Doeren Arkansas, Cincinnati, Kentucky, NCSU and believes Paul is one of the top defensive South Florida in December and January. All backs from Florida this year. had new coaching staffs. Future Pro: Few of NC State���s signees Hardest Hitter: If defensive back Dravious saw their stock rise as much Josh Jones Wright from Vero Beach (Fla.) High���s film from Walled Lake (Mich.) Western High. proved anything, it���s that you do not want The 6-2, 200-pounder is a playmaker on him to get a clean hit on you. Fastest Recruit: Mercer has what one anaboth sides of the ball, and with his size and lyst told The Wolfpacker is ���SEC speed.��� athleticism he could be a prototypical safety. Biggest Sleeper: Dayes and Guyton (Ga.) Mercer claims his fastest 40-yard dash has South Effingham High���s Josh Mercer get been timed at 4.38 seconds. He has been most of the headlines at running back in this clocked at 10.66 seconds in the 100-meclass, but Rockingham (N.C.) Richmond ter dash and 21.63 seconds in the 200, and County���s Dakwa Nichols should not be he finished third in the state Class AAAA overlooked. He has the speed and quickness 100-meter dash finals as a sophomore. Biggest Recruit: To label junior college to excel in a spread offense. Biggest Upside: If offensive tackle Patrick offensive line transfer Ali Kassem as ���big��� Roane can add the necessary strength to may be an understatement. The 6-7 product go with his size and natural foot speed, he of ASA College in Brooklyn, N.Y., is listed would have all the physical tools to develop at 350 pounds, but he is actually closer to into a starting ACC offensive tackle. 380. Most Intriguing: Athlete Pharoah McKever Strongest Recruit: Defensive tackle Monty has a unique skill set. He���s every bit of 6-6, Nelson from Plantation (Fla.) High has been 215 pounds and has long arms to add to his described as a weight-room warrior. Doeren length. He also runs well, and is surprisingly noted that Nelson is a ���500-bench guy.��� Most Outgoing: Mocksville (N.C.) Davie skilled. He can make plays in the open field County offensive lineman Cole Blankenon offense and deliver a crushing blow from ship is comfortable in just about any setting. his safety position. Best Playmaker: Richburg (S.C.) LewThat���s probably why Blankenship had no isville High athlete Malcolm Means did it concerns about graduating high school in Superlatives For The Wolfpack���s Incoming Recruits December and enrolling early at NC State. Most Soft-Spoken: Before and after an interview, wide receiver Johnathan Alston from Bunn (N.C.) High can be engaging and outgoing. When the recorders start rolling, though, he becomes a player of few words. Future Offensive Captain: Offensive lineman Tylar Reagan from Bartram Trail (Fla.) Fruit Cove High was one of the most vocal Wolfpack recruits on Twitter during the transition. Future Defensive Captain: Linebacker Jerod Fernandez from Lake Mary (Fla.) High is one of several recruits in the class who have displayed strong leadership skills. In fact, Doeren singled Fernandez out for being ���one of the best leaders in this class as far as others trying to contact him during the transition and him staying strong and being a big part of what we���re doing.��� Most Familiar With NC State: It helps linebacker Artemis Robinson from Laurinburg (N.C.) Scotland County High that his older brother Terrell Manning played football for three seasons at NC State. Most Likely To Succeed Outside Sports: Quarterback Bryant Shirreffs is a proven winner, helping Jefferson (Ga.) County High win its first-ever state title. Had Shirreffs not landed at NC State, he would probably have signed with an Ivy League program. Most Inspirational: Defensive back Jack Tocho from Charlotte Independence is the son of Kenyans who met in the United States. Tocho is a 4.6 grade-point average student who did not start playing defensive back until he was a junior in high school and earned rave reviews for his leadership this past season. ��� Odds And Ends States represented: North Carolina (9), Florida (7), Georgia (3), Michigan (2), Ohio (1) and South Carolina (1). Longest drive from home: According to Mapquest.com, Matt Dayes��� drive from Weston, Fla., would traverse 788.61 miles. Shortest drive from home: Bunn, N.C., native Johnathan Alston can make the trip in a little more than 28 miles. Tallest: Ali Kassem ��� listed at 6-7. Heaviest: Kassem ��� listed at 350 pounds. Shortest: Dayes ��� listed at 5-9. Average height and weight: 6-1.8 and 226.1 pounds. 28��� ������ the wolfpacker 28.Recruiting Superlatives.indd 28 2/26/13 1:05 PM

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