The Wolfpacker: An Independent Magazine Covering NC State Sports
Issue link: http://read.uberflip.com/i/470359
38 ■ THE WOLFPACKER ■ 2015 FOOTBALL RECRUITING ISSUE Tyler Griffiths LONG SNAPPER Monroe (N.C.) Sun Valley High • 6-2 • 230 pounds Measurables: Was timed at 5.26 seconds in the 40-yard dash at the Chris Rubio Event Elite camp in July. Stats: As a senior, had 39 tackles (26 solo), two sacks and a fumble recovery from his defensive end position … Recorded 16 tackles (12 solo) and a pass defended as a junior. Ratings: Listed as a two-star prospect by Rivals.com, Scout.com and 247Sports … Also rated by 247Sports as the No. 5 long snapper in the country and the No. 73 player in North Carolina … Ranked as a five-star talent and the No. 7 long snapper nationally by Rubio Long Snapping. Honors/accomplishments: Named the first-team all-state long snapper by Carolina Gridiron. Recruitment: Picked up offers from NC State and Louisville over the summer after camping at both schools … Also was heavily recruited by Virginia … Verbally committed to the Pack July 26 and officially visited Dec. 5. Recruiter of record: Tight ends/fullbacks coach and special teams coordinator Eddie Faulkner. Dave Doeren on Griffiths: "We had a huge specialist camp last summer, and it's pretty well known that our snapper was a senior and that we were trying to find one to replace him. There was a ton of snappers that came to our camp, we did a lot of competitions throughout the camp and Tyler killed it. He did a tremendous job." Scouting report: Good-sized long snapper … Physical enough to play defensive line in high school, which should help him in punt coverage … Has been timed with an average 15-yard snap time of .70 seconds during the summer (.65-.80 is considered good). 2015 projection: Four-year starting long snapper Scott Thompson, believed to be the first recruited scholarship long snapper at NCSU, has departed. That makes a wide-open competition for the duties next fall. Griffiths will be one of the favorites entering preseason camp to take over for Thompson. Quentez Johnson DEFENSIVE TACKLE Ellenwood (Ga.) Cedar Grove High 6-4 • 310 pounds Measurables: At a Nike combine, ran the 40-yard dash in 5.91 seconds and the 20-yard shuttle in 5.37 seconds, and registered a 23.6- inch vertical leap. Stats: As a senior, compiled 40 tackles (21 solo), six stops for loss, 4.5 sacks and a forced fumble … Had 65 stops (38 solo) and 12 tackles for loss as a junior. Ratings: Listed by Rivals.com as a three- star prospect, the No. 48 defensive tackle in the country and the No. 65 player in Georgia … Rated by Scout.com as a three-star recruit and the No. 78 defensive tackle in the coun - try … Ranked by 247Sports as a three-star talent, the No. 89 defensive tackle in the country and the No. 150 player in the Peach State … Regarded by ESPN as a three-star prospect, the No. 42 defensive tackle in the country and the No. 61 recruit in Georgia. Honors/accomplishments: Was a two- time all-conference and all-region selection … Participated in Georgia's Elite Junior Clas- sic all-star game in 2013. Recruitment: Made a verbal commitment to Miami in April, but backed out a few weeks later … NC State emerged as a favorite af- ter he camped in Raleigh in June … Verbally committed to the Pack over Oregon and Tennessee July 4. Recruiter of record: Defensive line coach Ryan Nielsen. Dave Doeren on Johnson: "Quentez was in camp last summer and was a big guy. He was a great kid, really focused, and I'm excited about what could happen when he develops." Scouting report: Projects as a nose tackle in college … Combination of size and strength makes him effective at plugging gaps in the line and occupying blockers … Will need to fine-tune body and get proper con - ditioning. 2015 projection: NC State loses two important seniors from last year's team at defensive tackle in Thomas Teal and T.Y. McGill, so there will be openings in the rotation. Nielsen prefers to use four to five defensive tackles in the game, so Johnson will have the opportunity to compete for a spot in the depth chart if he works on his conditioning. Nyheim Hines RUNNING BACK Garner (N.C.) High • 5-9 • 186 pounds Stats: As a senior, ran for 2,362 yards and 38 touchdowns, plus added 318 receiving yards and three scores … During junior season, rushed 311 times for 3,129 yards and 50 touch- downs, and caught 29 passes for 599 yards … Added 10 scores receiving and returning kicks. Ratings: Ranked by Rivals.com as a four-star recruit, the No. 94 overall prospect in the nation, the No. 4 all-purpose back in the country and the No. 3 talent in North Carolina … Listed by Scout.com as a four-star prospect, the No. 133 overall player in the nation, the No. 51 recruit in the Southeast Region, the No. 18 running back in the country and the No. 6 recruit in his home state … Regarded by 247Sports as a four-star player, the No. 160 overall recruit in the nation, the No. 5 all-purpose running back in the country and the No. 6 prospect in North Carolina … Rated by ESPN as a four-star prospect, the No. 155 overall player in the nation, the No 16 running back in the country and the No. 5 recruit in his home state … Placed at No. 6 in the state by Athlete Vault and The Fayetteville Observer … Ranked as the No. 7 player in the state by both National Underclassmen and The Charlotte Observer. Honors/accomplishments: Selected to play in the Semper Fidelis All-American Game Jan. 4 in Carson, Calif., where he was labeled the event's "Fastest Player" by Rivals.com and also selected as the No. 11 player overall for the East squad … Named first-team all-state by the Associated Press, NCPreps.com and Carolina Gridiron as a senior, and was one of three juniors named to the Associated Press' all-state team in 2013 … Made The Raleigh News and Observer All-Metro team in 2014 … Picked as the 4-A Greater Neuse Conference Player of the Year as a senior … Finished his career as Garner's all-time leader in total yards (7,299) and touchdowns (126) … Broke the Wake County single-season total yardage record as a junior … Won running back MVP honors at the Rivals Camp Series presented by Under Armour stop in Charlotte and was listed by Rivals.com as the top overall offensive player there … Ranked by Rivals.com as the fifth-best performer at the Shrine Bowl Invite-Only Camp in June … Also runs track, finishing second in the 4-A state finals last year in the 100-meter dash (10.77 seconds) and 300-meter hurdles (37.71 seconds) … The winter, won the 55-meter dash indoor 4A state title, clocking a time of 6.28 seconds — the second fastest in the country this year … Has been timed as fast as 10.52 seconds in the 100 meters, 21.58 in the 200 and 37.71 in the 300 hurdles … Named academic all-conference all four years and is a member of the Beta Club … Twin sister Nyah Hines has committed to run track for the Wolfpack. Recruitment: Took official visits to NC State (Oct. 11), Wake Forest (Nov. 21) and Virginia Tech (Dec. 12) … Also made unofficial visits over the summer to Florida, Georgia, Ohio State and West Virginia, and hosted UNC for an in-home visit in December … Verbally committed to NC State Dec. 19. Recruiters of record: Offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach Matt Canada, and running backs coach and recruiting coordinator Des Kitchings. Dave Doeren on Hines: "I told him in the recruiting process that I think he's a very versatile young man — he's a punt returner, kicker returner, running back, receiver and also he plays the wildcat when they get into that package. He's got five lottery tickets on our team. That's a great way to look at why he wanted to come here and why we wanted him." Scouting report: One of the fastest playmakers in the state … Has the versatility to line up in the slot or in the back - field and compares favorably to current Wolfpack rising junior all-purpose back Matt Dayes … Is also a good kick returner. 2015 projection: Hines should get on the field as a true freshman, if only to give a boost to the Pack's kick return. Hines has a special ability to make plays in space, so it is likely that Canada will design some ways to get him the football.