One thing is clear between the classes of 2020 and 2021: NC State football coaches wanted to focus on the wide receiver position.

That process continued, and perhaps concluded, Tuesday afternoon with the verbal commitment of four-star receiver Micah Crowell from East Forsyth High in Kernersville, N.C.

The end result is eight new wideouts offering a intrigue and potential.

This is not the first time head coach Dave Doeren has done this at NC State. When he first arrived, he inherited a receiving corps that was on the shorter side.

Most of the receivers were 6-foot or under. If it had not been for Doeren’s additions of Marquez Valdes-Scantling, Johnathan Alston and Jumichel Ramos in the 2013 class to go with maintaining the commitment of Pharoah McKever, NC State would have had just three receivers taller than 6-foot on the roster.

Still, the top two wideouts on the team that year were a couple of players who were probably under 5-foot-10: Rashard Smith and Bryan Underwood.

Over the years, NC State has transformed its receiving corps to potentially one of the tallest in the ACC. This past year, six receivers were 6-foot-3 or taller, and that was after the early departure to the NFL of 6-foot-3 Kelvin Harmon.

The latest additions at receiver show a potential shift in philosophy, and the result is a much more versatile group.