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NC State goes heavy with speed in 2020 recruiting class

NC State likely has a little over 75 percent of its recruiting class completed, so some work is still left after Wednesday, but there is one theme among the players that did sign.

NC State had eight of its 17 players earmarked for either wide receiver or defensive back, and a ninth is a likely “blueshirt” scenario, meaning he’ll delay his enrollment until the first day of practice next August, and then immediately go on scholarship and count toward the class of 2021. That prospect is Wake Forest (N.C.) Heritage senior wide receiver Joshua Crabtree, a Rivals.com three-star prospect.

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NC State wide receiver signee Porter Rooks was the highest-ranked player the Wolfpack signed Wednesday. Rivals.com ranked the four-star prospect at No. 192 overall in the class of 2020.
NC State wide receiver signee Porter Rooks was the highest-ranked player the Wolfpack signed Wednesday. Rivals.com ranked the four-star prospect at No. 192 overall in the class of 2020. (Nick Lucero/Rivals.com)

“We were trying to get more team speed,” NCSU coach Dave Doeren said. “I felt that was an area, particularly offense with our receiver core, to get some more guys that can run, and we addressed that.

“These are guys that can really run, separate and create some explosive plays for us.”

Rivals.com ranks the class No. 47 overall in the country and No. 51 for average stars per player. Doeren thinks he’ll add another five players for the second signing period in February, or beyond that date. NCSU will be scouring high school prospects, junior colleges, graduate transfers or four-year transfers, with a likely eye for offensive and defensive linemen to complement the speed brought in at wide receiver and defensive back.

Doeren noted that you can never have enough good “big guys” on the football team.

“On the line of scrimmage, we’ll be looking on the O-Line and D-Line,” Doeren said. “Those are two spots we’ll continue to look, probably more than any.”

The headliner of the class is Charlotte (N.C.) Myers Park wide receiver Porter Rooks. The four-star performer is ranked No. 192 overall in the country. He caught 54 passes for 905 yards and 13 touchdowns for a talented 12-1 Myers Park squad. Rooks will be one of eight signees who plan to enroll early for spring practices.

“Porter was a national recruit and people didn’t stop recruiting Porter,” Doeren said. “Porter stayed loyal to us and that means a lot to us. He was one of the guys at the forefront.

“As a player, he’s consistent and a good route runner and he is a good ball catcher. He has good speed and is competitive.”

Wide receiver Chris Scott of Dacula (Ga.) High and wide receiver Anthony Smith of Huntingtown (Md.) High both possess legit track speed. Scott was sixth in the Georgia 6A state finals with a 10.79-second 100-meter dash and fifth in the 200 (21.83) last year. The 6-0, 160-pound Scott caught 31 passes for 832 yards and seven touchdowns for his 13-1 squad.

The 6-1, 185-pound Smith clocked 21.96 in the 200 to finish second in the Maryland 3A state championships last year, plus was third in the high jump. On Wednesday, his 55-meter dash time of 6.45 seconds was third-fastest in the country this year for indoor track. Smith caught 35 passes for 918 yards and 14 touchdowns in his first year playing wide receiver full-time. His team went 12-1, continuing the trend of landing players from successful prep programs.

Cheraw (S.C.) High wide receiver Jalen Coit, another early enrollee, brings another form of athleticism to the squad. He could be one of the top basketball players on the football team, since he was tracking as a low-major prospect in that sport after averaging 21.4 points per game in three varsity seasons. He caught 55 passes for 842 yards and 11 touchdowns for 8-5 Cheraw High.

A familiar last name was brought in to one day throw the football to the various wide receivers. Phoenix (Ariz.) Paradise Valley High quarterback Ben Finley is the younger brother of former NCSU star quarterback Ryan Finley, who is in the midst of his rookie season with the Cincinnati Bengals. The younger Finley completed 123-of-198 passes for 2,119 yards and 21 touchdowns his senior year. He threw for 8,272 career yards and 74 touchdowns, and also solidly handled extra points and field goals.

“Ben is his own guy,” Doeren said. “He’ll blaze his own trail. He chose to come to NC State for his reasons. While I was recruiting him, that is when I knew that if we played really well, [former offensive coordinator] Eli [Drinkwitz] could be a head coach. I told him he can’t come here because of Eli, or that he can’t come here because of Ryan. This needs to be your school.”

Drinkwitz did get a head coaching job, first at Appalachian State and now Missouri, but Finley stayed loyal to the Wolfpack.

In the secondary, NC State signed Jamestown (N.C.) Ragsdale High's Devan Boykin, Arden (N.C.) Christ School's Aydan White, Virginia Beach (Va.) Bishop Sullivan's Nehki Meredith and the last member to commit to the class in Riviera Beach (Fla.) The Benjamin School's Joshua Pierre-Louis.

The quartet will get situated at the three spots in the secondary — cornerback, the two safety spots and nickel. Doeren pointed out that Boykin in particular possesses great versatility.

NCSU was able to sign three offensive linemen, one in-state tight end in Ezemdi Udoh of Fayetteville (N.C.) Terry Sanford and local defensive lineman Davin Vann of Cary (N.C.) High. The latter's stock took off starting last spring.

“Davin is such a humble young man and quiet young man, but ultra competitive,” Doeren said. “It is a lot like when we had Nyheim [Hines] at Garner, you have an elite player in your area that is right down the street. He [Vann] grew up watching the team play and wants to be in that uniform.”

Most offensive linemen redshirt, but NC State has proven it will play the best five up front. Washington (D.C.) Gonzaga’s Patrick Matan, Lawrenceville (Ga.) Archer’s Ethan Lane and Snellville (Ga.) Brookwood’s Sean Hill hope to be the future of the offensive line.

“Three really good, tough, smart offensive lineman,” Doeren said. “They are high character guys.”

Rounding out the defensive members of the class were linebackers Devon Betty of Fort Lauderdale (Fla.) St. Thomas Aquinas and Jayland Parker of Macon (Ga.) Westside.

“We have two linebackers that can run and hit,” Doeren said. “Devon Betty’s team is playing in the national championship.”

NC State appeared fortified at kicker/punter, but added Ian Williams of Matthews (N.C.) Weddington High, to provide some depth. Sophomore kicker Christopher Dunn played injured during the Georgia Tech game this season, altering Doeren’s thinking on needing a backup kicker and punter. Williams will be able to use the four-game rule and still be able to redshirt if minor injuries popped up to Dunn or redshirt sophomore punter Trenton Gill.

NC State will also welcome USC linebacker transfer Levi Jones and Coastal Carolina defensive end transfer Jeffrey Gunter. Both sat out last season per transfer rules. Neither player is considered part of NC State’s class of 2020, but they’ll be newcomers ready to roll this spring.

“I’m very excited, and they are very athletic guys,” Doeren said. “They are hungry. It’s hard to practice every day and never get to play, when you are used to playing. It’s very hard.

“Jeffrey Gunter and Levi Jones are two guys that could have a huge impact on our football team. They are excited and I look forward to seeing them when they get back from the break.”

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