Red Light Tracker: Meet NC State Football's Class of 2021

Every time the NC State Wolfpack acquires a new football commitment, the bell tower lights up red. Not literally, but metaphorically on social media.

In honor of the tradition head coach Dave Doeren brought to Raleigh, we've named our commitment tracker accordingly. Below is a list in chronological order (most recent first) of each of NC State's 2021 football commits. We will update this list each time the red light comes on:

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NC State Wolfpack football commitment analysis: Safety Chase Hattley

Chase Hattley said that he felt at home at NC State

Coach: New NC State commit Chase Hattley has great potential

NC State Wolfpack football commitment analysis: Safety Chase Hattley

2019 stats: 29 tackles (19 solo, 10 assisted), including two for loss, nine interceptions, one fumble recovery and one forced fumble. As a wide receiver, he also grabbed seven receptions for 161 yards and three touchdowns.

Bio: Reeves became the 11th in-state member of the 2021 Wolfpack class and the fourth member of the future seconfary to go along with fellow in-state commits three-star Mario Love Jr. and two-star Sean Brown of Hough High School in Cornelius (N.C.) as well as three-star Nate Evans from Virginia Beach (Va.)

The 6-foot-3, 206-pounder picked NC State out of his short list of three which included Oklahoma and South Carolina. He also held notable offers from Florida State, West Virginia and Appalachian State.

Hattley is ranked No. 34 overall among recruits from the state of North Carolina in the 2021 class.

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NC State Wolfpack football recruiting commitment analysis: Zyun Reeves

Q&A with Pack commit Zyun Reeves

Coach: NC State commit Zyun Reeves could be dominant

Social media reaction: Zyun Reeves commits to NC State

2019 stats: 88 total tackles (46 solo, 42 assisted), 13.5 tackles for loss, 7.5 sack for 41 yards loss, 18 QB hurries and two forced fumbles.

Bio: Reeves became the 10th in-state member of the 2021 Wolfpack class and the third defensive lineman to go along with fellow in-state commits three-star defensive end Travali Price and two-star Jayden Tate of Lincolnton, N.C.

The 6-foot-7, 240-pounder picked NC State over his top five including Florida State, Virginia, South Carolina and Michigan State.

Reeves saw his recruitment stock rise in early 2020 but the missed spring and summer evaluation period kept it in check. One analyst predicted Reeves would have accrued at least 40 offers in any other year without evaluation limitations.

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NC State lands top linebacker target Jordan Poole

Rivals.com commitment breakdown: N.C. State lands LB Jordan Poole

NC State football commitment analysis: Linebacker Jordan Poole

Social media reaction: Jordan Poole commits to NC State

2019 stats: On offense, ran 113 times for 1,534 yards and 21 touchdowns. On defense, had 36 tackles, including 4.5 for loss, a pick and a forced fumble.

Bio: The three-star linebacker from West Stanly High becomes a prized defensive pick up for the Wolfpack in the 2021 class. While NC State took an early lead with the home-state product, Poole was heavily pursued by both South Carolina and Virginia Tech.

He'll join Caden Fordham as the second linebacker commitment in the 2021 class.

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Coach: NC State commit Lyndon Cooper is dependable and versatile

NC State football commitment analysis: OL Lyndon Cooper

NC State coaches pushed the Wolfpack over the top for Lyndon Cooper

Social media reaction: Lyndon Cooper commits to NC State

Bio: The 6-foot-3, 315-pound offensive lineman from Carrollton High in Carrollton (Ga.) saw his recruitment pick up once the Wolfpack became his first Power Five offer in late May.

Shortly after, Syracuse offered the Georgia lineman in a recruiting competition that went down to the wire.

“Syracuse and NC State were really neck-and-neck, but it was just the coaches how much they showed how much they wanted me, the time they spent connecting with me, [and] the city of Raleigh itself,” Cooper stated. “I really felt like NC State was home for me, so that’s why I chose NC State.”

Ultimately, Cooper picked the Wolfpack over offers from Syracuse, Troy, Charlotte and Richmond. Although the lineman is listed as a guard, he will provide a flexible option on the Wolfpack line that could realistically fit into any of the positions.

“They are getting a very versatile football player because he has played multiple positions on the offensive line for us at Carrollton High School, and he’s done really well,” his high school head coach said. “He’s excelled at tackle, he’s excelled at guard, he practiced at center."

2019 stats: Seabrough caught 36 receptions last season for 703 yards and seven touchdowns. On the defensive end, he had 37 totals tackles (21 solo, 16 assisted) in 12 games.

Coach: NC State commits the Seabrough twins are similar in many ways

Three-star twin tight ends Cedric and Fredrick Seabrough pick NC State

NC State football commitment analysis: Seabrough twins

Social media reaction: Seabrough twins pick the Pack

Bio: Fredrick committed to NC State on the Fourth of July along with his twin brother, Cedric. The 6-foot-4 tight ends became the first of the Pack's class at the position and will provide two versatile athletes that played on both sides of the ball in high school.

The package-deal twins picked the Wolfpack over other offers from Maryland, Coastal Carolina, Liberty and Florida Atlantic.

2019 stats: Seabrough grabbed 58 receptions as a junior in 2019 for 800 yards and 13 touchdowns. On defense, he added 11 total tackles including eight solo and three assisted.

Three-star twin tight ends Cedric and Fredrick Seabrough pick NC State

NC State football commitment analysis: Seabrough twins

Social media reaction: Seabrough twins pick the Pack

Bio: Cedric, along with his twin brother Fredrick, committed to the Wolfpack on the Fourth of July. The twins became the first and second tight end commitments of NC State's 2021 class.

The 6-foot-4, 220-pounder picked the Pack over competing offers from Maryland, Coastal Carolina, Liberty and Florida Atlantic.

2019 stats: Sumo ran 65 times for 648 yards, averaging almost 10.0 yards per rush, and 11 touchdowns last season. He also caught 21 passes for 430 yards and eight scores. A two-way player for Willingboro High, Sumo recovered two fumbles and caught two interceptions, including one for a touchdown, as a safety. He also ran back one of his eight kickoff returns on the season.

Coach: NC State is getting a playmaker in Demie Sumo

NC State football commitment analysis: Running back Demie Sumo

Demie Sumo breaks down his commitment to NC State

Social media reaction: Demie Sumo commits to NC State

Bio: It's no secret that versatility is the core of Sumo's game. Currently a player that does a little bit of everything for his high school team, the 6-foot, 202-pounder from New Jersey was recruited by the Pack to play in the backfield with the ability to line up as a receiver.

His game tape reminds many Wolfpack fans of former NC State all-purpose back Jaylen Samuels, who now plays in the NFL for the Pittsburgh Steelers. He becomes the second running back to commit to the Pack in the 2021 class but is now the only running back after the decommitment of Caleb McDowell.

“The same way I play on offense in high school, that’s the same way [NC State] wants to use me — versatile,” Sumo said. “Start out in the backfield, then flex out to the receiver.”

2019 stats: 65 totals (36 solo, 29 assisted), four tackles for loss, three sacks and one interception.

Safety Sean Brown commits to NC State

NC State Wolfpack football commitment analysis: DB Sean Brown

Social media reaction: Sean Brown commits to NC State

Q&A with NC State safety commit Sean Brown

Bio: Listed at 6-foot-1, 190-pounds, Brown's commitment marked the Wolfpack's sixth defensive player in the 2021 class.

Brown also becomes the second player in the class from Hough High in Cornelius, N.C. to select NC State. Brown's high school teammate, Mario Love Jr., will join Brown in the secondary at Carter-Finley Stadium.

Brown selected NC State over offers from Louisville, Wake Forest, Michigan State, Missouri and Appalachian State.

2019 stats: 84 total tackles (30 solo, 54 assisted), 21 tackles for loss, 5.5 sacks and 27 QB hurries.

2018 stats: 118 total tackles (38 solo, 80 assisted), 23 tackles for loss, 15.5 sacks and three QB hurries.

Three-star Travali Price and Jayden Tate pick NC State

NC State football commitment analysis: Travali Price and Jayden Tate

Social media reaction: Travali Price and Jayden Tate commit to NC State

Coach: Travali Price embraces hard work

Bio: Price, listed at 6-foot-4, 260-pounds according to Rivals, announced his decision alongside brother and high school teammate Jayden Price via Twitter on Friday, June 19.

Formerly recruited by NC State defensive line coach Charley Wiles last year when he was still with Virginia Tech, Price had already established a rapport with Wiles after the coach made the move to Raleigh in early 2020.

Price picked NC State over dozens of Power Five offers including notable offers from Tennessee, South Carolina, Lousiville, Oklahoma, Penn State, Wisconsin, North Carolina, West Virginia and UCF.

2019 stats: 20 pancake blocks and one tackle in 14 games

Three-star Travali Price and Jayden Tate pick NC State

Q&A with Pack commit Jayden Tate

NC State football commitment analysis: Travali Price and Jayden Tate

Social media reaction: Travali Price and Jayden Tate commit to NC State

Bio: Tate has the ability to play long snapper, but was recruited by the Wolfpack to play defensive tackle.

The brother and high school teammate of three-star defensive end Travali Price, the North Lincoln duo announced their decisions together via Twitter on Friday, June 19.

Tate picked the Wolfpack over notable offers from Tennessee, South Carolina and Lousiville.

"I've been with him forever. We are at school together now so it will be business as usual," Tate said on playing with brother and high school teammate Travali Price.

"They showed me the most love. I love coach Coach Wiles and I get to play with my brother."

2019 stats: 93 tackles, including 11 for loss, six sacks, four interceptions, two forced fumbles and two fumble recoveries as a junior for Bolles School.

Three-star NC State commit Caden Fordham formed close ties with Tony Gibson

Coach: NC State commit Caden Fordham well suited for modern football

NC State football commitment analysis: LB Caden Fordhamn

Social media reaction: Caden Fordham commits to NC State

Bio: Fordham, listed as a three-star athlete at 6-foot-1, 180-pounds according to Rivals.com, was self-measured at 6-foot-2, 220-pounds as of June 2020.

Originally recruited by NC State defensive coordinator and linebackers coach Tony Gibson as a safety, Fordham's body development made the Wolfpack coaching staff decide to recruit him as an outside linebacker.

The swiss-army-knife athlete will likely play a fair amount of special teams as well.

Fordham was originally expected to pick the Wolfpack in early May, but late pushes from Louisville, West Virginia and Georgia Tech made him wait slightly longer to make a decision. Ultimately, the future linebacker knew he wanted to come to NC State since his first visit to a Wolfpack spring game according to him.

“Coach Doeren is a great, down-to-earth dude and he's always going to be real with you,” said Fordham. “That's what I really respect about him. I love the way he runs his program. I saw the way he coached and ran his program at the spring game, he's very competitive.”

2018 stats: Evans had 12 tackles and one interception during his sophomore season.

Nate Evans says Brian Mitchell led his commitment to NC State

Coach: New NC State commit Nate Evans has a passion for football

NC State football commitment analysis: CB Nate Evans

Social media reaction: Nate Evans commits to NC State

Bio: Rivals.com ranks Evans, 6-foot-1, 175 pounds, as the No. 56 corner in the country and the No. 19 prospect from the state of Virginia. He is the Wolfpack's eighth verbal commitment in the class and the second on defense, joining three-star corner Mario Love Jr. from Hough High in Cornelius, N.C.

Nate Evans from Virginia Beach (Va.) Cox High may have surprised many when he announced Thursday afternoon that he was flipping his commitment from Tennessee to NC State.

Evans told The Wolfpacker however that it had been building, and the relationships really date back to when Brian Mitchell, who had been recruiting Evans since he was a sophomore, made the move from Virginia Tech to NC State to be the Wolfpack’s cornerbacks coach.

“When he left there and came to NC State, he said he wanted me to be his guy,” Evans said.

2018 stats: Crowell caught 25 receptions for 511 receiving yards with seven touchdowns in 15 games and helped East Forsyth win the 2018 4A NCHSAA state championship. He also rushed for 206 yards on 21 carries, including two rushing touchdowns.

NC State football commitment analysis: WR Micah Crowell

Coach: NC State commit Micah Crowell is a dream come true

Social media reaction: Micah Crowell's NC State commitment

Bio: Crowell, a 6-foot-2, 205-pound wide receiver from East Forsyth High in Kernersville, N.C., became the Pack's highest-rated commit as the first four-star recruit in NC State's 2021 class. Crowell is ranked No. 146 overall in the Rivals250.

The Kernersville product missed his junior season with an ACL injury in his knee.

Throughout the course of his recruitment, Crowell accumulated a long offer list that also included Auburn, Duke, Florida, Florida State, Georgia, Georgia Tech, Illinois, Indiana, Louisville, Miami, Michigan, Michigan State, Nebraska, Oklahoma, Oregon, Penn State, South Carolina, Syracuse, Tennessee, Vanderbilt, Virginia, Virginia Tech, Wake Forest, West Virginia and Wisconsin, among others.

Thornton Gentry ready to play wherever needed for NC State

Social media reaction: NC State lands offensive lineman Thornton Gentry

NC State football commitment analysis: OL Thornton Gentry

Coach and father is proud of his son, Pack commit Thornton Gentry

Measuring in at 6-foot-5, 290 pounds, Gentry is the starting right tackle for the Chapin High School in Chapin, S.C. His father, Justin Gentry, is the head coach of the football team at Chapin High. He is considered one of the top-three offensive linemen to come out of the Palmetto State in 2021.

The two-star right tackle was recruited by several Power-five programs and picked NC State over other notable offers from Kansas State, Missouri, Virginia Tech, Syracuse, Appalachian State and East Carolina, among others.

“They see me as a guard or a tackle,” said Gentry. “I'm more comfortable at tackle, but I'll play anywhere they need me.”

Jaleel Davis felt NC State was home

NC State football commitment analysis: Offensive tackle Jaleel Davis

Coach: NC State commitment Jaleel Davis has the right attitude

Bio: Davis is ranked No. 54 nationally among offensive tackles and is the No. 22 prospect in North Carolina according to Rivals. He is ranked second-highest among offensive linemen in the state and became the Wolfpack’s top-ranked in-state commitment at the time of his decision.

Davis is high school teammates of fellow 2021 NC State commit and three-star receiver Jakolbe Baldwin.

After receiving other offers from South Carolina, Georgia Tech, Tennessee, Maryland, Kansas and East Carolina, Davis said the coaches at NC State went above and beyond to land him.

“The coaching staff played a big role,” said Davis of his decision to commit to NC State. “They were constantly on me, checking in on me. It just felt like home.”

2019 Passing Stats: 2,018 yards, 17 touchdowns and seven interceptions with a 61-percent completion accuracy in 10 games.

2019 Rushing Stats: 284 yards and nine touchdowns on 79 carries

NC State lands QB Aaron McLaughlin

NC State football commitment analysis: Quarterback Aaron McLaughlin

Social media reaction: NC State lands quarterback Aaron McLaughlin

Bio: McLaughlin is rated by Rivals as the No. 21 pro-style quarterback in the country and the No. 24 prospect in talent-rich Georgia.

At the Nike Elite 11 Regional, McLaughlin ran the 40-yard dash in 4.71 seconds and the shuttle in 4.33 seconds while registering a 36.4-inch vertical leap.

McLaughlin originally committed to Auburn in July of 2019, but the Wolfpack beat out the Tigers as well as Arkansas, Arizona, Baylor, Louisville and Miami after the quarterback's recruitment reopened in February.

"They have great history with quarterbacks," said McLaughlin. "They push players to be better men, not just football players. I know North Carolina State is the school — it is definitely the school for me."

2019 Stats: 23 tackles (17 solo) and an interception in 10 games. He also returned a fumble for 20 yards.

Mario Love Jr. commits to NC State

NC State football commitment analysis: Cornerback Mario Love Jr.

Mario Love expected to be a quality performer at NC State

Bio: Love is the No. 45-ranked recruit in the state of North Carolina's 2021 class.

Love, who was offered by NC State the summer following his freshman year of high school, picked the Wolfpack over earlier offers from, among others, Duke, Georgia Tech, Louisville, North Carolina, Penn State and Tennessee.

“They send people to the NFL every year and develop people that go there,” Love said. “I know people who went there and got better in one year or even in a few weeks. You can grow as a person.”

2019 Stats: 34 receptions for 687 yards (20.2 yards per catch) and eight touchdowns.

NC State football commitment analysis: WR Jakolbe Baldwin

Coach: NC State commit Jakolbe Baldwin is consistent

Bio: Baldwin is the No. 43 recruit in the state of North Carolina according to Rivals. He picked NC State over notable offers from Duke and Appalachian State, among others. Michigan State and Vanderbilt offered him after he announced for the Wolfpack.

At NC State's summer camp last year, Baldwin, who has a 6-foot-3 wingspan, was timed at an impressive 4.13 and 4.21 seconds in the shuttle. He also logged excellent leaps of 10-feet in the broad jump and 33.8-inch in the vertical.

“He’s ready for the moment at all times,” said Bryan Till, Baldwin's head coach at Richmond Senior High. “When we have to go to him, in the big games, he had big catches in every big game we had last year.”

2019 Stats: 57 receptions for 1,217 yards and nine touchdowns in 11 games

Julian Gray breaks down his decision to commit to NC State

Coach: New NC State commit Julian Gray brings a strong work ethic

NC State football commitment analysis: WR Julian Gray

Bio: Gray is the No. 28 prospect in the state of North Carolina, according to Rivals.

Gray also had offers from Duke, Georgia Tech, Rutgers, Virginia Tech and Wake Forest. He said that he was mainly considering Georgia Tech and Virginia Tech, in addition to NC State. South Carolina joined the offer list after he picked the Pack.

Last year, Gray was timed as fast as 10.84 seconds in the 100-meter dash and 21.92 seconds in the 200 during the track and field season. He was also clocked at 4.49 seconds in the 40-yard dash at a Nike regional combine.

The speedster grew up an NC State fan and was the first Wolfpack commitment in the 2021 class.

“It was just everything going right,” Gray explained. "NC State just had so many things that separated them from the other schools."

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