The Wolfpacker: An Independent Magazine Covering NC State Sports
Issue link: https://comanpub.uberflip.com/i/1087622
42 ■ THE WOLFPACKER 2019 FOOTBALL RECRUITING ISSUE Measurables: At the Nike Camp, checked in at 6-2, 185 pounds … Was laser-timed at 4.98 seconds in the 40-yard dash and 4.25 seconds in the shuttle … Had a 35.5-foot power ball throw and 31.5-inch vertical leap … Finished with an overall Nike Football Rating of 82.62. Stats: Completed 176 of 307 passes (57.3 percent) for 2,665 yards with 33 touchdowns and 14 picks in 14 games as a senior … Also rushed 56 times for 355 yards and 11 scores … During his junior season, he was 218-of-349 pass- ing (62.5 percent) for 3,627 yards with 42 scores and seven picks in 14 contests … Ran 45 times for 168 yards and eight touchdowns that season … As a sophomore, connected on 197 of 328 throws (60.1 percent) for 3,130 yards with 30 touchdowns and only five interceptions in 11 games. Honors/accomplishments: Selected as a finalist in the prestigious 2018 Nike Elite 11 camp in Dallas for the top 12 quarterbacks advancing out of the regionals … Led Palmer Ridge to back-to-back Class 3A state titles, includ- ing playing with a torn MCL during the playoffs in his senior season … Tabbed as the Colorado Gatorade Player of the Year in Colorado in 2017 … Picked by USA Today as the state's Offensive Player of the Year as a junior … Was named second-team All-State by USA Today in 2018 … Also picked for the 2017-18 Gazette Preps Male Peak Performer of the Year and Gazette Preps 3A-1A Football Peak Performer of the Year following the 2017 campaign … Third player in state history to amass 10,000 total yards. Recruitment: Originally committed to Arkansas in the summer before his junior season, but opened up his recruitment when Bret Bielema was fired as head coach … NC State offered at that point, but Evans decided to com- mit to home-state Colorado in January … After a coaching change at Colorado, officially visited NC State and then announced Dec. 10 that he had flipped his commitment to the Wolfpack and enrolled early. Recruiter of record: Former offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach Eli Drinkwitz Players picked for postseason all-star games, in- cluding long snapper Joe Shimko (All-American Bowl in San Antonio) and defensive end SAVION JACKSON (Under Armour All-American Game in Orlando). Jackson was also one of nine NC State player sslected for the Shrine Bowl of the Carolinas All-Star Game, which ended in a 10-10 tie. Also chosen for the Shrine Bowl were cornerback Shyheim Battle, defensive tackle C.J. Clark, defen - sive tackle Joshua Harris, running back Zonovan Knight, defensive back Khalid Martin, linebacker Jaylon Scott, linebacker Drake Thomas and tight end Kam Walker. Battle and Clark missed the game with injuries, and Scott and Martin could not play because of state title games. Knight won the Offensive MVP award for the North Carolina squad after rushing 24 times for 151 yards, including a 61-yard TD. 1 0 Measurables: At the Nike Camp in Charlotte, checked in at 6-3½, 288 pounds … Was laser-timed at 5.26 seconds in the 40-yard dash … Had a 25.6-inch vertical leap and 34.0-foot power ball throw. Stats: As a senior, he was credited with 32 pancake blocks … Also compiled 32 tackles, 3.5 sacks and a safety on defense. Honors/accomplishments: Earned first-team All- State accolades from the North Carolina Independent School Athletic Association (NCISAA) as a senior … Named first-team All-State by USA Today … Also picked first-team all-conference in 2018 … Rated by The Fay- etteville Observer and The Charlotte Observer at No. 26 and No. 15 in the state, respectively … His twin brother, Osita, has signed to play linebacker at Notre Dame … Also competed on Providence Day's track and wrestling teams … Finished second in the heavyweight class in the NCISAA state meet as a junior, and won it as a se - nior with a 30-second pin in the finals. Recruitment: Recruiting started slowly for both him and his twin brother before picking up in the spring … He collected Power Five offers from Georgia Tech, Maryland, North Carolina, Syracuse, Tennessee, Vanderbilt, Virginia and Wake Forest … Verbally com- mitted to the Wolfpack June 16. Recruiter of record: Former tight ends/fullbacks coach and special teams coordinator Eddie Faulkner 2019 PROJECTION It's unusual to see a true freshman make a mark on the offensive line, so odds favor Ekwonu getting a redshirt, but there is an opening for a newcomer to add depth to the interior. 2019 PROJECTION It's a wide-open competition for quarterback that Evans will step into, and he has the benefit of en- rolling early. However, odds probably favor Evans redshirting unless he proves to be an exceptionally quick study to the college game. IKEM EKWONU OFFENSIVE LINEMAN • 6-4, 298 Charlotte • Providence Day School Rankings Stars Nat. Pos. State ✪ ✪ ✪ — — 38 ✪ ✪ ✪ 477 33* 24 ✪ ✪ ✪ — 26* 27 * Ranked as an offensive guard TY EVANS QUARTERBACK • 6-2, 192 Colorado Springs, Colo. • Palmer Ridge High School Rankings Stars Nat. Pos. State ✪ ✪ ✪ — 23* 1 ✪ ✪ ✪ 464 11* 3 ✪ ✪ ✪ — 21* 2 * Ranked as a pocket passer/pro-style quarterback Scouting report: Physically gifted offensive line prospect with a long wing span and good athleticism for the position … Plays with a high motor … Could pass for a high- major defensive tackle prospect, too. Scouting report: Has a strong arm and good mobility … Seems to possess that "it" factor with his toughness and ability to lead teams to state titles … Will have to get bigger and stronger to withstand the hits in the ACC. " Quotable As a player, he hasn't reached his potential. For us, he plays both ways. He had been of- fered by some schools as a defensive line- man and some as an offensive lineman. That speaks to his ability and his ceiling. — Providence Day head coach Adam Hastings " Quotable Ty has earned the opportunity to play at [a] premier school. He's worked his tail off. — Palmer Ridge head coach Tom Pulford (TheTribune.com) PHOTO COURTESY RIVALS.COM