The Wolfpacker: An Independent Magazine Covering NC State Sports
Issue link: https://comanpub.uberflip.com/i/1087622
MARCH 2019 ■ 47 2019 FOOTBALL RECRUITING ISSUE Players have enrolled for the spring at NC State, including transfers Bailey Hockman (quarterback formerly at Florida State) and Levi Jones (former USC linebacker). The high school players that graduated early were: Cornerback Shyheim Battle from Rocky Mount (N.C.) High Defensive tackle C.J. Clark from New London (N.C.) North Stanly High Defensive end Terrell Dawkins from Concord (N.C.) Cox Mill High Quarterback Ty Evans from Colorado Springs (Colo.) Palmer Ridge High Defensive back Jalen Frazier from Cornelius (N.C.) Hough High Defensive tackle Joshua Harris from Roxboro (N.C.) Person High Defensive end Savion Jackson from Clayton (N.C.) High Running back Zonovan Knight from Bailey (N.C.) Southern Nash High Receiver Keyon Lesane from Matthews (N.C.) Butler High Offensive lineman Zovon Lindsay from Fayetteville (N.C.) Trinity Christian Defensive back KHALID MARTIN from Tobaccoville (N.C.) East Forsyth High Offensive lineman Timothy McKay from Raleigh Wakefield Linebacker Jaylon Scott from Shelby (N.C.) High Linebacker Drake Thomas from Wake Forest (N.C.) Heritage High Receiver Chris Toudle from Wilmington (N.C.) Hoggard High Stats: As a senior, he had 60 tackles (33 solo), 10.5 stops for loss, 5.5 sacks, one pass broken up, one fum- ble recovery and four blocked kicks (three field goals and one punt) in nine games … Compiled 56 stops (37 solo), 20 tackles for loss, eight sacks, one fumble re- covery, one forced fumble and one blocked punt in 14 games during his junior campaign … As a sophomore, he recorded 51 tackles (18 solo), 19.5 tackles for loss, seven sacks and one forced fumble in 11 games. Honors/accomplishments: Participated in the Under Armour All-American Game Jan. 3 in Orlando, Fla. … Selected to play in the Shrine Bowl of the Caroli- nas All-Star Game, started the contest and contributed four tackles and one fumble recovery (he also had a sack taken away by a penalty) … Named first-team all- state by both the Associated Press and USA Today as a senior … Rated in the state's top five by both The Fay- etteville Observer (No. 3) and The Charlotte Observer (No. 2). Recruitment: Quickly established himself as a na- tional recruit with offers from Alabama, Florida, Ohio State, Oklahoma, Penn State and Tennessee, among numerous others … Narrowed his list to a final five of Clemson, NC State, North Carolina, South Carolina and Virginia Tech … Verbally committed to the Wolfpack June 13 over South Carolina and enrolled early. Recruiter of record: Running backs coach and co- offensive coordinator Des Kitchings Stats: Played eight games for USC in 2018, and posted 13 tackles (10 solo), three tackles for loss and three passes broken up … As a freshman with the Trojans, he saw ac- tion in 14 games and had 15 tackles (nine solo) with one quarterback hurry … Compiled 103 tackles, 12 stops for loss, four sacks, four passes broken up and two forced fumbles as a prep senior in 2016. Honors/accomplishments: 247Sports ranked him as the No. 15 available transfer in 2019 … According to Pro Football Focus (PFF), he was USC's third-highest rated de- fensive player before leaving the team in 2018, registering an 85.2 grade in 138 total snaps … Was named second- team All-American by MaxPreps.com and first-team All- State by USA Today as a prep senior … Played in the Under Armour All-American Game and had five tackles and a sack, and afterward he was named one of the top 12 performers in the game by Rivals.com … His father, Robert Jones, was a former All-American linebacker at ECU and 10-year NFL veteran that was drafted in the first round by the Dallas Cowboys and was named the NFC Rookie of the Year in 1992 … His older brothers Cayleb (Texas and Ari - zona) and Zay (ECU) were wide receivers who both made the NFL, while his uncle is former East Carolina and NFL quarterback Jeff Blake. Recruitment: Quietly verbally committed to NC State Dec. 16 after reportedly being dismissed from the USC program during the 2018 campaign, and will have three years to play two … Chose USC over Florida and Florida State coming out of high school. 2019 PROJECTION Jackson's size and talent, plus the fact that he en- rolled early, enhances the probability that he will play as a true freshman. NC State likes to play four to five defensive ends, so there is room for Jackson to get into that rotation. 2019 PROJECTION Will have to sit out the upcoming season as a transfer — unless granted a waiver — and then be eligible in 2020. SAVION JACKSON DEFENSIVE END • 6-3, 260 Clayton, N.C. • Clayton High School Rankings Stars Nat. Pos. State ✪ ✪ ✪ — 30* 15 ✪ ✪ ✪ ✪ 172 14* 5 ✪ ✪ ✪ ✪ 50 7 2 * Ranked as a strongside defensive end LEVI JONES LINEBACKER • 6-3, 220 Austin, Texas • Westlake High School/USC Rankings (Class of 2017) Stars Nat. Pos. State ✪ ✪ ✪ ✪ 79 9* 10 ✪ ✪ ✪ ✪ 120 6* 17 ✪ ✪ ✪ ✪ 65 4* 13 * Ranked as an outside linebacker Scouting report: Active, high-motor defensive end … Possesses a good combination of strength and athleticism … Has the potential to be equally adept against the run and pass. Scouting report: Lanky linebacker that still has more room to grow … According to reports, he did well when given reps at USC … PFF graded him much better against the run than the pass. " Quotable He's an explosive athlete. He's flexible, he can redirect. Weight room-wise he cleans over 300 pounds. He's up to [6-3], 260 pounds, and he's actually gotten faster. I think that the sky is the limit for him." — Clayton head coach Hunter Jenks " Quotable Jones has always been best used as a rangy, sideline-to-sideline linebacker who can bottle up runners with his long wingspan. He's a slippery pass rusher as well, and his stock took a major uptick after showcasing those skills throughout the week against top competition at the Under Armour All-America Game. — Former Rivals.com analyst Nick Krueger in 2017 17 Class Average Height: 6-0 3 ⁄5 Weight: 225.42