The Wolfpacker

March 2013 - Signing Day Edition

The Wolfpacker: An Independent Magazine Covering NC State Sports

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2013 football recruiting issue he could fit into their system,��� Farrell said. ���Their system will allow guys to do some things in space. That will require good footwork and the ability to make people miss. He has good size, and he���ll end up at 215 when it���s all said and done.��� Dayes will get the chance to play right away in light of the Wolfpack having only rising sophomore Shadrach Thornton and redshirt junior Tony Creecy returning at running back. Fellow running back signees Dakwa Nichols of Rockingham (N.C.) Richmond County and Joshua Mercer of Guyton (Ga.) South Effingham will also be in the mix. ���Dayes has good, quick feet, which is what they like the most,��� said Farrell, who ranked him the No. 27 overall running back in the country and the No. 57 player in Florida. ���They are looking at him as the franchise, marquee running back the next three, four years.��� NC State landed six potential wide receivers, five defensive backs and three linebackers. They should also fortify the return game on special teams. Quarterback Bryant Shirreffs of Jefferson (Ga.) High joined Brissett in building up depth at the position, and Shirreffs will compete for the No. 3 spot next fall. While the majority of the class could end up redshirting, junior college offensive lineman Ali Kassem of ASA College in Brooklyn, N.Y., could help immediately at one of the guard spots. The massive Cincinnati native and former Western Michigan player checks in at 6-7 and well over 350 pounds (possibly over 380). NC State lost guards Andrew Wallace and Zach Allen, center Camden Wentz and tackle/guard R.J. Mattes to graduation. Kassem and three prep linemen were signed to re-fortify the trenches. ���Kassem is the kind of kid that will be able to step in early,��� Farrell said. ���He could play right tackle or also at guard. He���s just a monster and a mauler. He���s not exactly the most nimble guy on film, but that���s not what they recruited him for. They wanted him to smack people in front of him.��� The 6-3, 295-pound Blankenship and Kassem are joined on the offensive line by 6-5, 290-pound Tylar Reagan of Jacksonville (Fla.) Bartram Trail High and 6-7, 310-pound Patrick Roane of Hope Mills (N.C.) Gray���s Creek High.�� The incoming linebackers and wide receivers also have a chance to play next fall. Linebackers Jerod Fernandez of Lake Mary (Fla.) High, Quinton Patterson of Shelby (N.C.) Crest and Artemis Robinson of Laurinburg (N.C.) Scotland County, who is the younger brother of former NC State outside linebacker Terrell Manning of the Green Bay Packers, will have every opportunity to play early. NC State lost outside linebackers Rickey Dowdy and Michael Peek this offseason, while starting middle linebacker Sterling Lucas graduated. The wide receiver additions of 6-6, 215-pound Pharoah McKever of Tabor City (N.C.) South Columbus; 6-3, 190-pound Jumichael Ramos of Hampton (Ga.) Lovejoy; 6-3, 201-pound Marquez Valdes of St. Petersburg (Fla.) Lakewood; and 6-3, 200-pound Johnathan Alston of Bunn (N.C.) High provide some great size at the position. The 5-11, 175-pound Cherry and 5-11, 178-pound Copeland will both work out of the slot in the future. McKever, a quarterback at South Columbus, has the versatility to play multiple positions on offense or defense, but will start off at wide receiver. cally ready to play right now. Valdes will get away with things based on his athleticism, but has a lot to learn.��� The defensive backfield will be solidified with three new cornerbacks and two safeties, though some of the players have the flexibility of playing either position. Vero Beach (Fla.) High cornerbacks Sean Paul and Dravious Wright and Charlotte Independence cornerback/safety Jack Tocho were badly needed additions in the secondary, especially with star David Amerson entering the NFL Draft a year early. Safeties Malcolm Means of Lewisville (S.C.) High and Joshua Jones of Walled Lake (Mich.) Western were both added in mid- to late-January, and could make a challenge to be part of the Wolfpack twodeep in the fall. Detroit Cass Technical���s Kenton Gibbs 2013 NC State Football Signing Class Name Johnathan Alston Cole Blankenship* Bra���Lon Cherry* Matt Dayes Jerod Fernandez Kenton Gibbs Josh Jones Ali Kassem Pharoah McKever Malcolm Means Josh Mercer Monty Nelson Dakwa Nichols Quinton Patterson Sean Paul Jumichael Ramos Tylar Reagan Patrick Roane Artemis Robinson Bryant Shirreffs Jack Tocho Marquez Valdes Dravious Wright Pos. WR OL WR RB LB DT S OL WR S RB DT RB LB CB WR OL OL LB QB CB WR CB Ht. 6-3 6-3 5-11 5-9 6-1 6-2 6-2 6-7 6-6 6-2 5-11 6-2 5-10 6-0 6-0 6-3 6-5 6-7 6-1 6-3 6-1 6-3 5-10 Wt. 200 295 175 190 215 290 205 350 215 190 190 310 182 225 180 190 290 310 205 218 190 201 185 Hometown Bunn, N.C. Mocksville, N.C. New Bern, N.C. Weston, Fla. Lake Mary, Fla. Detroit Walled Lake, Mich. Cincinnati Tabor City, N.C. Richburg, S.C. Guyton, Ga. Plantation, Fla. Rockingham, N.C. Shelby, N.C. Vero Beach, Fla. Lovejoy, Ga. Jacksonville, Fla. Hope Mills, N.C. Laurinburg, N.C. Jefferson, Ga. Charlotte St. Petersburg, Fla. Vero Beach, Fla. High School/Last School Bunn HS Davie County HS New Bern HS Cypress Bay HS Lake Mary HS Cass Technical HS Walled Lake Western HS Moeller HS/ASA South Columbus HS Lewisville HS South Effingham HS Plantation HS Richmond Senior HS Crest HS Vero Beach HS Lovejoy HS Bartram Trail HS Gray���s Creek HS Scotland County HS Jefferson HS Independence HS Lakewood HS Vero Beach HS *Enrolled at NC State for the 2013 spring semester; transfer QB Jacoby Brissett is also enrolled for the 2013 spring semester. Valdes, Ramos and Alston were all signed down the stretch, with Alston picking NC State over North Carolina and Ramos decommitting from Georgia Tech. Farrell thought Valdes and Ramos offered complementing styles, and early playing time is possible for some of the members of the group. ���Valdes is a guy who has a lot of potential, but is raw and runs well and can jump out of the building,��� Farrell said. ���He can stretch the field and be their long threat. ���Ramos is similar but different in that he���s a much more physical kid. I think he���ll be a good downfield blocker and be more of a possession guy. He is much more physi- and Plantation (Fla.) High���s Monty Nelson strengthen the depth at defensive tackle. Both are 6-2 ��� Nelson is 20 pounds heavier at 310 ��� and are the only two defensive linemen signed. Farrell knows Doeren and his new staff have already started in earnest in recruiting the in-state juniors. He said North Carolina has become a battleground state for numerous SEC and ACC colleges, plus Michigan, Ohio State and Notre Dame. ���They need to get the in-state guys,��� Farrell said. ���It���s clear to everybody that the state of North Carolina is open for the taking. NC State and North Carolina need to keep more of those top-10 guys in-state.��� ��� March 2013��� ������ 27 26-27.Recruiting Lead.indd 27 2/26/13 1:04 PM

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