The Wolfpacker: An Independent Magazine Covering NC State Sports
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36 ■ THE WOLFPACKER Buford (Ga.) High is the definition of a state power. Since 2001, it has won 12 state titles, including the last two after winning the Class AAAAAA championship in 2020. Thus it raised curiosities when Aaron McLaughlin, a rising star quarterback, chose to leave Buford and instead attend a new high school in Alpharetta, Ga., called Denmark High. NC State head coach Dave Doeren was among those curious enough to actually ask McLaughlin. "He looked at it as an opportunity to go somewhere, and it wasn't about the name, it was about him helping build a program," Doeren recalled hearing. "That was impor- tant to him, and that stood out to me. You don't hear that a lot from kids his age." This past season, McLaughlin's coach at Denmark was a familiar name to Do- eren: Mike Palmieri. Prior to coaching at Denmark, Palmieri built a powerhouse at Mallard Creek High in Charlotte, N.C., win- ning three straight state titles from 2013-15. During that time, some of Palmieri's best players signed with NC State, most notably do-it-all All-American Jaylen Samuels, now with the Pittsburgh Steelers. Doeren and Palmieri have a friend- ship that predated the former's arrival at NC State and the latter's arrival in Charlotte. "He had great things to say about Aaron, and Aaron had great things to say about Mike," Doeren noted. "It just seemed like a great fit for our program." There is little denying the physical upside and potential of McLaughlin. Before the COVID-19 pandemic shut down the Nike Camps, McLaughlin showed off his impres- sive athleticism at one of them. Usually, a score of 100 or better for the accumulated Nike Rating after athletic test- ing results are tabulated is considered elite. McLaughlin scored a 119.19 after measur- ing 6-5, 219 pounds and laser-timing his 40-yard dash in 4.71 seconds. He also had a 4.33-second shuttle mark and 36.4-inch vertical leap. On the field in 2020, McLaughlin helped Denmark earn its first-ever berth in the state playoffs. In nine starts, he completed 107 of 184 passes (58.2 percent) for 1,505 yards with 21 touchdowns and seven intercep- tions, while also carrying the ball 131 times for 652 yards and six scores. Along the way, McLaughlin won over some believers, like Jeff Arnette, head coach of South Forsyth High in Cumming, Ga. Denmark defeated Arnette's squad, 36-22, during the regular season. "Tonight, we played an incredible quar- terback," Arnette told The Forsyth County News following the game. "We just couldn't tackle him. We just could not tackle him. We've just got to find a way to bounce back, but I'm not going to take anything away from that QB. He's the difference in this game, that's for sure. "I've been doing this 30 years, and he may be as good as I've seen. He's definitely one of the best, and I've played against a few guys that have been big time in college and even played a little bit of pro football. He's really good." That is what NC State offensive coordina- tor and quarterbacks coach Tim Beck likes to hear. "He's going to come in here and push the guys, which is good," Beck said. "You love competition. Everybody knows that every day when they come to work, come to the office, they got to put their best foot forward. "The cream is going to rise to the top, so I'm excited to see the competition and see the guys compete." — Matt Carter Signee Spotlight McLaughlin is rated as the No. 10 pocket-passer quarterback and No. 53 overall prospect in the land by ESPN. PHOTO COURTESY RIVALS.COM Aaron McLaughlin Is An Elite Quarterback, Athlete And Leader