The Wolfpacker

Sept./Oct. 2021

The Wolfpacker: An Independent Magazine Covering NC State Sports

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10 ■ THE WOLFPACKER BY MATT CARTER N C State's 2022 recruiting class added a pair of prospects from South Carolina to reach 11 overall commit- ments. Three-star running back Bennett Galloway from Chapin High committed on July 2, less than a month after earning an offer from NC State during its summer camp. In Raleigh, Galloway measured in a shade under 5-foot- 10.5 and at 190 pounds. Both of his 40-yard dash times were fast: 4.45 and 4.5 seconds. Both his shuttle times were off the charts: 3.97 and 3.96 seconds. Anything under 4.0 seconds is considered exceptional. He twice did standing broad jumps of 9 feet, 10 inches, where anything approaching or bettering 10 feet is considered really good. His two vertical leaps were 33.6 and 32.4 inches, both of which were solid numbers. "At first, I wasn't even planning on go- ing to the camp," Galloway said. "I wasn't signed up for it. A week before, my high school coach texted me and told me that they're really interested in me, and they re- ally wanted me to come up. I went up, I did the camp and they seemed to like me. "Right after that, they took me on a tour, then they took me to Coach [Dave] Do- eren's office and I pulled the trigger there." Galloway was high school teammates with 2021 NC State offensive line com- mit Thornton Gentry at Chapin High, where he played for Gentry's dad, head coach Jus- tin Gentry. In eight games as a junior, Galloway ran 151 times for 867 yards and 14 touchdowns, caught 22 passes for 213 yards, and returned 18 kickoffs for an average of 34.0 yards and one score. He also ran three punts back for a total of 87 yards (29.0 yards per return). Galloway comes from a family of college athletes. His grandfather played football at South Carolina, and his father played base- ball for the Gamecocks. Also committing from the Palmetto State was three-star defensive tackle Davin Jack- son from Sumter High. Jackson picked the Wolfpack over offers from South Carolina, Syracuse and Appalachian State, among others. "It just feels like home," he said. "It's amazing. Coach [Charley] Wiles is a great coach, and he really develops his players, which is a big factor." Jackson made his decision public three days after having surgery to repair a torn ACL, an injury that will cost him his senior season of high school football. He hopes to enroll early at NC State. Jackson had 56 tackles, including 26.0 for loss and 4.5 sacks, as a junior in 10 games. He also broke up three passes and had four quarterback hurries. In addition to his football accomplish- ments, he is a standout wrestler, finishing second as a heavyweight this year after being the runner-up at 220 pounds a year prior. Rivals.com ranks Jackson as the No. 15 prospect in South Carolina for the 2022 class, while Galloway is No. 25. ■ T R A C K I N G THE PACK Two More Commit To NC State Football's 2022 Class New running back pledge Bennett Galloway posted excellent testing results at NC State's summer camp to earn his offer, clocking a 4.45-second 40-yard dash and 3.96-second shuttle. PHOTO COURTESY BENNETT GALLOWAY Class Of 2023 Quarterback With Familiar Name Picks NC State There will be a third Thomas brother playing at NC State. The first was redshirt junior receiver/punt returner Thayer Thomas, who started out as a walk-on and is now a star player. Then sophomore linebacker Drake Thomas turned down Clemson to play at NC State. Next is class of 2023 quarterback Lex Thomas, who plays at Heritage High in Wake Forest, N.C., just as his older brothers did. He announced July 24 he was committing to NC State after earning an offer from the Wolfpack during a summer camp in June. "Even if I were to get other offers, I think this is the spot for me," Thomas said. "I might as well go ahead and commit now." Many may assume that Thomas is simply joining his brothers in college, but Thomas insists it's more than that. "I just wanted to do what was best for me, and it just happened to be where my brothers go to school," he said. In his varsity debut for Heritage on Aug. 20, the 5-11, 175-pound Thomas completed 11 of 13 passes for 168 yards and a pair of touchdowns.

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