The Wolfpacker: An Independent Magazine Covering NC State Sports
Issue link: https://comanpub.uberflip.com/i/1502339
TRACKING THE PACK JULY/AUGUST 2023 ■ 11 recruit in Georgia, per the On3 Industry Ranking. Royal, who committed on June 23, has excelled on both sides of the ball at Gulf Shores School. He's viewed as a defensive back at the college level, but the 5-11, 175-pound athlete also finished with 1,147 yards rushing and 876 yards receiving as a junior for a team that went 11-2 in Alabama's 5A division. "Ronnie is a dynamic kid who's going to be a great asset to their program," Gulf Shores coach Mark Hudspeth said. "He brings a lot of intangibles to the team that the fans won't realize until he gets there." Royal is listed as the No. 409 overall prospect nationally, No. 18 athlete and No. 23 player in Alabama, per the On3 Industry Ranking. He had received offers from Boston College, South Carolina and Florida State, among others. One week before Royal's commitment, the Wolfpack received a pledge from Jones, a standout running back from nearby Rolesville High who had been mulling offers from Boston College, Co- lumbia and North Carolina Central. As a junior, the 5-10, 190-pound Jones rushed for 1,122 yards and 11 touchdowns on only 154 carries, averaging a robust 7.3 yards per attempt. He committed just one week after receiving a scholarship offer from the Wolfpack. "I feel like I can compete at a high level there," he said. "It's close to home, and me and my family love it." Jones became the second running back in the class, joining Duke Scott, a three- star prospect from Stockbridge, Ga., who committed in April. As was the case with Jones, Bond's re- cruitment went quickly. The staff had been looking for a defensive end and viewed the 6-4, 255-pound lineman from Washington High as a perfect fit. NC State was the first Power Five school to extend an offer, and he committed during his official visit. The Pack's first commitment of the month was from Williams. A 5-11, 210-pound linebacker, Williams came aboard June 9, choosing NC State over Harvard. During his junior season at Wake For- est High, he recorded 142 tackles, in- cluding 34.5 for loss, and 10 sacks. Williams is listed as the No. 40 player in North Carolina and the No. 149 line- backer nationally in the On3 Industry Ranking. As of June 26, NC State's class was 50th nationally in the On3 Industry Ranking and 12th in the ACC. ■ Ronnie Royal III has shined on offense and defense for Gulf Shores (Ala.) School. He's likely to play in the defensive backfield when he arrives at NC State as a member of the 2024 class. PHOTO COURTESY RONNIE ROYAL III VIA TWITTER