The Wolfpacker: An Independent Magazine Covering NC State Sports
Issue link: https://comanpub.uberflip.com/i/266935
MARCH 2014 ■ 51 FOOTBALL RECRUITING ISSUE MIKE STEVENS ■ CB Charlotte (N.C.) Davidson Day 6-0 • 185 pounds Stats: As a senior, caught 66 passes for 1,334 yards (20.2 yards per reception) and 18 touchdowns on of- fense, and made 39 tackles, including three for loss, three interceptions and a fumble recovery on defense … As a junior, recorded 71 tackles, including one for loss, five interceptions and a fumble recovery on defense … Added 22 receptions for 314 yards and six scores … As a sophomore, made 27 catches for 450 yards and seven touchdowns. Ratings: Ranked as a two-star prospect by Rivals. com … Rated as a two-star prospect and the No. 50 player in the state by Scout.com … Listed as a three- star prospect, the No. 47 player in the state and the No. 124 cornerback in the country by 247Sports … Tabbed a three-star prospect, the No. 58 player in the state and the No. 172 athlete in the country by ESPN … Evaluated as the No. 47 player in the state by Athlete Vault … Rated as the No. 40 player in the state by the Fayetteville Observer. Honors/accomplishments: Helped team win three straight independent school state titles … Also runs track, finishing third in the 100-meter dash at the small independent schools state track meet last year. Recruitment: Originally committed to Kansas State over offers from Kentucky and East Carolina last sum - mer … NC State offered him a scholarship on Jan. 6 … Stevens immediately decommitted from Kansas State after receiving the NCSU offer and pledged to the Wolfpack. Recruiter of record: Tight ends/fullbacks coach and special teams coordinator Eddie Faulkner. Quotable: "I actually timed him in sub-3.9 [seconds for the shuttle] last year. He has just incredible quick- ness, incredible size for a corner, almost prototypical with that quickness." — Davidson Day head coach Chad Grier. Dave Doeren on Stevens: "He was one of our later commits. We had him in camp and liked him a lot, but we didn't think we were going to take some corners, we thought we were going to be a little heavier at safety. As the year went on, we felt we needed to get a few more coverage players." Scouting report: Reputed to have very good quick - ness … Showed good ball skills and playmaking abilities at receiver as a senior … Good size for a corner. 2014 projection: NC State has room for a corner (or two) to play next fall, so Stevens will have an oppor- tunity to get on the field. JAYLEN SAMUELS ■ ATH Charlotte (N.C.) Mallard Creek High • 6-0 • 225 pounds Stats: As a senior, ran 108 times for 1,406 yards (13.02 yards per carry) and 39 touchdowns, and made 49 receptions for 932 yards (19.02 yards per reception) and 16 scores … As a junior, caught 45 passes for 1,021 yards (22.7 yards per reception) and 12 touchdowns. Ratings: Ranked as a three-star prospect, the No. 20 player in the state and the No. 2 fullback in the country by Rivals.com … Rated as a three-star prospect, the No. 28 player in the state and the No. 7 fullback in the country by Scout.com … Listed as a two- star prospect, the No. 72 player in the state and the No. 18 fullback in the country by 247Sports … Tabbed a three-star prospect, the No. 40 player in the state and the No. 97 athlete in the country by ESPN … Evaluated as the No. 49 player in the state by Athlete Vault. Honors/accomplishments: Was a two-time first-team All-State selection as a tight end by the As - sociated Press … Also selected first-team All-State in 2013 by NCPreps.com (as a tight end) and Caro- linaGridiron.com (as an athlete) … Named to the USA Today All-USA North Carolina team in 2013 as a running back … Selected as NCPreps.com Mr. 4A Football for the 2013 season … Honored as conference offensive player of the year as a senior … Placed on the Charlotte Observer All-Mecklenburg County squad in 2013 … Set a single-season county record for most touchdowns in 2013, and his rushing scores and receiving touchdowns were fourth- and 10th-most in a year in Mecklenburg County history … Won 4-AA state title game MVP after rushing nine times for 99 yards and three touchdowns, and catching five passes for 114 yards and two more scores, helping Mallard Creek finish off a 16-0 season with a No. 9 national ranking from USA Today … Also runs track. Recruitment: Biggest offers before arriving at NCSU's summer camp in June were from Ball State, Bucknell, Charlotte, Elon, Gardner-Webb and Georgia State … Impressed Wolfpack coaches by running in the 4.5s in the 40-yard dash and shining in one-on-one drills … Committed to NCSU on June 22 … Rejected overtures from UNC during his big senior season. Recruiter of record: Tight ends/fullbacks coach and special teams coordinator Eddie Faulkner. Quotable: "I can't say enough about the guy. He's one of the best football players in the state. He's a guy who can line up at tight end, at running back, at quarterback, at wide receiver, and he takes pride in doing all of them well." — Head coach Bobby Collins of rival Cornelius (N.C.) Hough High to the Charlotte Observer. Dave Doeren on Samuels: "To have a guy that is 225-230 pounds that can run the rock and catch it and block for you is a tremendous asset and something that we're looking forward to having here." Scouting report: The best way to describe Samuels is he does it all on offense … Has good speed, power and hands, making him a mismatch depending on the defensive personnel on the field. 2014 projection: Samuels' ability to line up wide at receiver, in the slot, at H-back, at fullback or at tailback will make it hard to keep him off the field this fall. He is a good bet to play as a true freshman. ERIC SHUTE ■ OL Glen Ellyn (Ill.) Glenbard West High • 6-5 • 290 pounds Ratings: Ranked as a three-star prospect and the No. 35 player in the state by Rivals.com … Rated as a three-star prospect, the No. 26 player in the state, the No. 96 recruit in the Midwest region and the No. 43 offensive guard in the country by Scout.com … Listed as a three-star prospect, the No. 19 player in the state and the No. 30 offensive guard in the country by247Sports … Tabbed a three-star prospect, the No. 42 player in the state and the No. 80 offensive guard in the country by ESPN … Evaluated as the No. 12 player in the state by National Underclassmen. Honors/accomplishments: Picked first-team All-State for all classifications by the Chicago Tribune … Named first-team All-State for Class 5A-8A by Edgytim.com in 2013 … Selected to the USA Today All- USA Illinois team as a senior. Recruitment: Visited NC State for junior day in February and landed an offer while in Raleigh … Arkansas, Cincinnati, Illinois, Kentucky, Nebraska, Purdue, Syracuse and Virginia Tech, among others, would eventually offer Shute … Committed to NC State on June 8 over fellow finalist Syracuse. Recruiter of record: Offensive line coach Mike Uremovich. Quotable: "I just had a great comfort level with everyone at NC State. From the coaches and the players I just felt very at home on my last visit. NC State offers a great mix of education and football. The program has everything you want from facilities to everything they offer." — Shute to Edgytim.com. Dave Doeren on Shute: "He's another offensive tackle, a right tackle. He's a big kid. He has a lot of development that he can still do." Scouting report: Very mobile and quick for an offensive lineman … Does a good job of driving and finishing blocks when he gets his hands on a defender … Had a good frame that should support filling out … Probably best suited to play guard. 2014 projection: Most offensive linemen redshirt, and Shute has some room to grow and get stronger, so it's probable he will fall into that category. 44-53.Recruiting Bios.indd 51 2/25/14 2:58 PM