The Wolfpacker: An Independent Magazine Covering NC State Sports
Issue link: https://comanpub.uberflip.com/i/266935
40 ■ THE WOLFPACKER FOOTBALL RECRUITING ISSUE BY MATT CARTER H ere are The Wolfpacker's annual su- perlatives from the 2014 recruiting class. Biggest Get: Four-star defensive end Kentavius Street of Greenville (N.C.) Rose High was rated by Rivals.com as the No. 43 player in the 2014 class regardless of position. He decided to commit to NC State in December, forgoing taking official visits to LSU and Miami lined up for January. Biggest Steal: When athlete Jaylen Samu- els of Charlotte Mallard Creek committed to NCSU in June, his biggest offer may have been Ball State from the Mid-American Con- ference. All Samuels did as a senior was pile up 2,338 total yards on 157 touches and score 58 times. He was elevated to the No. 2 ranked fullback nationally by Rivals.com. Most Underrated: Offensive lineman Eric Shute of Glen Ellyn (Ill.) Glenbard West High had an impressive offer list despite not being ranked nationally at his position. Ar- kansas, Illinois, Kentucky, Nebraska, Purdue, Syracuse and Virginia Tech from the BCS ranks were in pursuit when he picked NCSU. Potential Surprise Instant Impact: Tight end Cole Cook of Carrollton (Ga.) High knows how to block after playing in a Wing- T offense at the prep level. He has the size (6-5, 235 pounds) and athleticism (reported 4.7-second 40-yard dash time) to play early. Future Pro: Quarterback Jalan McClendon of Charlotte West Mecklenburg has the physi- cal tools that scouts crave. He has the proto- type size at 6-5, and a cannon arm capable of heaving passes 70 yards downfield. Biggest Sleeper: Defensive tackle De- shaywn Middleton of Winston-Salem (N.C.) Parkland High faded a bit from the spotlight after getting hurt during his senior season, but the 6-2, 295-pounder has natural athleticism that should blossom once he enters State's strength and conditioning program. Biggest Upside: Germaine Pratt of High Point (N.C.) Central is an athlete and a play- maker. Once he settles on a position, line- backer or safety, and masters the fundamen- tals, he could become an impact player. Most Intriguing: Defensive tackle B.J. Hill of West Stanly High in Oakboro, N.C., is an athlete who excelled in basketball and participated in track in addition to lining up at numerous positions in football during high school. Like Middleton, he should flourish in a strength and conditioning program and develop into a pass-rushing threat. Best Playmaker: It's hard not to give this award to Samuels, but receiver Maurice Trowell of Durham (N.C.) Southern High is a playmaker in his own right. He caught 93 passes for 1,760 yards and 19 touchdowns last year and returned a kick for a score. Late Bloomer: When receiver Stephen Louis of West Palm Beach (Fla.) Palm Beach Gardens entered his senior season, he was a two-star commitment to Western Michigan. After an impressive display on the field in 2014, Rivals.com bumped Louis up a star, and he picked up offers from Arkansas, Au- burn, Minnesota, Penn State, West Virginia and Central Florida before picking the Pack. Late Find: Cornerback Elliott Davis of North Potomac (Md.) Quince Orchard High admitted he struggled at NCSU's summer camp in June. But the Pack did not forget about him, and after Davis excelled as a se- nior with an all-state selection at defensive back, NCSU offered him a scholarship. Hardest Hitter: Linebacker Coult Culler of Wilmington (N.C.) Laney and safety Shawn Boone of West Palm Beach (Fla.) Dwyer High share this award. Both have what for- mer coach Chuck Amato described as "reck- less disregard for their body." Fastest Recruit: It's close between Trowell and Charlotte Christian receiver Bo Hines, but Hines' track times, including a 3-A in- dependent school state title-winning 22.07 seconds in the 200-meter dash, are a tad bet- ter than Trowell. Biggest Recruit: Head coach Dave Doeren joked that freshman offensive lineman Ter- ronne Prescod of Decatur (Ga.) Columbia High "is a biscuit away from 360 pounds." Most Outgoing: Doeren noted that defen- sive end Deonte Holden of Hyattsville (Md.) DeMatha Catholic has a presence about him. "He's just one of those guys that walks in and you just start smiling," Doeren said. "He has really good energy." Most Soft-Spoken: Running back Marce- lias Sutton of Warsaw (N.C.) James Kenan High joked during his state 1-A champion- ship-winning press conference that he was not used to cameras. Indeed, Sutton prefers to let his play do his talking. Future Offensive Captain: Wideout Bo Hines was the first commit and took a leader- ship role in the class. He shares the award with tight end Cole Cook, whom Doeren noted "had tremendous leadership ability." Future Defensive Captain: Doeren praised the leadership of three defensive recruits dur- ing his National Signing Day press confer- ence: linebacker Coult Culler, and defensive linemen B.J. Hill and Deshaywn Middleton. Most Familiar With NC State: Safety Kalen McCain of Durham (N.C.) Hillside was one of State's most frequent visitors for games this fall, with his proximity to the school giv- ing him opportunities for frequent trips. To top it off, McCain enrolled early. Most Likely To Succeed Outside Sports: Center Tony Adams of Charlotte Indepen- dence seems to do well at whatever he puts his mind to, including being the best tennis player at his high school. Adams is also a 4.0 student in the classroom and enrolled early. Most Inspirational: Linebacker Ty Linton is a walk-on, but has the credentials of a signed recruit. What's unique is he played profes- sional baseball for three years and is now giv- ing college football a try at the age of 22. ■ Odds And Ends States represented: North Carolina (16), Georgia (6), Maryland (4), Florida (2), Illinois (1) and Michigan (1). Longest drive from home: According to Mapquest.com, offensive lineman Eric Shute's drive from the Chicago suburb of Glen Ellyn is 830.77 miles. Shortest drive from home: Durham natives Maurice Trowell, a wide receiver, and Kalen McCain, a defensive back, have about a 20-mile drive. Tallest: Offensive lineman Will Richardson and tight end Micah Till —both listed at 6-6. Heaviest: Offensive lineman Terronne Prescod — listed at 340 pounds. Shortest: Kicker Kyle Bambard and running back Marcelias Sutton — Listed at 5-9. Average height and weight: 6-2.2, 230.6 pounds. Class Awards Superlatives For The Wolfpack's Incoming Recruits After pledging to NC State in June 2013, Jay- len Samuels racked up 2,338 total yards and 58 touchdowns as a senior at Charlotte Mal- lard Creek en route to becoming Rivals.com's No. 2-ranked fullback nationally. PHOTO BY RYAN TICE 40.Class Superlatives.indd 40 2/25/14 2:28 PM