The Wolfpacker: An Independent Magazine Covering NC State Sports
Issue link: https://comanpub.uberflip.com/i/266935
MARCH 2014 ■ 53 FOOTBALL RECRUITING ISSUE MAURICE TROWELL ■ WR Durham (N.C.) Southern High • 5-11 • 175 pounds Measurables: At NC State's summer camp, ran three 40- yard dashes in less than 4.5 seconds … At the Shrine Bowl combine in Charlotte, registered a 31.6-inch vertical leap. Stats: As a senior, made 93 receptions for 1,760 yards (18.9 yards per catch) and 19 touchdowns, rushed for a score, threw a TD pass and returned a kick to the end zone … As a junior, caught 46 passes for 940 yards and 13 touchdowns. Ratings: Ranked as a three-star prospect by Rivals.com … Rated as a three-star prospect, the No. 14 player in the state and the No. 59 wide receiver in the country by Scout. com … Listed as a three-star prospect, the No. 39 player in the state and the No. 39 wide receiver in the country by 247Sports … Tabbed a three-star prospect, the No. 23 player in the state and the No. 85 wide receiver in the country by ESPN. Honors/accomplishments: Selected to play in the Shrine Bowl of the Carolinas All-Star Game in Spartanburg, S.C., Dec. 21 and caught four passes for 26 yards in the contest … Picked first-team All-State by the Associated Press, NCPreps.com and CarolinaGridiron.com … Caught eight passes for 198 yards and two touchdowns in the state title game to help Southern Durham win the 3-AA title and earned game offensive MVP honors … Also runs track with a personal best of 22.33 seconds in the 200-meter dash. Finished eighth in the event at the 4-A state championship last year. Recruitment: Had early offers from Ball State, East Carolina, Charlotte, Appalachian State and Campbell prior to arriving at NCSU's camp in June … Blistering 40-times and standout performance in one-on-ones helped lead to an offer at camp … Verbally committed to NC State June 22, a day after his offer. Recruiter of record: Running backs coach and recruiting coordinator Des Kitchings. Quotable: "He definitely was way under-recruited. He is one of the best receivers in the state, and I am not saying that because he's my kid. If he played anywhere else, I'd say it. Clearly you see it on the field, and I'm happy that North Carolina State found that diamond in the rough." — Trowell's coach at Southern Durham, Adrian Jones, who left after the season to take an assistant coaching position at NCCU. Dave Doeren on Trowell: "He was very impressive in our camp this summer. He was very competitive and is a little guy that plays big. He has a chip on his shoulder. He's a very good returner, and I'm excited about what he brings to our return game having lost Rashard [Smith]." Scouting report: Very fast receiver with the speed to go vertical and separate from defensive backs in the open field … Also has the quickness and elusiveness to get yards after the catch … Has good hands … Capable of going up and making tough receptions. 2014 projection: Trowell exploded with a huge senior season that left many saying he should have been more heavily recruited. It would not be surprising if NCSU gets rewarded with Trowell playing this season. TROY VINCENT JR. ■ CB Baltimore (Md.) Gillman School • 5-10 • 185 pounds Measurables: At the Nike Opening in Eugene, Ore., ran the 40- yard dash in 4.69 seconds and the shuttle in 4.08 seconds … Registered a 33.1-inch vertical leap. Ratings: Ranked as a three-star prospect, the No. 11 player in the state and the No. 31 cornerback in the country by Rivals.com … Rated as a four-star prospect, the No. 6 player in the state, the No. 42 recruit in the East region and the No. 33 cornerback in the country by Scout.com … Listed as a three-star prospect, the No. 14 player in the state and the No. 41 cornerback in the country by 247Sports … Tabbed a four-star prospect, the No. 5 player in the state and the No. 45 cornerback in the country by ESPN … Evaluated as the No. 7 player in the state by National Underclassmen. Honors/accomplishments: Played in the Blue-Grey North South All-American Bowl in Tampa, Fla., on Jan. 11 … Selected to the USA Today All-USA Maryland team in 2013 … Made honorable mention all-state for Maryland private schools as a senior … Listed as the second-best underclassman at the Mid-Atlantic Showcase in 2012 by Rivals.com … Also competes in the jumps in track and field … Father Troy Vincent Sr. was a five-time Pro Bowl cornerback in the NFL and is the current Vice President of the NFL Player Development Organization. Recruitment: Had accumulated a lengthy offer list that included, among many others, Arizona State, Arkan - sas, California, Georgia Tech, Michigan, Michigan State, Notre Dame and Wisconsin when he verbally committed to Penn State last June … Coaching change at PSU led to Vincent considering other options … Family relation- ship with Doeren through his days as an assistant at Wisconsin, Vincent Sr.'s alma mater, helped NCSU eventually get the prospect to switch his pledge on Jan. 16. Recruiter of record: Head coach Dave Doeren. Quotable: "He has long arms and excellent technique which allows him to stay on the hip of defenders. He's the kind of player you could put on the field side on defense and let him go against an opponent's best receiver. His instincts come naturally, and he has learned a lot from his dad and other top defensive back coaches in the area." — Rivals.com national recruiting analyst Mike Farrell. Dave Doeren on Vincent: "Troy is very technical. He's been back-pedaling since he was 3 years old. He's very polished. He has a lot to learn still, everyone does, but he's a very polished player." Scouting report: Technically sound corner with superior quickness … Quickness and fundamentals help him overcome lack of great top-end speed … Plays longer and taller than his height. 2014 projection: Vincent is a good bet to play as a true freshman because he is well-schooled for a high school corner, and the Pack has a need for a true freshman to help at the position next season. DEXTER WRIGHT ■ S Wilson (N.C.) Hunt High • 6-3 • 205 pounds Measurables: At the Shrine Bowl Combine in Washington, N.C., ran the 40-yard dash in 4.31 seconds and the shuttle in 4.63 seconds … Registered a 9-9 standing broad jump … Did 16 reps at 185 pounds on the bench press. Stats: As a senior, ran 219 times for 1,502 yards (6.86 yards per carry) and 22 touchdowns, and piled up 98 tackles, including three for loss, with two picks and three deflections … As a junior, recorded 89 tackles, three interceptions, one forced fumble and five pass breakups. Ratings: Ranked as a three-star prospect and the No. 27 player in the state by Rivals.com … Rated as a three-star prospect, the No. 31 player in the state and the No. 87 safety in the country by Scout.com … Listed as a three-star prospect abd the No. 50 player in the state by 247Sports … Tabbed a three-star prospect, the No. 35 player in the state and the No. 71 safety in the country by ESPN. Honors/accomplishments: Named conference's Offensive Player of the Year in 2013 and recipient of the "Iron Man" Award for making the most contributions on both sides of the ball … Two-time All-Conference and Wilson Times All-Area selection … Selected first-team 3A All-State by NCPreps.com … Cousin Ronald Wright played defensive back at East Carolina from 2005-07. Recruitment: Had an offer from East Carolina prior to showing up at the Washington (N.C.) Shrine Bowl Combine … Blistering 40-yard dash times at the combine led to an offer from UNC and then NC State … Verbally committed to NC State over UNC June 20. Recruiter of record: Safeties coach and co-special teams coordinator Clayton White. Quotable: "He started for us as a sophomore, and he's progressively gotten better. He's a great student and a great kid. … NC State couldn't have picked a better person. He certainly will not make their program worse. He's going to be a good player for them." — Hunt High head coach Stevie Hinnant. Dave Doeren on Wright: "He'll play safety for us at 6-3, 205. He comes from a tremendous family. He's very positive, very athletic, very long and very rangy. He has ball skills and will be an excellent special teams player." Scouting report: Pound-for-pound one of the best athletes in the state with straight-ahead speed that was confirmed when he twice ran under 4.5 seconds at NCSU's summer camp in June … Could project as a safety or perhaps outside linebacker in college … Needs to improve lateral quickness. 2014 projection: Although one of the best athletes in the class, he is still a bit raw on the field. Given how much he produced in high school, that makes Wright an exciting prospect for the future. He may end up redshirt - ing this fall while the coaches determine his best position. 44-53.Recruiting Bios.indd 53 2/25/14 2:58 PM