The Wolfpacker: An Independent Magazine Covering NC State Sports
Issue link: https://comanpub.uberflip.com/i/430118
62 ■ THE WOLFPACKER BY MATT CARTER N C State is in the process of putting the finishing touches on its 2015 recruiting class. Entering December, the Pack had 16 verbal commitments and was expected to take somewhere between three to five more to finish out the haul. With such a small amounts of room available, there are only a few identifiable prospects on the board. Here is a rundown of the marquee names left. DEFENSIVE TACKLE DREW BAILEY Poplarville (Miss.) Pearl River Community College Bailey is a relatively new name to the Wolfpack recruiting board. He collected 10 sacks this past fall for Pearl River, and that big season enabled him to garner offers from, among others, Louisville, Maryland, NC State, Purdue, Fresno State and Southern Miss. The 6-5, 280-pounder took an official visit to NC State Nov. 24-26, watching the Pack go through game-week preparations for what would be their 35-7 triumph over archrival UNC Nov. 29. One use of the word "nice" did not suffice to describe what Bailey thought of his trip. "It was a nice, nice, nice, nice city," he said. "The dorms are so nice. NC State is just so nice. They people are so friendly … The coaches are great, especially my coach [defensive line coach Ryan Nielsen]. I know I would have a great coach." Nielsen, who is recruiting Bailey for NC State, has a prior relationship with Pearl River defensive line coach Travis Johnson. The two played against each other in high school. Johnson is also friends with former NCSU standout Mario Williams. However, Bailey is intent on taking all of his official visits before making a deci- sion. He went to Fresno State Nov. 28 and Maryland Dec. 5, and he was scheduled to visit Louisville Dec. 12. Bailey will then sign with the college of his choice Dec. 18, the beginning of the junior college signing period. Bailey is originally from College Park, Ga., where he attended Banneker High. OFFENSIVE TACKLE ROB DOWDY Westerville (Ohio) South Dowdy has been verbally commit- ted to Pittsburgh since September, picking the Panthers over finalists Miami, Michigan State, NC State, Penn State and West Virginia. However, since then Dowdy has made an un- official trip to NCSU, visiting the Pack with his parents when they hosted Georgia Tech Nov. 8, and he is expected to return to NC State for an of- ficial visit in January. The 6-5, 295-pounder thought well enough of his experience in Raleigh to recommend NC State to his good friend, three-star defensive tackle DaVon Ham- ilton from Pickerington (Ohio) Central. Hamilton, who was once a Pittsburgh com- mitment with Dowdy, scheduled an official visit to NCSU for Dec. 5, but the Pack did not offer. Prior to the trip, Hamilton decided to verbally commit to Kentucky instead. Dowdy is listed by Rivals.com as a three- star recruit, the No. 19 senior in the state of Ohio and the No. 61 offensive tackle in the 2015 class. RUNNING BACK JOHNNY FRASIER Princeton (N.C.) High Frasier's senior season concluded when Princeton lost to perennial 1-A state power Wallace-Rose Hill High in Teachey. Princeton went 12-2, and Frasier rushed 214 times for 2,266 yards and 33 touchdowns. He also caught 21 passes for 271 yards and three scores. On the recruiting trail, Frasier made an official visit to Tennessee Oct. 3 and repeated unofficial trips to Duke and NC State in spite of his verbal commitment to Florida State in August. A planned offi- cial visit to FSU for Nov. 15 was postponed to a date to be determined. He also did not make a scheduled official visit to Alabama that was going to take place in November. The 5-11, 220-pounder has kept a low profile about his plans in recent months, but he did host NC State and Duke for in-home visits Dec. 1. Wolfpack safeties coach and co-special teams coordinator Clayton White is leading the recruitment for NCSU. Rivals.com rates Frasier as a four-star recruit, the No. 20 running back in the country and the No. 163 player regardless of position nationally in the 2015 class. When the in-state rankings are reorga- nized, Frasier will check in at No. 8 in North Carolina. RUNNING BACK NYHEIM HINES Garner (N.C.) High Although he was been hampered by a nagging knee bruise throughout the state playoffs, Hines still rushed for 2,362 yards a n d 3 8 t o u c h d ow n s while adding 318 yards and three scores as a re- ceiver, helping Garner reach the 4-AA state semifinals before falling to top-seeded and undefeated Wake Forest (N.C.) High. Hines saw a big jump in the latest re- lease of the Rivals.com rankings, elevat- ing all the way to No. 99 among the top 100 seniors in the country. That places him fourth among in-state prospects in the 2015 class and fourth among all the all-purpose backs in the country. Hines, who has taken official visits to both NC State (Oct. 11) and Wake Forest (Nov. 21), is also considering offers from, among others, Duke, Florida, Georgia, ■ FOOTBALL RECRUITING The Home Stretch Pack Commitments To Play In All-Star Games The annual Shrine Bowl of the Carolinas All-Star Game Dec. 20 in Spartanburg, S.C., will have a strong NC State flavor. Four current Pack commitments will be representing team North Carolina: Lincolnton High defensive lineman Darian Roseboro, Greensboro Southern Guilford High running back Reggie Gallaspy, Gibsonville Eastern Guilford High safety Jarius Morehead and Durham Hillside High offensive tackle Emanuel McGirt. In addition, Pelion (S.C.) High safety Freddie Phillips will play for the South Carolina all-stars. Two running back targets are also suiting up for North Carolina: Wake Forest High's Bryce Love and Princeton High's Johnny Frasier. Roseboro will also play in the Semper Fidelis All-American Game held Jan. 4 in Carson, Calif. Top Pack target Nyheim Hines, a running back at Garner (N.C.) High, will also participate in that game. Frasier will play in the U.S. Army All-American Bowl Jan. 3 in San Antonio. — Matt Carter