The Wolfpacker: An Independent Magazine Covering NC State Sports
Issue link: https://comanpub.uberflip.com/i/470359
42 ■ THE WOLFPACKER ■ 2015 FOOTBALL RECRUITING ISSUE Brian Sessoms WIDE RECEIVER Winston-Salem (N.C.) Carver High • 5-8 • 170 pounds Measurables: At the Shrine Bowl Combine held at A.C. Reynolds High in Asheville, N.C., ran the 40-yard dash in 4.36 seconds and the shuttle in 4.34 seconds, had an 9-4 standing broad jump and did seven reps at 185 pounds on the bench press. Statistics: As a senior, caught 55 passes for 1,075 yards and 12 touchdowns, and returned three kickoffs for touchdowns … During his junior year, made 34 recep- tions for 688 yards and eight touchdowns, plus had three kick returns for scores. Ratings: Ranked by Rivals.com as a three-star recruit and the No. 35 player in North Carolina … Rated by Scout.com as a three-star talent, the No. 184 wide receiver in the country and the No. 45 recruit in his home state … Listed by 247Sports as a three-star prospect, the No. 172 wide receiver in the country and the No. 40 player in North Carolina … Regarded by ESPN as a three-star player, the No. 129 wide receiver in the country and the No. 30 prospect in North Carolina … Tabbed by National Underclassmen as the No. 47 recruit in the state … Ranked as the No. 38 player in the state by both Athlete Vault and The Fayetteville Observer. Honors/accomplishments: Selected first-team All-Western Piedmont as a junior and senior … Named All-Northwest honorable mention by The Winston-Salem Journal … Also a track standout who won the 100-meter (10.85 seconds) and 200-meter (21.88 seconds) state 2-A titles as a junior, plus anchored the winning 4x200 relay squad. Recruitment: Picked up early offers from NC State and Wake Forest, and was also receiving interest from UNC … Visited for the Kay Yow Spring Game April 12 … Committed while at the scrimmage, becoming the Pack's third verbal pledge in the class. Recruiter of record: Safeties coach and co-special teams coordinator Clayton White. Dave Doeren on Sessoms: "Probably our fastest kid that signed. Brian has very, very good speed. He was in our camp last summer and his first [40-yard dash] time was 4.18. Everybody looked at each other like, 'No way.' He ran it again, ran a 4.21; ran it again, ran a 4.23; ran it again, ran a 4.28 so he had four times under 4.3." Scouting report: Elite speed for a receiver, with his coach also claiming he has timed him at less than 4.3 seconds in the 40-yard dash … Also has good lateral quickness … Size and strength are the top question marks. 2015 projection: Sessoms' speed makes him a threat to add the vertical playmaking that were lacking last season, but he will need to prove he is strong enough to handle ACC defensive backs. James Smith-Williams LINEBACKER Raleigh Millbrook High • 6-4 • 205 pounds Measurables: At NC State's summer camp last June, clocked the 40-yard dash in 4.53 seconds and registered a 10-3 standing broad jump. Stats: As a senior, posted 146 tackles, 36 stops for loss and 19 sacks … As a junior, recorded 70 stops and 10 tackles for loss. Ratings: Ranked by Ri - vals.com as a two-star pros- pect … Listed by Scout. com as a two-star recruit and the No. 46 player in North Carolina … Rated by 247Sports as a three-star talent, the No. 110 outside linebacker in the country and the No. 45 recruit in his home state … Regarded by ESPN as a three-star player, the No. 111 outside line- backer in the country and the No. 48 prospect in North Carolina … Tabbed as the No. 36 player in the state by National Underclassmen … Ranked as the No. 43 pros- pect in North Carolina by The Fayetteville Observer … Listed by Athlete Vault as the No. 46 recruit in the state. Honors/accomplishments: Picked first-team all- state by Carolina Gridiron … Selected to The Raleigh News and Observer All-Metro team as a senior … Tied school record last fall for most sacks in a season and was fifth overall in the state in hits on the quarterback … Picked first-team Cap-Eight All-Conference as a senior … Graduated with an unweighted grade-point average of 3.9 (weighted GPA was 4.9) and scored 30 on his ACT … Member of the National Honor Society and the All-Academic Honor Roll, and started the Ath - letic Service Club at Millbrook. Recruitment: Picked up an offer from NC State af- ter testing well at its summer camp … Was also offered by Boston College as a defensive end, but previously had been offered by mid-majors and Football Champion- ship Subdivision schools like Appalachian State, James Madison and Wofford, plus a host of Ivy League schools … Committed to NC State July 22 over an Ivy League education at Columbia and enrolled early at NCSU. Recruiter of record: Defensive coordinator and linebackers coach Dave Huxtable. Dave Doeren on Smith-Williams: "I'm really excited about what he has. He's really athletic and had 19 sacks as a senior. He played more of an outside backer/rush end position at Millbrook, but is going to play outside linebacker for us. We'll get a little weight on him. He's a 4.5 guy that jumped almost 11 feet in the broad jump and had almost a 40-inch vertical when he came to camp this summer." Scouting report: Impressive athlete who runs well enough to be a safety and is explosive enough to play near the line … Was actually a receiver as a freshman, played defensive end as a sophomore before transition - ing to standup linebacker as a junior and returning to end last season … Projects as a linebacker in college and will need to get stronger and learn the nuances of the position. 2015 projection: He will need to gain significant strength and grow into his lean frame. That will be priority number one, followed by learning how to play linebacker. Smith-Williams may be a good candidate to redshirt next fall. Freddie Simmons WIDE RECEIVER Bethlehem (Pa.) Catholic High • 6-3 • 176 pounds Measurables: At a Nike combine, ran the 20-yard shuttle in 4.41 seconds, registered a 32.9-inch vertical leap and had a 33-foot power throw. Stats: As a senior, caught 58 passes for 812 yards and 14 touchdowns, ran six times for 131 yards and a score, and returned three punts for touchdowns … As a junior, had 38 receptions for 704 yards and 10 touchdowns, plus returned a kick for a score. Ratings: Ranked by Rivals.com as a three-star talent, the No. 98 wide receiver in the country and the No. 17 prospect in Pennsylvania … Rated by Scout.com as a three-star prospect, the No. 130 wide receiver in the country and the No. 25 player in the Keystone State … Listed by 247Sports as a three-star recruit, the No. 106 wide receiver in the country and the No. 18 prospect in Pennsylvania … Regarded by ESPN as a three-star player, the No. 153 wide receiver in the country and the No. 30 prospect in the state … Considered the No. 21 player in the state by National Underclassmen. Honors/accomplishments: Selected Class AAA all-state by the Pennsylvania Football Writers as a senior … Picked to the Lehigh Valley All-Area team in 2014 … Named all-conference for two straight years … Set school records for most catches and receiving touchdowns in a season as a senior … Three-sport star who has more than 1,000 career points in basketball and finished second in the state finals of the 300-meter hurdles last season. Recruitment: Originally made a verbal commitment to Rutgers over offers from Virginia and Wake Forest in October … Decommitted a month later and took official visits to Central Florida (Jan. 16) and NC State (Jan. 18) … Verbally committed to the Pack Jan. 20. Recruiter of record: Wide receivers coach George McDonald. Dave Doeren on Simmons: "He does a lot of things on film, is very good after the catch, and has good length and ball skills. He also plays basketball and runs track. He's a longer guy at 6-3 that can do things after the catch and be in there with [Johnathan] Alston, Steph [Louis] and compete at the X position. It helps us." Scouting report: On film shows soft hands with the ability to catch the ball away from his body and win jump balls in the red zone … Has a smooth, long stride, good speed and surprising elusiveness in the open field … Needs to get stronger and consistently maintain his focus. 2015 projection: Simmons could have an advantage for early playing time because his height provides a need the other smaller receiver recruits cannot fill.