The Wolfpacker: An Independent Magazine Covering NC State Sports
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142 ■ THE WOLFPACKER BY MATT CARTER I n NC State head coach Dave Doeren's first two full recruiting classes for the Wolfpack, 29 of the 53 players signed were native North Carolinians. The renewed em- phasis on locking up the state's best talents is likely to continue in 2016. Here is a breakdown of the top 30 players in the state through eyes of The Wolfpacker. 1. DEXTER LAWRENCE, DT Wake Forest High In May, Rivals.com elevated Lawrence to the No. 1 overall player in the country regardless of position, making him the first-ever North Carolinian to have that distinction. There are good reasons why Lawrence deserved the status. At 6-5 and 330 pounds, Lawrence has been hand-timed on a track in 4.79 seconds in the 40-yard dash. His agility is so good that some colleges are actually recruiting him to play defensive end. As a junior, Lawrence had 55 total stops, 25 tackles for loss and 10 sacks. He was named Wake Forest's Defensive MVP in the 4-AA state title game. On the recruiting trail, the soft-spoken Lawrence has maintained a low profile, but he has visited NC State more than any other school. 2. MARQUILL OSBORNE, CB Cornelius Hough High Osborne combines natural cover skills with athleticism. As a junior, he collected 48 tackles, one interception, nine passes broken up and three fumble recoveries. Offensively, he added 24 receptions for 275 yards and four scores. Athletically, Osborne measured 5-11½ and 180 pounds at the Nike Opening Re- gional Combine in Charlotte in May and was laser-timed at 4.45 seconds in the 40- yard dash. He also had a 4.2-second shuttle run and registered a 37.4-inch vertical leap. Osborne gave Tennessee an early ver- bal commitment, but he has stated that he would still likely take all five official visits. Clemson and Florida are two schools that could get trips. Rivals.com rates Osborne as a four- star recruit, and the No. 5 cornerback and No. 98 overall player nationally. 3. CORNELL POWELL, WR Greenville Rose High Powell's junior year numbers tell the tale. He caught 67 passes for 1,248 yards and 19 touchdowns last fall. At 6-1 and 200 pounds, he has solid size and good athleticism. While his speed is average (laser-timed at 4.64 seconds at Nike Opening in Char- lotte), he has good quick- ness (4.31-second shuttle) and explosiveness (35.9-inch vertical). Rivals.com ranks Powell as a four-star prospect, and the No. 37 wide receiver and No. 178 overall player in the country. Powell gave Clemson a verbal commitment, and despite multiple trips to NC State since then appears to be holding firm with the Tigers. 4. AUSTIN KENDALL, QB Waxhaw Cuthbertson High Kendall has seemingly been groomed to be a quarterback. He is a polished passer who posted eye-popping numbers last season, com- pleting 310 of 513 passes for 4,461 yards with 49 touchdowns. He has ideal size for a pocket passer (6-2, 210 pounds), but he also has some athleticism, rushing for 519 yards as a junior. Kendall made an early commitment to Tennessee, but backed out of that pledge and has since cast his lot with Oklahoma. Rivals.com rates Kendall as a four-star tal- ent, and the No. 3 pro-style quarterback and No. 72 overall prospect in the nation. 5. B.J. EMMONS, RB Morganton Freedom High On the field, Emmons has all the tools. Standing a chiseled 6-0 and 218 pounds, he was hand-timed at 4.47 seconds in the 40-yard dash at a Shrine Bowl combine this spring. He also registered a nine-foot, 10- inch standing broad jump and did 22 reps ■ FOOTBALL RECRUITING Cream Of The Crop: Ranking The Top 30 Players In North Carolina Rivals.com listed Wake Forest defensive tackle Dexter Lawrence as the nation's No. 1 overall player regardless of position in May, making him the first North Carolinian to earn that distinction. PHOTO BY JACEY ZEMBAL