The Wolfpacker: An Independent Magazine Covering NC State Sports
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SEPTEMBER 2015 ■ 73 BY MATT CARTER W ith 13 verbal commitments in the 2016 football recruiting class, NC State is on its way to filling all its slots. Early pro- jections indicated a final size of about 18 recruits, although that number is subject to fluctuations. Here are 10 prospects, in alphabetical order, who should be closely monitored in the coming months. DEFENSIVE BACK CARLOS BECKER Kissimmee (Fla.) Osceola High Becker is a three-star prospect that NC State likes at cornerback. His 6-3, 185-pound frame is intriguing for the posi- tion, but other schools like Becker at safety. NC State has a couple of chips that they are pushing forward with Becker, chiefly that his former teammate Riley Nicholson is a freshman linebacker for the Wolfpack. Becker has visited NC State on two occa- sions, including the Kay Yow Spring Game last April. Defensive coordinator and linebackers coach Dave Huxtable is leading Becker's recruitment for NC State, and he knows the region well from his days as a defensive coordinator at Central Florida. Becker has lined up an official visit to NC State for Oct. 30, when the Pack hosts Clemson in one of the marquee games on its home slate this fall. Becker has also set up official visits to Wisconsin (Sept. 25) and Iowa State (Oct. 16). Florida State, Georgia Tech, Ken- tucky, Ole Miss, Pitt, Tennessee and West Virginia are among Becker's other offers. He had 56 tackles and three interceptions as a junior, and helped his team to the 7-A state title. WIDE RECEIVER CHAVIS DAWKINS Duncan (S.C.) Byrnes High Dawkins (6-2, 195 pounds) has been on NC State's radar ever since a stellar showing at the Pack's summer camp going into his junior season at Byrnes High. He caught 34 passes for 606 yards and seven touchdowns in nine games last fall. Dawkins has been back to Raleigh on at least two occasions since the offer. He was at Carter-Finley when NC State hosted then-No. 1 Florida State last year, and this spring he returned for a junior day and took in a intra-squad scrimmage. Dawkins, who is rated as a two-star re- cruit by Rivals.com, also has offers from Louisville and Wake Forest, but he told Ri- vals that of the three major tenders NC State continues to recruit him the hardest. He hopes to make a decision during the fall. WIDE RECEIVER MYLES DORN Charlotte Vance High You would not suspect that the son of former UNC football letterman Torin Dorn would be a prime NC State recruiting tar- get, but that is the case with Myles Dorn. The 6-2, 195-pounder is a dynamic two- way performer for Vance. He caught 75 passes for 1,274 yards and 18 touchdowns on offense, and compiled 71 tackles, four interceptions (one of which he returned for a touchdown), 11 passes broken up, one forced fumble and one fumble recovery on defense as a junior. Rated by Rivals.com as a three-star prospect, the No. 20 in-state senior and the No. 51 athlete in the country's 2016 class, Dorn has offers from, among others, Boston College, Duke, Louisville, Miami, Michigan State, NC State, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, Wake Forest and West Virginia. The Pack, though, may sit in a good po- sition, especially after his older brother, To- rin Dorn, transferred to NCSU this summer after his freshman season on the Charlotte basketball team. WIDE RECEIVER KELVIN HARMON Palmyra (N.J.) High Harmon is a four-star prospect that is rated as the No. 248 overall player in the 2016 class by Rivals.com. Additionally, he is ranked as the No. 8 player from the state of New Jersey and the No. 47 senior wide receiver nationally. Over the summer, Harmon narrowed his focus to six schools: NC State, North Caro- lina, Rutgers, South Carolina, Temple and West Virginia. He was once a lean towards Rutgers, but entering August both South Carolina and NCSU had emerged as Har- mon's top two. Harmon (6-2, 195 pounds) may be favor- ing the Gamecocks, but he wants to take of- ficial visits in September to the leading pair before making a final decision. He visited NCSU twice over the summer. As a junior, Harmon caught 54 passes for 829 yards and 16 touchdowns. DEFENSIVE TACKLE DEXTER LAWRENCE, Wake Forest (N.C.) High While this list was compiled in alpha- betical order, Lawrence is the top name not only on NC State's board but also on that of many programs across the country. Lawrence is the first North Carolinian ever to be rated as the No. 1 overall pros- pect in the country by Rivals.com. The 6-5, 330-pounder is a dominant force on the interior and piled up 55 tackles, including 25 for loss and 10 sacks, as a junior. Finding out what Lawrence will do for college is difficult since the prized prospect has taken a low-key approach to recruiting. He made just three known visits over the summer: North Carolina in June, and Ala- bama and NC State in July. The Pack trip came July 24 for the Alpha Wolf Showcase. He has also talked of taking an unofficial visit to Clemson and perhaps LSU, but Five-star defensive tackle Dexter Lawrence of Wake Forest (N.C.) High is rated as the No. 1 senior in the country by Rivals.com. PHOTO COURTESY RIVALS.COM ■ FOOTBALL RECRUITING Ten To Watch