The Wolfpacker: An Independent Magazine Covering NC State Sports
Issue link: https://comanpub.uberflip.com/i/644580
24 ■ THE WOLFPACKER FOOTBALL RECRUITING ISSUE "Harmon has the work ethic to really come in and make an early impression," Friedman said. "This guy has always had a chip on his shoulder. He never felt he got enough respect, and that is going to carry over to college. "He has very good hands and a big catch radius. He is a very good downfield threat, and the quarterbacks will love that he is a big and willing target over the middle." Friedman expects Stephens, a two-star prospect, to be a pleasant surprise in the class. "NC State is dying for some receivers, and Stephens is a tough, tough kid," Friedman said. "He was willing to make that catch in traffic and make those first downs. He is a good receiver down the middle of the field and is a willing blocker. I like the potential there." Parham, who attended Southeast Raleigh High, is the quarterback of the future and will benefit from having a big group of offensive linemen, tight ends and wide receivers. He'll likely redshirt because of the presence of rising redshirt sophomore Jalan McClendon and rising redshirt freshman Jakobi Meyers, but the fact he is already on campus will give him a chance to compete for the starting job. "The first thing you look at is his arm strength and can he get it out," Doeren said. "Then his intelligence and how he processes the game, and his competitiveness and his toughness. "We were fortunate to have him in camp several times, and we know a lot about Dylan." NC State returns rising senior cornerback Jack Tocho and the aforementioned Mike Stevens, but the depth chart will likely be up for grabs after them. James Valdez of Orangeburg, S.C.; Nick McCloud of Rock Hill, S.C.; JJ Givens of Mechanicsville, Va.; and Banks will help fortify the cornerback spot. Fayetteville, N.C., standout Isaiah Stallings brings impressive 6-4, 205-pound size to safety, and fellow back-liner Tim Kidd- Glass is an all-around athlete from Danville, Va. Friedman is intrigued by the down the road potential of both Givens and Stallings. "Givens has the athleticism to be a cornerback and the size of a safety," Friedman said. "I think every team needs one of those guys because every offense they'll face has a big receiver. Givens has a good eye for the ball and uses his reach to knock down passes." Stallings has rare size for the safety position and has been a standout for the Terry Sanford High basketball team, which won a state title last year. "There's a lot of potential with Stallings because he is a big body," Friedman said. "He is a great leaper, he has great range and he moves effortlessly on the field. "Stallings could be a game-changing type because of that size and speed, and the ability to come up in big situations." Having a vast array of defensive backs is crucial in a league where teams like playing with numerous wide receivers. "We play a lot of 4-2-5 cover systems because of the three- and four-receiver sets that we defend," Doeren said. "Since we've gone to that and have seen what we matchup against week in, week out, I think having additional guys there and having bigger safeties helps us in the long run. "If they outgrow safety, they can move to linebacker — it's a good problem to have. You can't turn down guys who are 6-2 to 6-3 that can run with long arms." Defensive tackle Ben "Shug" Frazier of perennial power Buford (Ga.) High is the largest of the signees at 6-2 and 321 pounds. Frazier had picked up 15 scholarship offers during the recruiting process, including nine from SEC schools. Linebackers Hooker and Brock Miller of Port St. Lucie, Fla., were tackling machines in high school. Hooker made 167 tackles in eight games as a senior for Ledford High before breaking a bone in his foot, and Miller had 139 tackles and an incredible 25 sacks in 12 games for Port St. Lucie (Fla.) John Carroll High. The Wolfpack had to hold off Miami from trying to steal Miller away. Defensive end and linebacker are likely the keys to the class of 2017, but Doeren was happy with how depth has come around since taking over in December 2012. He figured he had played around 10 true freshmen per year since arriving, but he would like to see that get lowered to six or less in the future. "We were talking about who is ready to play, and we don't feel the pressure [to play the 2016 signees]," Doeren said. "Obviously, you have to stay healthy because some guys can get pushed up the depth chart when you aren't planning on that. "I'd love to say we are redshirting a ton of these guys. That would be the plan." ■ "We are trying to continue to build competitive depth. We wanted to get longer at some positions. Height and wingspan are measurements we look at, and they are very important to us." ■ Head coach Dave Doeren Seven of NC State's signees enrolled early, including quarterback Dylan Parham of Southeast Raleigh High. PHOTO COURTESY RIVALS.COM