The Wolfpacker: An Independent Magazine Covering NC State Sports
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120 ■ THE WOLFPACKER BY MATT CARTER N C State entered late October with 16 verbal commitments and only room for a few more in the 2017 class. The focal point for the remaining spots will be defensive linemen, but NC State is also still pursuing safeties and a couple of offensive linemen. Here are 10 names to watch over the final few months of recruiting for the 2017 class. DEFENSIVE END ROBERT BEAL Bradenton (Fla.) IMG Academy On the surface, a four-star prospect that is a native of the Peach State and verbally com- mitted to Georgia would appear to be a stretch for the Wolfpack. But Beal, who transferred to IMG Academy in the summer after playing previously at Norcross (Ga.) High, has had NC State among his top schools throughout the re- cruiting process. He has also already shown a penchant for changing his mind. Beal originally ver- bally committed to Notre Dame before switching his pledge to Georgia. Since the second commitment, he has taken official visits to Alabama and Florida State, both in October. The 6-4, 230-pounder also is going to visit Georgia, leaving two spots open. NC State is one of three schools reportedly under consideration for those two visits, along with Texas and North Carolina. Rivals.com rates Beal as the No. 6 weakside defensive end in the country and No. 87 prospect regardless of position in the nation's 2017 class. In IMG's first six games, Beal had 14 tackles, including one for a loss, and three quarterback hurries. DEFENSIVE END KEVINCE BROWN Winter Park (Fla.) High Brown may be rated only two stars by Ri- vals.com, but he has been a productive pass rusher this season. Through his first six games, he had 7.5 sacks among 30 total tackles for Winter Park. He also has six quarter- back hurries, a forced fumble and one pass broken up. Not much has been reported on the 6-5, 240-pounder's recruitment. He trans- ferred from Orlando (Fla.) Christian Prep to Winter Park in the offseason, and he has reported offers from Central Florida, NC State, Oregon State, Pittsburgh and Rutgers, among others. Brown also plays tight end. DEFENSIVE LINEMAN MATTHEW BUTLER Garner (N.C.) High Few defensive linemen in the country are having a better season than Butler this year. In his first eight games, he racked up an impressive 21 sacks and 22 quarterback hurries. He had also broken up three passes and forced a fumble. Not surprisingly, But- ler has been selected to play in the Shrine Bowl of the Carolinas All-Star game in December. Butler hails from the same high school that NC State sophomore receiver/kick re- turner Nyheim Hines attended and in the past has mentioned that Hines has been a mentor of sorts for him. Butler also at- tended the NC State-Notre Dame game despite the weather conditions from Hur- ricane Matthew. The 6-4, 260-pounder has officially vis- ited Duke and Penn State, and unofficially taken trips to South Carolina and Tennes- see this fall. He told Rivals.com on Oct. 17 that he will use his three remaining official visits on NC State (Nov. 5), Tennessee and Texas A&M. Rivals.com rates Butler as a three-star recruit, the No. 11 prospect in the state and the No. 13 strongside defensive end in the country. SAFETY BRELIN FAISON-WALDEN Greensboro (N.C.) Grimsley High Butler was not the only visitor to brave the conditions of the N o t r e D a m e g a m e . Faison-Walden (6-1, 200 pounds) was in at- tendance despite being a verbal commitment to Penn State. The four-star prospect has also taken an unofficial visit to Michigan this fall. Faison-Walden, who is listed No. 9 in the state and No. 23 among the nation's outside linebackers by Rivals.com, had compiled 45 tackles, three sacks, three quarterback hurries and a pick-six through eight games this year. He was selected to play in the Shrine Bowl. DEFENSIVE LINEMAN ALEC JACKSON Montgomery (Ala.) Jefferson Davis High Jackson, who is rated as a three-star prospect by Rivals.com, camped at NC State over the summer and was expected to return for the Notre Dame con- test before the weather changed his plans. Jackson (6-4, 260) has not revealed much about his recruitment other than listing a top five in August of Illinois, Louisville, NC State, Southern Cal and Texas, all of which have report- edly offered. He has been selected to play in the Al- abama-Mississippi All-Star Game in De- cember. Through seven games this year, Jackson had 51 tackles, eight tackles for loss, five sacks and six quarterback hurries. OFFENSIVE TACKLE T.J. MOORE Charlotte Mallard Creek High NC State's pipeline to Mallard Creek has been well estab- lished. Junior tight end/ fullback Jaylen Samu- els was signed from the three-time 4-AA state championship program in 2014. A year later, NCSU inked Vernon Grier, a redshirt freshman receiver. Last February, four-star tight end Thad- deus Moss — who is playing this fall as a true freshman — was the latest from Mallard Creek to join NC State. The Pack already has a commitment from four-star lineman Grant Gibson, who projects as a defensive tackle, in the 2017 class. Gibson is a close friend of Moore, who made a verbal commitment in August to South Carolina over the Pack and Tennes- see but decommitted from the Gamecocks in October. Since backing out on his pledge to South Carolina, Moore has made an unofficial visit to Tennessee, and he is expected to be at NC State's home game against Boston College Nov. 5. Rivals.com rates the 6-5, 280-pound Moore as the No. 6 prospect from the state and the No. 9 offensive guard in the 2017 class. Moore was selected for the Shrine Bowl. ■ FOOTBALL RECRUITING Ten To Watch