The Wolfpacker: An Independent Magazine Covering NC State Sports
Issue link: https://comanpub.uberflip.com/i/790572
56 ■ THE WOLFPACKER ■ 2017 FOOTBALL RECRUITING ISSUE Ibrahim Kante DEFENSIVE END Pawling (N.Y.) Trinity-Pawling School • 6-5, 235 pounds Measurables: Reportedly has a 6-foot-11 wingspan. Stats: As a postgrad, accumulated 17 tackles and three sacks in seven games. Ratings: Listed as a two-star prospect by both Rivals.com and Scout.com … Ranked by 247Sports as a three-star talent, the No. 2 player in New York and the No. 28 weakside defensive end nationally … Rated by ESPN as a three-star recruit, the No. 11 player in the state and the No. 104 defensive end in the country. Honors/accomplishments: Originally graduated high school in 2016 from Cardinal Hayes in Bronx, N.Y. … Is a native of Harlem, N.Y. … One of four winners of the Catholic High School Football League's Metropolitan Football Association Award as a senior at Cardinal Hayes … Also participated in track at Cardinal Hayes. Recruitment: Had collected offers from Bowling Green, Buffalo, Connecticut, Old Dominion and Temple, among others, during fall and early winter … Officially visited Buffalo Jan. 13 … Temple emerged as his leader prior to the Pack's offer in mid-January … Committed to NC State at the end of his official visit Jan. 22 and stayed firm despite offers from Boston College and Rutgers days later. Recruiter of record: Wide receivers coach and passing game coordinator George McDonald. Quotable: "Coach [Ryan] Nielsen showed me the D-line is one of the best in the country, and I get to learn from one of the best D-ends in the country [rising senior Bradley Chubb]. It was really a very easy decision." — Ibrahim Kante Dave Doeren on Kante: "He is a young man that has actually grown six inches in a year. He was 5-11 about 12 months ago, and is now 6-5. He is a late bloomer. "He has very good film and is a fun kid to talk to. He plays two instruments and is very intelligent. He is one year out of high school at a prep school because of his growth. He thought he'd be recruited more going to a prep school, and that obviously turned out good for him. I'm excited about what he'll bring." Scouting report: Lengthy defensive end with good motor … Did a postgrad year because of his age (gradu - ated high school at 17) and has high upside … Raw and will need to continue to get stronger. 2017 projection: Kante is in an ideal position with so much talent returning at defensive end. He will be able to redshirt and focus his attention on improving his skills and conditioning. Matt McKay QUARTERBACK Raleigh Wakefield High School 6-3, 193 pounds Measurables: At NC State's summer camp in June, he was listed at 6-4¼ and 181 pounds, ran the 40-yard dash in 4.79 seconds and did a 9-foot, 3-inch standing broad jump … At a Nike combine in Charlotte in April (checked in at 6-4, 178 pounds), had a 4.63-second shuttle time and 34.5-inch vertical leap. Stats: As a senior, completed 119 of 222 passes (53.6 percent) for 1,553 yards with 15 touchdowns and 10 interceptions, plus ran 152 times for 767 yards and nine scores … During his junior season, connected on 165 of 300 throws (55.0 per - cent) for 2,119 yards with 22 touchdowns and 11 in- terceptions, plus ran 187 times for 1,019 yards and 11 scores … As a sophomore, was 158-of-359 passing (44.0 percent) for 2,260 yards with 21 touchdowns and 23 interceptions, plus ran 84 times for 123 yards and four scores. Ratings: Regarded by Rivals.com as a three-star pros - pect and the No. 41 player in North Carolina … Listed by Scout.com as a three-star recruit, the No. 3 signal-caller in the state, the No. 26 quarterback in the South and the No. 72 quarterback in the country … Rated by 247Sports as a three-star talent, the No. 24 recruit in North Caro- lina and the No. 24 pro-style quarterback in the nation … Ranked by ESPN as a four-star player, the No. 8 senior in the state and the No. 14 dual-threat quarterback in the nation … Hailed by The Fayetteville Observer as the No. 34 prospect in North Carolina. Honors/accomplishments: Three-year starter and led Wakefield to state playoffs each season … Picked all-conference as a junior and senior … Led conference in passing and was top five in rushing as a junior … Also ran track during his sophomore and junior years … Just turned 17 last October. Recruitment: Was offered by NC State, Pittsburgh, West Virginia, Temple and Old Dominion during or after his junior season … Verbally committed to the Wolfpack Feb. 28, 2016 … Enrolled early. Recruiter of record: Offensive coordinator and quar - terbacks coach Eli Drinkwitz. Quotable: "One thing he does pretty well is he runs the ball. He's a long strider. … He creates plays, and he has the ability to do that with his legs." — Former Wake- field head coach Rod Sink Dave Doeren on McKay: "Matt can really run. Obvi- ously he was recruited as a quarterback because of his throwing ability, which he absolutely did well in high school. … Watching him run this morning I'm very ex- cited about his skillset." Scouting report: Intriguing athlete at quarterback with a good combination of size, speed and arm strength … Has noticeably improved as a big-play, dual-threat quar- terback and does not rely exclusively on his athleticism. He will look to pass even as he escapes the pocket … Needs to get bigger and stronger, and improve his ac- curacy and touch. 2017 projection: McKay is almost a lock to redshirt barring a catastrophic set of injuries at the quarterback position. Xavier Lyas DEFENSIVE END Plant City (Fla.) Durant High School • 6-4, 215 pounds Measurables: At NC State's summer camp in June, checked in at 6-5, 200 pounds and measured a 6-foot- 7½ wingspan … Ran the 40-yard dash in 4.72 seconds and the shuttle in 4.35 seconds … Had a 9-foot, 10-inch standing broad jump and a 32.4-inch vertical leap. Stats: As a senior, piled up 59 tackles, five tackles for loss, two sacks, one safety, 10 quarterback hurries, two fumble recoveries and a forced fumble … When he was a junior, posted 13 tackles, a sack, two quarterback hurries and three passes broken up. Ratings: Listed by Rivals.com as a three-star recruit … Rated by Scout.com as a three-star prospect, the No. 17 defensive end in the Sunshine State, the No. 38 defensive end in the South and the No. 101 defensive end nationally … Ranked by 247Sports as a three-star talent, the No. 183 recruit from Florida and the No. 64 weakside defensive end in the country … Regarded by ESPN as a three-star performer, the No. 195 recruit in the state and the No. 99 defensive end in the nation … Ranked No. 25 in the region by The Tampa Bay Tribune. Honors/accomplishments: Competed in the shot put, high jump and long jump in track … Comes from a military family and lived on two separate occasions in Fayetteville, N.C., while his father was stationed at Fort Bragg, and also lived overseas in Korea … Was 5-11 as a sophomore and did not take up football until his junior year after his growth spurt. Recruitment: Was offered by NC State during the spring evaluation period … Had also picked up offers from notable mid-major programs like Cincinnati, Northern Illinois and Western Kentucky … Committed to NC State during its summer camp in June and enrolled early. Recruiter of record: Running backs coach, assistant head coach for offense and recruiting coordinator Des Kitchings. Quotable: "I feel like I could develop as a football player if I were there." — Xavier Lyas Dave Doeren on Lyas: "I just love his motor, his energy, his passion and he plays really hard. He is a guy that does have to get bigger, and he is working on that every day. He has a great work ethic. We just love his potential and upside, and look forward to watching him grow up this year and under our strength staff." Scouting report: Very good athlete for a defensive end with high upside … Raw talent that is relatively new to football … Will need to continue to get stronger. 2017 projection: NC State is well stocked with veteran talent at the defensive end position, which is fortu - nate because Lyas needs time in strength and conditioning coach Dantonio Burnette's program.