The Wolfpacker: An Independent Magazine Covering NC State Sports
Issue link: https://comanpub.uberflip.com/i/947448
MARCH 2018 ■ 33 2018 FOOTBALL RECRUITING ISSUE ■ Joseph Boletepeli DEFENSIVE END Wake Forest (N.C.) Heritage High 6-4, 257 pounds Measurables: At the Nike Camp in Charlotte, checked in at 6-4, 244 pounds and was laser-timed at 5.00 seconds in the 40-yard dash … Also had a 4.45-second shuttle time, a 37.0-foot power ball throw and 34.4-inch vertical leap for an impressive overall Nike rating of 97.35 … At NCSU's summer camp in 2016, he measured a 6-foot, 10.25-inch wing span. Stats: Posted 62 tackles, 4.5 sacks, two interceptions, one pass broken up and two fumble recoveries as a senior … Recorded 82 total stops, 17 tackles for loss and three sacks as a junior at Raleigh Millbrook High. Ratings: Ranked by Rivals.com as a three-star recruit, the No. 29 player in North Carolina and the No. 43 strongside defensive end in the country … Listed by 247Sports as a three-star talent, the No. 37 player in the state and the No. 56 strongside defensive end in the country … Regarded by ESPN as a three-star prospect, the No. 21 player in the state and the No. 56 defensive end in the country … Rated by The Fayetteville Observer as the No. 31 player in North Carolina. Honors/accomplishments: Played first three years at Millbrook High before transferring to Heritage High in Wake Forest for his senior season … Was named all-conference as a junior for Millbrook and as a senior for Heritage … Played for former NC State and 12-year NFL veteran Dewayne Washington at Heritage … Also played basketball. Recruitment: Concentrated on offers from Georgia Tech, Maryland, Michigan State, North Carolina and Wake Forest, in addition to NC State … Made official visits to Maryland Oct. 13 and Michigan State Oct. 20 … Verbally committed to NC State Nov. 12 and enrolled for the spring. Recruiter of record: Running backs coach Des Kitchings. Quotable: "He has an explosive first step. I'm excited about his future. I see him more as a technician right now. As he feels more comfortable with techniques, more of his instincts will come out. I think it's in there." — Heritage head coach Dewayne Washington Scouting report: Is a raw prospect, but has high upside … Athletic defensive end with good length and has frame to pack on more weight … Will need time to develop and translate his physical traits onto the field. 2018 projection: Boletepeli's best football is ahead of him, and in an ideal world, he would redshirt to con - tinue to harness his abilities. He still has room to grow, and some believe that he could even be a defensive tackle down the road. Given the wide-open nature of the defensive end position next season, he has a chance to see the field early. Tyler Baker-Williams DEFENSIVE BACK Southeast Raleigh High 6-1, 201 pounds Measurables: At the Nike Camp in Charlotte, checked in at 6-1, 202 pounds … Was laser-timed in the 40-yard dash at 4.80 seconds and the shuttle in 4.47 seconds … Had a 39.0-foot power ball throw and 29.7-inch vertical leap … Total rating score was 87.72 … At NCSU's summer camp, he was hand-timed at 4.54 seconds in the 40 and had a 9-foot-4 standing broad jump. Stats: As a senior, hauled in 31 receptions for 594 yards and six touchdowns, and rushed for 276 yards … During his junior campaign, caught 25 passes for 480 yards and six touchdowns, had six interceptions (one pick-six) and returned two punts for scores on special teams. Ratings: Tabbed by Rivals.com as a three-star pros - pect and the No. 40 player in North Carolina … Listed by 247Sports as a three-star recruit, the No. 48 player in the state and the No. 232 wide receiver in the coun- try … Rated by ESPN as a three-star talent, the No. 27 player in North Carolina and the No. 161 wide receiver in the nation … Ranked by The Fayetteville Observer as the No. 40 player in the state. Honors/accomplishments: Selected to the NCPreps. com 4-A All-State Team as a senior … Named all-con - ference in 2017 on both offense and defense … Played his first two seasons at Ravenscroft School in Raleigh before transferring to Southeast Raleigh … Grandson of former NFL player and Wake County sheriff John Baker … Also runs track and plays basketball. Recruitment: Had offers from mid-majors like Ap - palachian State, Colorado State, East Carolina and Old Dominion during the summer … Camped at NC State in June and earned an offer after his strong performance … Verbally committed to the Wolfpack June 26. Recruiter of record: Running backs coach Des Kitch- ings. Quotable: "He never takes a play off or cuts reps in the weight room." — Southeast Raleigh head coach Daniel Finn Scouting report: Good athlete who is a playmaker in all facets of the game … Likely projects as a safety or nickel on the next level … Will need to be more physi- cal in college. 2018 projection: The safety position will likely be an open competition in the spring and fall, but Baker- Williams' better chance to get on the field early is if he can quickly pick up the nickel position. Kahric Belle OFFENSIVE TACKLE North Miami Beach (Fla.) High 6-6, 292 pounds Measurables: Measured 6-6, 292 pounds at the Nike Camp in Miami in February … Ran the 40-yard dash in 5.93 seconds and the shuttle in 5.25 seconds … Had an 18.8-inch vertical. Ratings: Listed by Rivals.com as a three-star talent … Rated by ESPN as a three-star recruit, the No. 151 prospect in Florida and the No. 84 offensive tackle in the country … Regarded by 247Sports as a three-star prospect, the No. 186 player in the Sunshine State and the No. 118 offensive tackle nationally … Tabbed as the No. 64 player in Dade and Broward Counties by The Miami Herald. Honors/accomplishments: Three-year starter … Played on both the offensive and defensive lines. Recruitment: Made an unofficial visit to NC State in June … Recruitment went under the radar for much of the fall … Reportedly also picked up offers from Arkansas, Florida, Illinois, Kentucky, Miami, Oregon, Oregon State, Syracuse and Wisconsin, among others … Verbally committed to NC State during his official visit Dec. 15-17. Recruiter of record: Wide receivers coach George McDonald. Quotable: "I loved NC State. It's a really nice campus." — Belle Scouting report: Has the size and frame that colleges seek in an offensive tackle prospect … Shows nice footwork and mobility on film and packs a noticeable punch when blocking … Needs to improve his athleticism. 2018 projection: NC State has to replace its right tackle after Will Richardson decided to leave college early for the NFL Draft. Regardless, Belle is likely to use a redshirt season next fall.