The Wolfpacker: An Independent Magazine Covering NC State Sports
Issue link: https://comanpub.uberflip.com/i/947448
38 ■ THE WOLFPACKER ■ 2018 FOOTBALL RECRUITING ISSUE Val Martin DEFENSIVE TACKLE Iowa Western Community College • 6-2, 290 pounds Measurables: In the spring before his senior season in high school, he attended the Nike Camp at Marietta (Ga.) High … Checked in at 6-2, 286 pounds, ran the 40-yard dash in 5.46 sec - onds and the shuttle in 4.89 seconds, registered a 27.8-inch vertical leap, had a 38.0-foot power ball throw and scored 79.95 overall on the Nike rating. Stats: As a redshirt freshman at Iowa Western, compiled 49 tackles (26 solo), 6.5 tackles for loss, three sacks and a fumble recovery in 12 games. Ratings: Listed by Rivals.com as a two-star recruit … 247Sports rates him as a three-star talent … Ranked by ESPN as a three-star prospect and the No. 18 junior college defensive tackle nationally. Honors/accomplishments: Helped Iowa Western go 11-1 last season … Did not play his freshman season at Iowa Western due to a concussion in the preseason, leading to a decision to redshirt. Recruitment: Picked up offers from Buffalo, Florida Atlantic, Washington State and West Virginia before NCSU offered in late January … Officially visited Florida Atlantic Jan. 12, Washington State Jan. 26 and NC State Feb. 2 … Verbally committed to the Wolfpack Feb. 4. Recruiter of record: Defensive line coach Kevin Patrick. Quotable: "With the whole starting four in the draft this year, it's a really good opportunity for me with just one senior coming back and one redshirt sophomore coming back [at defensive tackle], and the rest are really young guys." — Martin Scouting report: Versatile interior line prospect who looks like he could play nose tackle or three- technique defensive tackle … Has good quickness off the snap … Will have three years to play three at NC State. 2018 projection: Returning backups Eurndraus Bryant, a rising senior, and Shug Frazier, a rising redshirt sophomore, will likely figure prominently into the plans at defensive tackle next season, but the rest of the rotation that usually consists of four players is wide open. Martin will play next fall since he has already used his redshirt, and he has an opportunity given his experience to find a spot on the interior. Alim McNeill DEFENSIVE LINEMAN Raleigh Sanderson High • 6-2, 272 pounds Measurables: At the Nike Camp in Charlotte before his junior season of high school, had the sixth best Nike rating score with a 113.1 … At that point, he was 6-1, 262 pounds and laser-timed at 4.96 seconds in the 40-yard dash … Had a 4.27-second shut - tle time, 34-inch vertical leap and a 39.5-foot power ball throw. Stats: As a senior, finished with 60 tackles, 18 tackles for loss (one that resulted in a safety), five sacks, an interception, two passes broken up, three forced fumbles and one fumble recov - ery … Also rushed 20 times for 163 yards and eight touchdowns … Tallied 84 stops, 18 tackles for loss, six sacks, one interception that was a pick-six, one pass broken up, two forced fumbles and two fumble recoveries, including one returned for a score, and scored seven touchdowns (six rushing and one receiving) on offense during his junior season … As a sophomore, contributed 71 tackles, nine stops for loss, seven sacks, two passes broken up and one fumble recovery. Ratings: Regarded by Rivals.com as a four-star prospect, the No. 11 player in North Carolina, and the No. 16 defensive tackle and No. 249 overall player in the nation … Ranked by 247Sports as a four-star talent, the No. 8 prospect in the state, and the No. 12 defensive tackle and No. 117 overall player in the country … Listed by ESPN as a four-star recruit, the No. 8 player in the state, and the No. 25 defensive end and No. 251 overall pros - pect nationally … Rated by The Fayetteville Observer as the No. 10 player in North Carolina. Honors/accomplishments: Played in the U.S. Army All-Amer- ican Game Jan. 6 in San Antonio … Named to the NCPreps.com 4-A All-State Team as a senior … Selected as the 2017 Cap 7 Conference Player of the Year by The Raleigh News & Observer … Also was an all-conference right fielder in baseball as a junior. Recruitment: Stock exploded after his junior season with offers from Alabama, Clemson, Florida, Florida State, Michigan and Penn State, among others … NC State emerged as his leader in the summer … Verbally committed to the Wolfpack Nov. 4 over finalists Michigan and Virginia Tech. Recruiter of record: Running backs coach Des Kitchings. Quotable: "Alim is one of the best I've ever coached just in terms of his physicality and his focus. He's a great athlete. What makes him great is his work ethic. … Alim is the total package. He's just young, and he's going to keep improving." — Sander - son head coach Ben Kolstad Scouting report: Elite-level athlete for his size … In addition to his athleticism, is a playmaker on the football field with good instincts on defense … Played mostly linebacker in high school and will have to adjust to playing with his hand on the ground in college. 2018 projection: The first question that will have to be an - swered is where to play McNeill — end or tackle? Once that is decided, odds are good that he will be on the field early at NC State. Davontae McCrae DEFENSIVE LINEMAN Miami Northwestern High • 6-5, 258 pounds Measurables: Checked in at 6-3, 254 pounds at the Nike Camp in Orlando, Fla. … Was laser-timed at 5.05 seconds in the 40-yard dash and 4.71 seconds in the shuttle … Also reg - istered a 41.5-foot power ball throw and a 25.8-inch vertical leap for an overall Nike rating of 88.11. Ratings: Listed by Rivals.com as a three-star talent … Rated by 247Sports as a three-star recruit, the No. 155 player in Florida and the No. 48 strongside defensive end in the country … Ranked by ESPN as a three-star prospect, the No. 256 player in the Sunshine State and the No. 139 defensive end nationally … Tabbed by The Miami Herald as the No. 58 player in Broward and Dade counties. Honors/accomplishments: Played primarily offensive tackle as a senior and helped lead Northwestern High to the 6A state title, its first championship in 10 years … Northwestern finished the year ranked No. 28 nationally by MaxPreps.com … Played previ- ously at Jackson High in Miami, where his teammate in 2016 was NCSU redshirting freshman running back Nakia Robinson … Was selected to play in the Offense-Defense All-American Bowl Dec. 30 in New Orleans but did not play. Recruitment: Originally committed to Louisville as a junior, but decommitted following that season … Picked NC State July 7 over Louisville, Tennessee, Wake Forest, Central Florida and East Carolina … Stayed firm despite offers in the fall from Maryland and Virginia, and continued recruitment by Louisville. Recruiter of record: Wide receivers coach George McDonald. Quotable: "This is a gifted football player who is always around the ball, and as he learns more about the sport and the position, his stock will continue to rise. McCrae has already turned heads at combines in the past few months. He is a solid football player." — South Florida recruiting reporter Larry Blustein Scouting report: Likely projects as a three-technique defensive tackle … Is a good athlete for his size and showed impressive footwork as a senior playing offensive tackle … Will have to bulk up to play along the interior in college. 2018 projection: McCrae is a good bet to redshirt unless he quickly makes gains in the weight room under strength and conditioning coach Dantonio Burnette.