The Wolfpacker: An Independent Magazine Covering NC State Sports
Issue link: https://comanpub.uberflip.com/i/976701
72 ■ THE WOLFPACKER ■ FOOTBALL RECRUITING He also had two teammates that signed with the Wolfpack in the 2018 class — four-star running back Ricky Person Jr. and three-star defensive end Joseph Boletepeli. Thomas' good friend, four-star linebacker Payton Wilson from Orange High in Hill- sborough, N.C., also switched his pledge from UNC to sign with NC State. Thus it's logical to see why many pre- sume NC State to be the frontrunner for the 6-1, 235-pounder, but Thomas also has offers from Alabama, Clemson, Michigan, Tennessee and Virginia Tech, among many others. Rivals.com ranks Thomas as a three-star recruit, the No. 18 rising senior in the state and the No. 17 inside linebacker nation- ally. As a junior, Thomas compiled 112 stops, eight tackles for loss, one sack, three interceptions and three forced fumbles in 14 games. Safety J.R. Walker, Elizabeth City (N.C.) Northeastern High Freshwater's teammate at Northeastern is a heavily recruited pros- pect in his own right. Walker rushed 71 times for 1,019 yards and 15 touchdowns last season, and added 11 receptions for 210 yards, but most schools prefer him at safety. As a junior, he had 73 tackles and seven interceptions from the secondary. The 6-1, 200-pounder has listed NC State as his leader over South Carolina and Virginia Tech, and he made an unof- ficial visit to Raleigh for the spring game. Rivals.com ranks him as a three-star re- cruit, the No. 15 player in the state and the No. 36 athlete nationally. ■ ■ On The Web For regular reports on NC State football recruiting plus videos of Wolfpack commitments and targets GO TO THEWOLFPACKER.COM