Recent commits:

3* DT Derrick Eason from Norview HS in Virginia. 6’4”, 240.

Fast-rising, high ceiling DT/DE prospect. Super athletic, needs to add some weight but a very exciting pickup.

Highlights of Eason:

Offers Extended:

Tuesday, August 1st is the first day that written scholarship offers could be extended to 2018 prospects.

Here’s an example of the official offer graphics via Target 4* LB Keshon Artis’ Twitter:

🐺🤘🏽 blessed pic.twitter.com/MWRlDbO9ZP

— Keshon Artis (@In2WeTrust) August 1, 2017

Targets Left:

4* DE/DT Alim McNeill

4* OG Jovaughn Gwyn

4* DT Jordan Davis

3* DT Elijah Brown

3* DE Joseph Boletepeli

4* LB Keshon Artis

3* LB Eriq Gilyard

3* LB Calvin Hart

3* CB/S Kendall Williamson

3* DE Jarrett Jackson

3* DE Dennis Briggs

3* DE Jason Mercier

3* DT Jalen Alexander

3* DE/DT Jordan Redmond

3* CB/S Jermaine McMillian

4* LB K’Vaughn Pope

3* DE Lancine Turay

Spots Left:

Technically, we are out of scholarships for this cycle. However, we usually have some attrition from the roster during the offseason before National Signing Day. Safe to plan on 4-5 spots still being available in the 2018 class given usual attrition plus non-renewed one-year scholarships to walk-ons. (Possibility exists for several underclassmen to go pro a year early also – Bradbury, Hines, Tyler Jones, Roseboro?)

Priorities:

Defensive Line and Linebacker. 2 Defensive Line positions, 1-2 Linebackers, and 1-2 Best Available.

Projections:

With the committal of Derrick Eason, it has started to really limit how many more D Line spots we have available in this class. 

Here’s my current projection of how things pan out for each of our remaining targets:

 4* DE/DT Alim McNeill – NC STATE

4* OG Jovaughn Gwyn – NC STATE

4* DT Jordan Davis – NC STATE

3* DT Elijah Brown – DUKE

3* DE Joseph Boletepeli – NC STATE

4* LB Keshon Artis – VIRGINIA TECH

3* LB Eriq Gilyard – KENTUCKY

3* LB Calvin Hart – NC STATE

3* CB/S Kendall Williamson – NC STATE

3* DE Jarrett Jackson – LOUISVILLE

3* DE Dennis Briggs – MIAMI (We made his top 10 List, but I cannot confirm we offered him)

3* DE Jason Mercier – PITTSBURGH

3* DT Jalen Alexander – MARYLAND

3* DE/DT Jordan Redmond – WISCONSIN

3* CB/S Jermaine McMillian – SOUTH CAROLINA

4* LB/ATH K’Vaughn Pope – OHIO STATE

3* DE Lancine Turay – RUTGERS

** Some of these projections are based upon if spots are still available.  Kendall Williamson might not be a take if we get multiple high quality targets to commit (keep in mind, we already have Tyler Williams and Malik Dunlap committed at Safety in the 2018 class).

 

***  Joseph Boletepeli has the athleticism to potentially play OLB in addition to potentially playing DE. Could he move to OLB because of his extreme athleticism? (only tested 1.4 points behind Ricky Person at The Opening Combine).

 

*** We are in good shape for Keshon Artis, but I just see the allure of VT being too much since they are his hometown school.

 

*** Keep an eye on K’Vaughn Pope – He is from an area of Virginia that we moderately recruit well.  If we can convince him to stay closer to home, we have a chance of beating out Ohio State and Georgia for him. Right now, he is probably a long-shot for us, if we get a linebacker from VA, Artis is much more likely.

 

*** Keep an eye on Lancine Turay also.  He is from Irvington, NJ (same HS as current commit WR Josiah Provilion).  We just extended an offer to him this week.  His older brother currently plays for Rutgers (this my projection of him to Rutgers).  He is another late-blooming, super athletic, large framed, DE prospect who has tremendous upside. Highlights of Turay: 

Major Recruiting Weekends This Season: 

October 5 – 8 – Louisville Home Game

November 4 – Clemson Home Game and Homecoming Weekend

November 25 – UNC Home Game – Last Home Game for Official Visits during the season

January 25 – 27, 2018 – Last Weekend Before National Signing Day – We should have Louisville or Duke in Raleigh for a Basketball Game that weekend.

 

Looking Ahead to 2019:

One commitment – 5* LS Drew Little – North Stanly HS in NC

Spots: Around 20

Needs: 2 WR, 2 OT, 1-2 LBs, 2 RBs, 2-3 S/CBs, 1 Punter, 1 QB, 1 TE, 1-2 DT/Des

Major Targets: QB Sam Howell, RB Quanvarious Crouch, DE Savion Jackson, RB Khafre Brown, RB Shyeam McQueen, WR Stanley King, OG Jacob Monk, OT Timothy McKay, LB Drake Thomas, CB Shyheim Battle, ATH Traveon Freshwater