The future looks bright for the NC State offense, and RS Sophomore Wide Receiver Jakobi Meyers is a huge reason why.
Senior Jaylen Samuels has been the X-Factor for the Wolfpack offense for the past couple of years, and there is truly no player like him.
But prior to the exodus of Samuels, Meyers is already showing how he’s becoming an X-Factor in the present, and will only become more of one in the years to come.
After the South Carolina game, you wouldn’t have been able to convince me that any receiver would receive more passing targets in 2017 than Jaylen Samuels. He had a ridiculous 15 catches in the season opener.
But over the past three games (Pitt, Notre Dame and Clemson) only one player has been targeted in the passing game more than Jakobi Meyers, and his name is Kelvin Harmon. Harmon also only has one more catch than Meyers over the past three games.
Over the past three games Meyers has been targeted 12 more times than Samuels.
I’m not making the case that Meyers is better than Samuels, but I am making the case that he already has the trust of his quarterback Ryan Finley. Finley’s eyes constantly default to looking his direction. When Finley needs to make a play on 3rd down, Meyers has seen the ball thrown his way more than anyone else. Playing in the slot, another camping ground of Samuels, Meyers is all over the field.
Against Clemson this past Saturday, Meyers had 9 catches (career high) for 105 yards and a touchdown, including a crucial one that shouldn’t have been overturned.
Even without Jaylen Samuels, who you could make a case is the best receiver ever to play at NC State (all I said is that you could make the case), I believe that the Wolfpack’s offense will be better next year, and Meyers is a key reason why. Like Samuels, Meyers is elusive, shifty, and has a knack for getting yards after the catch.
Don’t forget that Meyers was a 2-star dual threat quarterback out of Georgia when he came to NC State, and was in that position all throughout his redshirt season. It wasn’t until a week before the season opener last year that the decision was made to move Meyers to wide receiver. For that reason, I don’t think we are anywhere close to seeing Meyers at his full potential at this position.
