Recruiting Update: March 1, 2018:
This is the season for many, many combines in which prospects will either start to explode their stock or they will see a massive decrease in their ranking.
In the last several years, our coaches have done a great job of appearing at various combines and offering prospects who emerge after earning various combine awards because of their performance and skill sets.
The Opening Combines:
Houston – February 25
San Francisco – March 4
Los Angeles – March 11
Atlanta – March 25
New York/New Jersey – April 8
Dallas – April 29
Canton – May 5
NUC Combines:
5 Star Combine Charlotte – March 18
Charlotte – April 29
Raleigh – May 12
Shrine Bowl of the Carolinas Combines:
Rocky River HS – Charlotte – March 24
Dudley HS – Greensboro, NC – April 14
Southview HS – Hope Mills, NC – April 28
Tarboro HS – Tarboro, NC – May 12
Asheville HS – Asheville, NC – May 26
2019 Recruit Updates:
Major Targets:
TE Luke Deal from South Carolina has moved from a Non-Rated TE to the #11 Tight End in the country (4*) on 24/7 sports and Scout. He was very impressed when he visited Raleigh for Junior Day a few weeks ago.
Highlights of Deal:
DE Savion Jackson from Clayton HS (NC) continues to climb up recruiting rankings and will probably be one of the top 5 national defensive end prospects in the 2019 class. He is now the #2 player in NC on 24/7 sports and Scout and the #3 Strongside Defensive End in the country. He was High School teammates with 2018 commit WR Devin Carter.
Highlights of Jackson:
Savion Jackson attended last year’s Alpha Wolf Showcase.
Another fast-rising prospect is RB Zonovan Knight from Southern Nash HS (NC). We were the first major program to offer him a scholarship. When we offered him, he was an Non Rated prospect. Now he is the #21 Running Back in the country (4*) on Scout and 24/7 sports, and he has skyrocketed to the #9 Running Back in the country (4*) on Rivals. Some analysts have said that he might be the top running back in North Carolina (yes, he is that good, and current top RB prospect Quanvaris Crouch will probably wind up at Linebacker or Defensive End in college). Zonovan Knight does have a family connection to State, and I think we are looking very good for him right now. Knight had 142 carries for 1,877 yards and 27 touchdowns his junior year.
Highlights of Knight:
Emerging Target:
3* QB Kenneth Jefferson. I think he is rated way too low by a lot of sites right now. He very well could explode his senior season and be one of the top 5 dual-threat QBs in the 2019 class. He is very, very athletic and is an explosive playmaker.
Highlights of Jefferson:
Here’s a way too early Top 25 prospects we are in good shape with in the 2019 Class:
4* LB Drake Thomas
4* TE Luke Deal
4* DE Savion Jackson
3* QB Kenneth Jefferson
4* QB Sam Howell
4* ATH JR Walker
4* LB Traveon Freshwater
4* RB Zonovan Knight
3* CB Shyheim Battle
3* OG Jamari Williams (visiting Raleigh soon)
3* DT CJ Clark
3* S Khalid Martin
3* ATH Major Williams
3* ATH Syheam McQueen
3* DE Christian Rorie
3* TE Kyle Bilodeau
3* WR Jacoby Pinckney
3* WR Stanley King
NR OT Kaleb Boateng
3* DT Zovan Lindsay
3* LB Ahdarrious Gee
NR LB Osita Eknowu
3* LB Jaylon Scott
4* CB Tyus Fields
3* CB Jalen Frazier