4-Star 2020 Wide Receiver Porter Rooks (6’2″/189) unveiled his Top-8 schools last night, and NC State made the cut.

🎱 … pic.twitter.com/XTy3zjYBtZ

— Porter Rooks (@p9rooks) November 15, 2018

The Wolfpack made the cut along with Alabama, Michigan, Georgia, Florida, Tennessee, Oklahoma and Virginia Tech. Not a bad group of schools to be battling with, huh?

Rivals ranks Rooks as the #41 overall player in the 2020 class, and the #1 player in the state of North Carolina (Providence Day/Charlotte, North Carolina). 247Sports ranks him as the #7 wide receiver in the class.

Rooks attended the Alpha Wolf Showcase at the end of July, and then attended the Virginia game with his friend Josh Downs, who also happens to be a 2020 4-star Wide Receiver NC State target. He also attended the Florida State game as well.

They hinted at being a package deal back in October, and Downs was back at it last night when Rooks posted his Top-8 on Twitter.

Family.. let’s play together on the next level🤝 https://t.co/lr7r5vKJxD

— XI.. (@JoshDowns_) November 15, 2018

2019 3-Star NC State Linebacker commit Drake Thomas told the two of them to just go ahead and get it over with, and commit to NC State.

Both y’all need to quit playin and just go ahead and make the move 🐺 #wpn https://t.co/izoZv0vcQ1

— Drake Thomas (@DrakeT32) November 15, 2018

Downs responded with an emoji…he’s contemplating the possibility (He will be announcing his Top Schools on Christmas day.).

🤔

— XI.. (@JoshDowns_) November 15, 2018

NC State offered Rooks on March 14th, 2017, before any of the other 7 schools in his Top-8.

Check out Rooks Junior Season Highlight Reel

Football Recruiting Update – November 14, 2018

Recent Official Visitor:

Dual-Threat 3* QB Payton Thorne visited for the Wake Forest game.  He came away very impressed. He is rated as high as the #26 Dual-Threat QB in the country on 24/7 sports. He is still currently committed to Western Michigan.

Movement in the 24/7 Sports Rankings:

OT Triston Miller has moved from the #70 Offensive Tackle in the country to the #25 Offensive Tackle in the country.

RB Jamious Griffin has moved to the #15 Running Back in the country and has now earned his 4* status.

DE Savion Jackson is now the #8 Defensive End in the country.

DT CJ Clark is now the #11 Defensive Tackle in the country.

OG Timothy McKay is now the #18 Offensive Guard in the country.

These new rankings by 24/7 sports have us with eight 4* players in this cycle (S Khalid Martin, DE Savion Jackson, DT CJ Clark, DT Joshua Harris, RB Jamious Griffin, OT Triston Miller, OG Timothy McKay, and CB Shyheim Battle).

Preferred Walk-On Offer:

WR/RB Nick Treco from Mallard Creek HS (North Carolina) has received a preferred walk-on offer from State.

He is rated as a 2* All-Purpose Back on Rivals, and he has had a great season this year at Mallard Creek after transferring in from another school.

Senior Stats: 183 carries for 1,360 yards with 12 Touchdowns, 20 catches for 200 yards with 2 Touchdowns, 15 kickoff returns for 235 yards, 7 punt returns for 181 yards with 2 Touchdowns, 6 Interceptions with 206 return yards with 1 Touchdown.

To me, it sounds like he is another player in the mold of a Thayer Thomas type, a hard working, slot receiver/scatback who could be a great returner.

5* ATH Quavaris Crouch Update

Crouch has stated this week that Michigan, Clemson, and Tennessee are his top 3 schools now. He has already taken an official visit to Tennessee and will visit Clemson this weekend.  Most analysts have him leaning towards Clemson at this point.

3* ATH Zay Flowers Update

3* ATH Zay Flowers has recently been extended a scholarship offer from South Carolina.

Here’s a quick blurb about Flowers from goupstate.com:

“Flowers has taken an official visit to Kansas State and he will take one to Nebraska this weekend. His Rivals recruiting profile lists him as having been committed to Nebraska at one time but he said he’s never committed to anyone. He said he plans to visit NC State and Boston College in December.

Flowers said he’s not favoring anyone at this point and he’s not sure if he’ll sign early. He said NC State, Boston College and Kansas State have been recruiting him the hardest and Robinson also is making a strong effort with daily communication.”

If I had to guess, he is probably going to officially visit State for the ECU game on December 1st.

New Recruit on the Horizon?

Reports are swirling that Colorado might be parting ways with Head Coach Mike MacIntyre at the end of this season.

This could impact State renewing interest in former QB target 3* Ty Evans. Evans was offered a scholarship by State during the summer.

Evans is rated the #16 Pro-Style QB in the country by Rivals and the #11 Pro-Style QB in the country by 24/7 sports.

Playoffs.. Playoffs?

16 of the 2019 class commits are still playing in their respective state playoff brackets.

This week’s playoff action:

DE Terrell Dawkins – At Sun Valley

CB Shyheim Battle – Home vs. West Carteret

S Khalid Martin – BYE – East Forsyth is the #9 program in the State of North Carolina

RB Zonovan Knight – At C.B. Aycock

OT Triston Miller – Vs. Metrolina Christian Academy (Neutral Site)

DE Savion Jackson – At Hillside

TE Kam Walker – At East Lincoln

LB Drake Thomas – At South View

WR Keyon Lesane – BYE – Butler is the #6 program in the State of North Carolina

LB Jaylon Scott – At West Lincoln

CB Jalen Frazier – Home vs. North Mecklenburg – Hough is the #14 program in the State of North Carolina.

RB Jamious Griffin – Vs. Cedar Shoals (Neutral Site) – Rome is the #7 program in the State of Georgia.

C Dylan McMahon – Vs. Hebron Christian Academy (Neutral Site)

S Jakeen Harris – Vs. Westside (Neutral Site)

Class Ranking:

Rivals has our current class as the #20 class in the country, but it does not give us any credit for outstanding JUCO QB Bailey Hockman.

24/7 sports & Scout has our current class as the #22 class in the country, and the #3 in the ACC.

Class Calculator:

If we add Payton Thorne, Zay Flowers, and Treron Collins – We will have the #20 class in the country.

If we add Payton Thorne, Zay Flowers, and Myles Farmer – We will have the #21 class in the country.

If we add Payton Thorne, Zay Flowers, and Kevon Glenn – We will have the #21 class in the country.

** We might not land any of these recruits, but given the latest scant details out there, some of them could be definitive possibilities.

247Sports updated their 2019 football recruiting rankings and NC State’s class has moved from #25 to #22. Since the recruiting database was created in 2001, NC State has only had 3 Top-25 recruiting classes (2003, 2008, 2018).

The Wolfpack now boasts eight 4-Star commits in their 2019 class according to 247Sports updated rankings, which is the most in school history. Last year NC State had six 4-Star commits, which set a new school record.

Defensive End Savion Jackson, Defensive Tackle CJ Clark, Defensive Tackle Joshua Harris and Cornerback Shyheim Battle already had 4-stars.

Safety Khalid Martin, Offensive Tackle Triston Miller, Running Back Jamious Griffin and Offensive Guard Timothy McKay all picked up their 4th stars.

The Wolfpack has 4 commits represented in the Top-300.

Savion Jackson is still NC State’s highest rated player, but fell 11 spots to #168. He ranks #91 in their composite rankings.

CJ Clark moved up 71 spots to #202. He ranks 199th in their composite rankings.

Triston Miller moved up a whopping 654 spots to #209.

Jamious Griffin finally is getting the credit he deserves (though he still isn’t rated highly enough), landing at #270.

The North Carolina High School Football Playoffs (NCHSAA) will kick off this Friday, and quite a few 2019 NC State commits will be in action.

2AA

#4 Shelby (8-3) (3-Star Linebacker Jaylon Scott – 71 tackles/16 TFL’s/5 sacks) vs. #13 West Lincoln (9-2) – 11/16
#1 Pisgah (10-1) (3-Star Tight End Kam Walker) vs. #16 East Lincoln (5-6)

3A

#2 Southern Nash (9-0) (3-Star Running Back Zonovan Knight – 1,435 rushing yards/18 TD’s/15.8 YPC/22 Total TD’s) vs. #15 C.B. Aycock (5-6) – 11/16

3AA

#8 Clayton (9-2) (4-Star Defensive End Savion Jackson – 60 tackles/5.5 TFL’s/5 sacks) vs. #9 Hillside (8-3) – 11/16
#7 Cox Mill (8-3) (3-Star Defensive End Terrell Dawkins) vs. #10 Sun Valley (9-2) – 11/16

4A

#1 East Forsyth (11-0) (4-Star Safety Khalid Martin – 71 tackles/2 INT’s) vs. Winner of #8 Ragsdale (7-4) vs. #9 Glenn (5-6) – 11/23
#8 South View (9-2) vs. #9 Heritage (8-3) (3-Star Linebacker Drake Thomas – 111 tackles/2 sacks/1 INT/7 rushing TD’s) – 11/16

4AA

#8 Fuquay-Varina (7-4) vs. #9 Wakefield (5-6) (3-Star Offensive Guard Timothy McKay) – 11/16
#8 Hough (9-2) (3-Star Cornerback Jalen Frazier – 46 tackles/3 TFL’s/1 INT) vs. North Mecklenburg (6-5) – 11/16
#3 Butler (9-2) (3-Star Wide Receiver Keyon Lesane) vs. Winner of #6 Myers Park (10-1) vs. #11 Providence (6-5) – 11/23
#2 Hoggard (9-1) (3-Star Wide Receiver Chris Toudle – 214 yards/3 TD’s) vs. Winner of #7 Enloe (8-3) vs. #10 Garner Magnet (6-5) – 11/23

Three NC State commits play for private schools (NCISSA), and have already begun their state playoff journey’s.

Division I – 1st Round

#1 Charlotte Christian 28 #4 Providence Day 12 (5-6) (3-Star Offensive Guard Ikem Ekwonu)
#2 Trinity Christian (9-1) (3-Star Offensive Lineman Zovon Lindsay) 32 #3 Christ School 33 (10-2)

Division II

#4 Charlotte Country Day School (3-Star Offensive Tackle Triston Miller) vs. #2 Metrolina Christian Academy – 11/16 – Championship Game. The Buccaneers defeated #5 Covenant Day 45-5 in Week 1, and upset #1 Charlotte Latin 24-14 this past weekend.

Georgia State Playoffs

5A

Rome (11-0) (3-Star Running Back Jamious Griffin – 2,255 rushing yards/35 Rushing TD’s/11.1 YPC) vs. Cedar Shoals (8-3) – 11/16. Rome beat Jackson 62-14 this past weekend in Round 1.

1A Private

Savannah Christian Prep (9-1) (3-Star Center Dylan McMahon) vs. Hebron Christian Academy (6-5) – 11/16. Savannah Christian Prep had a bye in Round 1.

Benedictine Military School (10-1) (3-Star Safety Jakeen Harris – 61 tackles/3 INT’s/3 TFL’s) vs. Westside (8-3) – 11/16. Benedictine defeated Tattnall County 45-0 this past weekend in Round 1.

New Jersey South Group 3

#4 Wall Township (5-3) (2-Star Long Snapper Joe Shimko) 28 #5 Timber Creek Regional 33 – Round 1