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Auburn Transfer Safety Donovan Kaufman is Taking an Official Visit to NC State this Weekend

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4 months ago

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Auburn Transfer Safety Donovan Kaufman (5’10″/204) confirmed with me that he is taking an Official Visit to NC State this weekend. Kaufman entered the Transfer Portal last week, on January 16th.

Rivals ranked Kaufman as a 4-Star prospect in the 2020 recruiting class. They ranked him as the #186 overall player nationally, the #11 Safety, and the #9 player in the state of Louisiana. Out of high school, Kaufman committed to Vanderbilt.

In his first season of college football, Kaufman played 2 games (started) for the Commodores as a True Freshman, collecting 15 tackles and a pass breakup in limited action.

In 2021, Kaufman transferred to Auburn, where he played in 13 games as a Freshman (2020 didn’t count against eligibility due to Covid), starting in 7 of them. In 414 snaps, Kaufman had 33 tackles, 2 tackles for loss, 1 sack, 1 interception, 2 pass breakups and 3 forced fumbles.

In 2022, Kaufman was the returning starter at Safety, starting in the first 7 games, before suffering an injury that kept him out of the final 4 games. Still, he played in 459 snaps, which was a new career high. As a Sophomore, Kaufman recorded a career high 39 tackles, as well as 2 pass breakups and 1 forced fumble. His PFF grade was 72.1 that year, which is the best grade of his career.

This past season, Kaufman started in 4 of the 12 games he played in, recording 395 snaps. As a Junior, Kaufman had 37 tackles, 4.5 tackles for loss, 1 sack, 1 interception, 1 fumble recovery and 2 forced fumbles.

Kaufman has played 1,369 collegiate snaps in 34 career games, starting in 18.

NC State is returning both of their starting Safeties from 2023 in Devan Boykin and Sean Brown. Boykin is recovering from a torn ACL suffered in December, but I’m hopeful he will be full go by the start of the 2024 season. Robert Kennedy III started for the Wolfpack at Nickel this past year, and he has run out of eligibility leaving a hole there. I could see Boykin moving to Nickel. Either way, there will be a starting role open at Nickel, or one of the Safety positions if Boykin moved to Safety.

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Matthew is Publisher and Co-Owner of Pack Insider. He is also the Lead Pastor of The Point Church in Cary, NC.

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wolfpack74
wolfpack74
3 months ago

It appears that he has two years eligibility left, correct? He played 20 is has been removed from the record. He played 21 and 22, and red shirted 23. Getting SEC players is a good move to make as well as the Auburn linebacker.

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Football Recruiting

NC State Makes Top-3 for 3-Star WR Gabe Daniels

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1 day ago

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May 8, 2024

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3-Star 2025 Wide Receiver Gabe Daniels (6’2″/180) announced his Top-3 schools, and NC State made the cut along with Kansas and Syracuse.

Daniels will be taking an Official Visit to NC State on June 14-16. He also has an Official Visit scheduled to Kansas for June 21-23.

Daniels had 31 receptions, 700 all purpose yards and 5 touchdowns for the Greater Atlanta Christian School (Norcross, GA) last season.

Recently, Daniels ran a 10.64 in the 100 meter dash in Track.

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Football Recruiting

NC State Makes Top-7 of 3-Star CB Robert Jones

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1 day ago

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May 8, 2024

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2025 3-Star Cornerback Robert Jones (6’1″/165) announced his Top-7 schools today, and NC State made the cut along with Kentucky, UCF, Miami, Louisville, Illinois and USF.

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ON3 ranks Jones III as the #58 overall player in the state of Florida in the 2025 recruiting class.

You can watch his highlights from the 2023 season here. He only played 7 games due to injury. Jones III had 9 pass breakups and 2 interceptions as a Junior.

Jones III originally planned to make his college decision on May 28th, but he is postponing his decision, and will be visiting 4 schools in June, with NC State being one of them.

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Football Recruiting

NC State is Still Aggressively Recruiting 3-Star DT Drayden Pavey Despite Not Making Top-3

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2 days ago

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May 7, 2024

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3-Star 2025 Defensive Tackle Drayden Pavey (6’3″/305) released his Top-3 schools this past week, and NC State didn’t make the cut. His Top-3 consists of Wisconsin, Indiana, and Purdue.

Despite not making his Top-3, NC State is still aggressively recruiting Pavey. Wolfpack Defensive Line Coach Charley Wiles was in to visit Pavey yesterday.

Pavey is still scheduled to take an Official Visit to NC State on June 18th.

ON3 ranks Pavey as the #4 player in the state of Kentucky (Robert A. Taft High/Burlington, KY).

NC State offered Pavey on April 24th.

When Pavey released his Top-8 back in February, NC State was obviously on the list. It consisted of Miami (OH), Toledo, Boston College, West Virginia, Pitt, Cincinnati, Indiana and Purdue. Wisconsin is also new to the scene, offering Pavey on April 21st.

As a Junior, Pavey had 46 tackles 7.5 sacks and 9 tackles for loss.

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Football Recruiting

PI EXCLUSIVE: 3-Star S NC State Commit Tristan Teasdell Talks Commitment

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4 days ago

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May 5, 2024

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NC State picked up a verbal commitment from 2025 Safety Tristan Teasdell (6’1″/175) yesterday. I caught up with him to get a few thoughts on his commitment.

You received an offer from NC State at the end of March. How did the Wolfpack manage to make such an impression so quickly?

I feel like I fit in there scheme very well. They let their Safeties play free. They can come down hill and can also be very rangy! Another big part was the Coaching Staff. They talk to me almost every other day, so we have a great relationship.

Who is your primary recruiter? What is your relationship like with the coaches?

My primary Recruiter was Coach DeForest and Coach Aughtry-Lindsay. We have a great relationship.

Committing this early gives you a chance to become a recruiter. Are you looking forward to helping build NC State’s 2025 class?

I’m most definitely ready to built this 2025 class!

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Teasdell chose to run with the Wolfpack over offers from Miami, Duke, ECU, Coastal Carolina, Iowa, Kansas, Michigan, Nebraska, Oklahoma St., Oregon St., Pitt, TCU, Washington, Notre Dame, USC and others.

After the Wolfpack’s Spring Game, Teasdell told me that NC State was in his Top-5. He is scheduled to take an Official Visit on June 7-9.

Teasdell plays for Tuscarora High School in Leesburg, Virginia.

NC State offered Teasdell on March 25.

Teasdell is now NC State’s 4th verbal commitment in the 2025 recruiting class.

3-Star QB Will Wilson
3-Star TE Gus Ritchey
3-Star Defensive End Colby Cronk
3-Star Safety Tristan Teasdell

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