Pack Adds Pair of Corners

When N.C. State flipped Mike Stevens from Kansas State, I noted that the pledge addressed the program's clear need at the corner position, where the Pack are completely unproven behind starters Juston Burris and Jack Tocho. The Pack weren't done adding depth to the position with Stevens, as they brought in two more prospects Thursday, both from the state of Maryland, in Elliott Davis and Troy Vincent.

If Vincent's name sounds familiar, it's because he is in fact the son of five time pro bowler Troy Vincent. The elder Vincent was a first-round pick in the 1992 NFL draft and enjoyed 15 years in the league. He served as the president of the NFL Players' Association and currently owns the title of Senior Vice President of the NFL Player Engagement Organization. As his dad was also a Walter Payton Man of the Year Award recipient, the younger Vincent comes from good pedigree on and off the field.

Of course, in the end, what we care about are Vincent's stars. He's got them. 247sports ranks Vincent as a high three-star recruit, the 26^th best corner in the class of 2014, and a top 500 player nationally. Rivals also gives him three stars and lists him as the 31^st corner nationally. Interestingly, Scout is highest on him in terms of stars (four) but lowest in terms of position ranking (33^rd). The bottom line: Troy junior, a product of Gilman High in Baltimore, is arguably second in stature only to Kentavius Street in the Pack's impressive recruiting haul, and, with his bloodlines, would appear to be a candidate to see the field right away. Vincent was originally a Penn State pledge but looked elsewhere when Bill O'Brien bolted for the NFL.

Davis, from Maryland's Quince Orchard High, is less highly regarded, getting three stars only from Scout, which tabs him as the 73^rd best corner in the class of 2014. The recruiting services apparently brought different measuring sticks when analyzing Davis, as his height ranges from 5-11 to 6-2 depending on the source. I tend to care more about the offer list than the stars when dreaming on the future of a recruit, so it is important to note that Davis also held an offer from Clemson. He was a two-way player in high school but is expected to play defense in college.

The class of 2014 has swelled to 28, with seven already having signed a letter of intent and enrolled for spring. Ten of the pledges are 31^st or better nationally at their position according to Rivals, and four hail from the state of Maryland. One wonders if the Terps' move to the B1G is hurting their recruiting. Davis and Vincent both held offers from their home-state school.