NC State football recruiting: Names to watch, and others to forget

Since our last check-in on the state of recruiting, NC State football has followed the recent trend of adding commitments. Outside of adding to their numbers in both the 2016 and 2017 classes, they have been able to find out where they stand with a few prospects. With fall camp underway, things could be relatively quiet going forward.

COMMITMENTS

Of the two commitments, the most immediate help came from the addition of linebacker Brock Miller from Florida. Miller picked the Pack in a neat commitment video over other contenders Cal, Kentucky, Virginia, and Virginia Tech. Based on the caliber of his other offers, Miller is one of the top pledges this cycle. Listed around 6'3" and 210 pounds, several of his offers wanted him to play either tight end or defensive end, and versatility is useful just in case linebacker should not work out.  With Miller's size and athleticism, he could contribute before his junior year.

NC State continued a quick start to their 2017 recruiting class with the commitment of tight end Damien Darden last week. While the Wolfpack were his first offer, the C.B. Aycock product was being closely monitored by both Duke and East Carolina. Darden is similar in body type to current star David J. Grinnage, a trait that has been missing in recent classes. At 6'4" 245 lbs, Darden has also played some defensive end in high school. He could be an early contributor once he hits campus due to his size and potential.

DECISIONS LOOMING

A few prospects with NC State offers are deciding soon, and the results could be a mixed bag. Florida receiver C.J. Riley is down to NC State, Duke, and Nebraska, with State and the Huskers looking like a close battle. At 6'5", Riley would be a red zone threat on the outside for any of these teams. The Floridian wants to decide before his senior season, so that could be any day now. In a much more surprising development, NC State was added back to the list of four star linebacker Elysee Mbem-Bosse. They were surprisingly left off his original top seven list, but now make his top five. They are now included along with Auburn, Michigan, USC, and Wake Forest. One would venture to guess that Auburn is his leader, but he has visited Raleigh twice and is close with former teammate Quentez Johnson, so the Pack could have a shot.

OTHER RECRUITMENTS

In not so great news, it appeared that Greenville wide receiver Cornell Powell may open his recruitment from Clemson, but he solidified his status with the Tigers this week. He had scheduled four official visits and looked likely to make the Pack his fifth, but as of now, that is no longer the case. In better news, longtime three star defensive back target Carlos Becker appears to have the Pack in his top three, as he has official visits scheduled for Wisconsin, Iowa State, and NC State. He plans on being in Raleigh on October 31 for the big matchup with Clemson. The Wolfpack may be the leader in this recruitment, which also includes Notre Dame and Kentucky. Jacksonville, NC defensive end Jimmie Taylor committed to Virginia Tech this week. He was once a top target for the Pack, but interest out of Raleigh cooled recently. The Pack may decide to revisit this recruitment throughout the season.