The Wolfpacker 3-2-1: NC State built recruiting momentum at its spring game
NC State football just wrapped up its busiest recruits weekend of the spring. The Wolfpack hosted a bunch of priority prospects for the spring game as the program tries to capitalize on the momentum that is radiating throughout the athletic department right now.
Heading into the spring, NC State holds 3 class of 2025 commits. Barring any surprises, I am not expecting anyone else to join the class before the summer.
The Wolfpack prefers that recruits take their time before announcing commitments, and that remains true for this cycle. NC State put itself in a great spot with a handful of top priority prospects over the past few weeks, setting up for a busy June.
This week’s 3-2-1 recruiting feature discusses the fallout from the spring game’s recruiting week and more.
3 things we learned about NC State football recruiting last week
1) Quarterback commit Will Wilson is working hard to recruit this class
Will Wilson spent his three-day trip to Raleigh growing his own connection with the program while also putting together a recruiting pitch for the other prospects on campus. He is not a huge fan of recruiting over social media, so he makes his opportunities count when he visits campus.
The quarterback told TheWolfpacker.com that he is recruiting four-star wide receiver Malik Clark, three-star tight end Mike Tyler and three-star sophomore quarterback Jayvon Gilmore to join him in Raleigh. All three of those prospects are from Wilson’s home state of South Carolina, and he recruited the latter two in person during Saturday’s spring game.
Tyler, an absolute top priority for NC State in this class, is very close friends with the Pack quarterback commit. He enjoyed the time spent with the junior signal-caller, and Wilson was definitely putting in the work to recruit him.
Clark is already joining the quarterback for an official visit June 21-23 alongside four-star wide receiver Shamarius Peterkin, offensive lineman Michael Gibbs and others. It will be interesting to see who else locks in a visit date for that weekend in the near future.
2) NC State made a really good impression on Toby Mealer
Three-star interior offensive lineman Toby Mealer left his NC State visit extremely impressed by the Pack. He traveled across the country from Utah because of his interest in the program, which was sparked by a connection between his high school staff and offensive line coach Garett Tujague.
Mealer spent three days in Raleigh and left with such a good impression that he called the Wolfpack assistant a father figure for him. Both the lineman and his family were pleasantly surprised by how well the visit went. NC State has a lot of positive momentum going in his recruitment right now, and Mealer will return June 7-9 for an official visit.
The Pack is recruiting him to play guard. On3 lists him at 6-5, 340 pounds, and one source told me those measurements are accurate, so he would add some impressive size to the program’s offensive line room.
Arizona, Arizona State, UCLA and others are all recruiting the three-star prospect. NC State is the only east coast school involved in his recruitment right now, but I really like where the Pack stands with him.
3) The Pack is expanding its defensive back board
NC State has extended a couple of new defensive back offers recently and hosted a pair of key visitors.
*** Tristan Teasdell: A 6-1 safety from Virginia who visited for the spring game. He enjoyed his trip to Raleigh and is planning an official visit for June. UCF, Duke and Pittsburgh have also offered.
*** Shawn Lee Jr.: The 5-10 athlete is not a new addition to the Wolfpack’s recruiting board, but he did return for the first time since last fall over the weekend. Lee spent a couple of days in Raleigh and took in a positive impression of the school. He is in the process of scheduling officials with Iowa State, UConn and NC State.
*** Tray Kinkle: A 6-0 nickel prospect from Mississippi who also holds an offer from Ole Miss. He hopes to visit the program soon but is still in the very early stages of his recruitment after running a 10.3 100-meter dash this spring.
2 questions for this week
1) Is NC State the trending team for a four–star receiver?
Peterkin returned to NC State for an important unofficial visit during the spring game. The Wolfpack impressed him once again, continuing a positive trend for the program in his decision-making process.
Ever since the four-star receiver stopped by for the Notre Dame game last fall, NC State has steadily built momentum in Peterkin’s recruitment. Now, the Winston-Salem (N.C.) Mt. Tabor High star has a great connection with the Wolfpack staff and is extremely interested in the program.
I am not putting in a prediction in his recruitment, but I like where NC State stands with the junior pass catcher. Now, the Pack needs to continue that momentum into the summer. He will take a May 31-June 2 trip to Virginia Tech before wrapping up his summer OV schedule with NC State June 21-23.
Peterkin has not scheduled an official with UNC yet— the presumed longtime favorite in his recruitment. I expect the Tar Heels will remain a contender with him, along with the Hokies.
2) Can the Pack continue to build momentum with Michael Gibbs?
Gibbs, a top priority offensive lineman in the Pack’s 2025 class, met Payton Wilson while on campus for the spring game. This was his third trip to Raleigh this year, and it left a great impression. The lineman said he can feel the family atmosphere around the program.
He spent some time with Wilson and tight end commit Gus Ritchey while on campus. They will all return to Raleigh this summer for a June 21-23 official visit, so establishing that bond now is important for the summer.
NC State has a great connection with the Wilmington (N.C.) Hoggard High junior and his family. Because of that, I continue to feel good about my RPM pick in the Wolfpack’s favor. Virginia Tech is a school to watch with him. Duke and Penn State are also involved.
1 prediction: NC State will take two or fewer transfers in the spring window
TheWolfpacker.com laid out potential transfer portal needs for NC State here but, after speaking with more sources Tuesday, a quiet transfer portal window would not surprise me. There’s a lot of excitement around this current group of players, so do not expect a ton of outgoing attrition either.
Various sources have mentioned center, safety and nose guard as positions to watch during the spring window. Expect the Wolfpack to evaluate each of those positions heavily, but do not be shocked to see just one or two more additions to the roster before fall camp begins.
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