The Wolfpacker War Room: NC State transfer portal and OV intel

NC State’s final official visit of the summer is underway. The Wolfpack will host seven priority prospects in Raleigh, and they are already starting to arrive on campus for their 48-hour stays with the program.

This week’s War Room shares the most recent intel on each of the recruits visiting this weekend and several other top prospects.

NC State will host a transfer portal prospect this weekend

Mathias Barnwell, a former tight end for Penn State and a four-star recruit in the 2023 class out of Fredericksburg (VA) Riverbend High, confirmed Friday afternoon that he will arrive at NC State Saturday morning for an official visit.

He enrolled with the Nittany Lions in January but opted to enter the transfer portal June 19. The tight end has four years of eligibility remaining and informed TheWolfpacker.com that he does not have any other visits scheduled going into the weekend.

Three-star offensive tackle Deryc Plazz

Deryc Plazz decommitted from Penn State earlier this month, and his recruitment is now back to the same top-two he shared going into official visit season. Miami took the lead during his official visit last weekend, but I am not counting out NC State at all. His bond with offensive line coach Garett Tujague is extremely strong.

Three-star cornerback Jivan Baly

I submitted an NC State prediction for Jivan Baly in March and remain confident in that pick heading into his official visit with the Pack. Mississippi State hosted him last weekend, but it will take a lot to beat out the Wolfpack for the cornerback from Georgia. He previously told TheWolfpacker.com that he wants to make a decision following his officials.

Three-star linebacker Elijah Groves

NC State has a chance to build some critical momentum with Elijah Groves this weekend. The linebacker from Tennessee picked up his Wolfpack offer this spring, and this will be his first trip to Raleigh. His decision date is set for July 1, and Purdue is a program to keep a close eye on right now. Groves officially visited the Boilermakers the first weekend of June, but that was his only other official visit.

Three-star defensive lineman Justin Terrell

It is obviously a good sign that Justin Terrell left his UNC visit uncommitted, but I do not have much of a gauge on NC State’s chances going into this visit. The lineman told me earlier this year he did not plan on making a decision until the fall.

Three-star offensive tackle Tyler West

Tyler West has emerged as priority prospect for the Pack over the past couple of months. The 6-5 offensive tackle visited Duke June 9-11, but the timing of his trip to Raleigh works out very well. Plazz, West and Trent Mitchell, who will visit Maryland this weekend, would be a solid tackle class with impressive size.

Defensive lineman Chris Burge

Chris Burge does not hold an offer from NC State yet, but he is definitely interested in the program. I checked in with him earlier this week to ask why he chose to set a trip to campus.

“I really want to meet the whole coaching staff and take my family out of the state to see new things and possibly find a new place to call home,” Burge said.

Maryland and Missouri have offered the 6-3, 240-pound lineman.

Three-star cornerback Therrian Alexander III

Therrian Alexander III arrived at NC State Wednesday and left Friday. The trip went extremely well. He does not plan on taking official visits, including one to Raleigh, until the fall. The defensive back will also visit for the Alpha Wolf Showcase in July. NC State sits firmly in his top two alongside Mississippi State.

He plays for Cam Newton’s 7-on-7 team, so he is friends with top Wolfpack prospects Terrell Anderson and Alex Taylor. Alexander, who plays for Decatur (Ga.) Southwest DeKalb High, also knows running back commit Duke Scott from competing against them on the field. The defensive back has already spoken with that group about potentially teaming up in college.

“They’ve been recruiting me pretty hard, but everybody’s trying to figure out what they are going to do with school first before we just shut down our recruitments.” Alexander said.

Four-star wide receiver Terrell Anderson

Anderson was at UNC’s 7-on-7 camp this week with Grimsley High. He wore Wolfpack gloves and cleats to the event. NC State is his top school and, unless Tennessee makes a substantial move in his recruitment this weekend (I do think it would take a lot) I am projecting him to the Pack.

Four-star wide receiver Alex Taylor

Taylor took a two-day trip to Penn State this week and will spend the weekend with UNC. I give the Tar Heels a slight edge right now, but there is still buzz around the Wolfpack. The Grimsley High receiver keeps his recruitment quiet, and there is no clear leader heading into his final official.

Three-star defensive lineman Nnamdi Ogboko

Nnamdi Ogboko returned to Raleigh for another unofficial visit this week. It was a casual visit for the South Garner High lineman, who, per a source, spent time watching film and hanging out with the Pack. He heads to Georgia this weekend, and the Wolfpack will have to hope he leaves the trip to Athens uncommitted. If he does, the program has a shot.

South Carolina is the other program to monitor closely. It is definitely a good sign that he stopped by campus twice this month, and his NC State OV is scheduled for the Notre Dame game this fall.

Wide receiver Franklin Baret Jr.

Wake Forest high receiver Franklin Baret Jr. stopped by NC State after a standout camp performance. He is starting to garner the attention of schools including Duke, Wake Forest, Colorado and Alabama. The rising senior visited the Crimson Tide Thursday. Wake Forest High’s run-heavy offense last year meant Baret did not put up big numbers, but his athleticism is clearly evident from his sub 4.4 40-yard-dash and other outstanding testing numbers.

NC State wants to evaluate his first couple games of the season before extending an offer. I would guess quite a few other programs will do the same. His recruitment could expand quickly in the fall, but the Pack is definitely in a good spot.

Miscellaneous recruiting notes

Defensive lineman Garrison Butler is not visiting this weekend, per multiple sources. His commitment with Cincinnati remains solid.

NC State offered Aiden Harris and Andrew Harris Friday. The Weddington High rising sophomores will be national recruits.

Class of 2025 quarterback David McComb stopped by NC State Friday for an unofficial visit. He does not hold an offer yet.

NC State extended a scholarship to Brandon Brown Thursday. The four-star, class of 2025 defensive lineman is the No. 162 recruit in the country out of Melbourne (Fla.) Eau Gallie High.

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