Welcome to The Huddle again!

I apologize for the delay in publishing this edition. I have been devoting a significant amount of time to researching for this project.

I reviewed the 2023 season of every Power 5 college football team to determine the top-performing players from North Carolina. In the past, it was simpler to monitor these individuals as they typically remained at their initial university throughout their college journey. However, this is not always the case nowadays.

Please inform me if I overlooked any notable performances from former North Carolina players in the Power 5 conferences. It is possible that some may have been overlooked during my research.

Be on the lookout for a new edition of The Huddle that highlights the top seasons from FBS players outside of the Power 5 conferences.

First down: Five players from North Carolina who have announced their declaration for the 2024 NFL Draft.

The players are arranged in alphabetical order according to the high schools in North Carolina that they attended.

• Cedric Gray, a former student of Ardrey Kell, has had a successful run as a linebacker at UNC. In the year 2023, Gray earned the title of First Team All-ACC after recording 121 tackles, 11 tackles for loss, five sacks, one interception, five pass breakups, two forced fumbles, and two fumble recoveries. He has announced his intention to participate in the 2024 NFL Draft and is highly regarded as a top prospect by various draft analysts.

• In 2023, Jacob Monk, who served as captain for two years at Duke University, received the prestigious honor of being selected as a First Team All-ACC guard. Recently, Monk has announced his intention to enter the NFL Draft and has a promising opportunity to be drafted. Standing at 6-foot-3 and weighing 320 pounds, Monk hails from Corinth Holders.

• Alfahiym Walcott, who used to play for Laney High and later attended Baylor University, has announced his intention to enter the NFL Draft following a successful season at Arkansas in 2023. Walcott recorded 56 tackles, five pass breakups, three interceptions, and one interception returned for a touchdown. In week 12, he received the highest grade of 90.5 from PFF among all SEC defenders.

• Jacob Roberts, from Mallard Creek, made a strong impression during his single season playing for Wake Forest. He initially played for NC A&T before joining the Demon Deacons. Roberts ranked second on the team with a total of 83 tackles, 10 tackles for loss, six sacks, two forced fumbles, and one pass breakup. He has announced his intention to enter the 2024 NFL Draft.

• D’mitri Emmanuel, an offensive guard for Florida State, earned the honor of being named First Team All-ACC for his outstanding performance in 2023. In the previous season, he was recognized as Third Team. On championship weekend, PFF ranked him as the third best pass blocker in the nation. The former player from Marvin Ridge has announced his intention to enter the 2024 NFL Draft.

• Drake Maye, a Myers Park graduate, continued his historic career at the University of North Carolina with a big second season as the program’s starter. Maye completed 269 of 426 passing attempts (63.1%) for 3,608 yards, 24 touchdowns, and nine interceptions. He also rushed for 449 yards and nine touchdowns on 112 attempts. He was Second Team All-ACC and is expected to be a top five pick in the 2024 NFL Draft.

• Malachi Ruffin, a former high school player from North Carolina, decided to enter the NFL Draft following a successful season at West Virginia University. As a defensive back, he recorded 37 tackles and one interception. Ruffin’s completion percentage allowed was 42.5%.

• Payton Wilson, who played for Orange High School, concluded his impressive time as a linebacker at NC State by being chosen as a First Team All-ACC member. Throughout his career, Wilson accumulated 138 tackles, 17.5 tackles for loss, six sacks, three interceptions, nine pass breakups, one forced fumble, and two fumble recoveries. He was ranked as the fifth best linebacker in the nation by PPF and earned a grade of 88.9. Wilson is highly regarded as a potential day two pick in the NFL Draft.

• Lee Kpogba, a graduate of Parkland High School, recorded a total of 97 tackles, 7.5 of which were for a loss, along with three sacks and a forced fumble in his final season at West Virginia. His outstanding performance earned him a spot on the Honorable Mention All-Big 12 team. He also contributed to West Virginia’s win against North Carolina in the Duke’s Mayo Bowl. Kpogba has announced his decision to enter the 2024 NFL Draft.

• Jamoi Hodge, a former player for R.J. Reynolds, has been named to the Honorable Mention All-Big 12 team for the second year in a row. The TCU linebacker recorded 83 tackles, 6.5 tackles for loss, three sacks, and two pass breakups during the 2023 season. He has announced his intention to enter the NFL Draft.

• Jaylen Wright, a former student of Southern Durham, had an exceptional year as the running back for the Tennessee Volunteers. He was ranked as the top rusher by Pro Football Focus among all SEC schools with an impressive grade of 91.0. Wright also achieved a school record for the quickest time to reach 1,000 rushing yards in a season. During his breakaway rushes, he reached speeds of over 22 miles per hour. Wright has announced his intention to enter the 2024 NFL Draft.

• Tre’Von Jones, a graduate transfer from Trinity Christian, played for Minnesota in 2023 and ranked second on the team in total tackles as a defensive back with 53. He also had eight passes broken up and two interceptions. Jones has announced his intention to enter the NFL Draft.

• Malik Mustapha, a former student of Weddington High School, received the honor of being selected as Second Team All-ACC for his outstanding performance as a safety in 2023. He served as team captain for Wake Forest and played in every game. Throughout the season, Mustapha recorded 67 tackles, five tackles for loss, 0.5 sacks, one interception, three pass breakups, and one forced fumble. He has also been invited to participate in the Reese’s Senior Bowl and is currently ranked as the 131st prospect in the draft by PFF.
• Will Shipley from Weddington had 827 yards and five touchdowns as Weddington’s lead running back in 2023. Shipley declared for the 2024 NFL Draft after the season. He finished his Clemson career with 2,747 rushing yards, 602 receiving yards, and 33 total touchdowns in three seasons.

• After the NCAA approved his eligibility, Tez Walker played in seven matches for UNC. During that time, he caught 35 passes for 656 yards and scored seven touchdowns. He has announced his intention to enter the 2024 NFL Draft. As a graduate of West Charlotte, Walker is highly regarded as one of the top 75 prospects in his draft class.

• Delmar Glaze, a former student of West Mecklenburg, played as the starting left tackle for Maryland in all 12 games and received the honor of being named Third Team All-Big Ten. Although he has been invited to participate in the Reese’s Senior Bowl, Glaze has not yet announced his plans for the NFL Draft. He is currently ranked as high as 102 on Bleacher Report’s list of potential draft prospects for 2024, but some sources have placed him as low as 204, according to Pro Football Network.

• Joshua Karty, a former kicker for Western Alamance, was selected as a First Team All-PAC-12 member. During his time at Stanford, he successfully completed 23 out of 27 field goal attempts, with a personal best of 56 yards. Karty has officially declared his entry into the 2024 NFL Draft and is anticipated to be among the highest picks for kickers.

Second down: Five players from North Carolina selected for all-conference honors.

The players are organized based on the alphabetized names of the North Carolina high schools they attended.

• KC Concepcion, a former student of Chambers High School, received the honor of being named a Freshman All-American by the Football Writers Association of America. This recognition was earned after he successfully caught 71 passes for 839 yards and scored 10 touchdowns for NC State. He ranked in the top five among all ACC players for receptions, yards, and receiving touchdowns. Additionally, he showcased his versatility by rushing for 320 yards.

• In his third year as a linebacker at North Carolina, Chambers’ Power Echols was selected for the All-ACC Third Team. He recorded 102 total tackles, 5.5 tackles for loss, one interception, two pass breakups, and two forced fumbles. He has decided to continue playing for UNC in his final year of college.

• James Pearce Jr. from Chambers’ graduating class of 2022 was named All-SEC First Team by the Associated Press and coaches. He finished top 10 nationally in sacks with 10. The Tennessee Volunteer was Pro Football Focus’ highest graded defensive end in the SEC at 86.7. Pearce is already receiving first round hype for the 2025 NFL Draft.

• Aydan White, a cornerback for NC State, was named Third Team All-ACC by Christ School. In the following year, 2022, he earned the First Team title. White recorded 37 tackles and two interceptions, and received a PFF grade of 72.2.

• In the 2025 NFL Draft, Omarion Hampton, a former UNC running back, may have an impact after being named First Team All-ACC. He achieved this recognition by rushing for 1,504 yards and 15 touchdowns on 253 attempts, as well as recording 222 receiving yards and a touchdown on 29 receptions. Hampton, who previously attended Cleveland High School, has the potential to make a mark in the upcoming draft.

• In 2023, Jordan Waters, a previous running back for Fairmont, received the title of Third Team All-ACC for his performance of 819 rushing yards and 12 touchdowns with Duke. He has since transferred to NC State.

• Aeneas Peebles, hailing from Knightdale, received the honor of being named Third Team All-ACC as a defensive tackle during his time at Duke. His impressive stats from the fall include 43 tackles, 9.5 tackles resulting in a loss, five sacks, one forced fumble, and one fumble recovery. Following the season’s end, he made the decision to transfer to Virginia Tech.

• Noah Burnette, a former student at Leesville Road, successfully made 19 out of 29 attempts in field goals for UNC and was recognized with a Second Team position on the All-ACC team.

• Brandon Johnson from Newton-Conover had an impressive performance as a nickel player at Duke, earning the title of Honorable Mention All-ACC. In 12 games, he recorded 56 tackles, two sacks, and four pass breakups. Johnson has since moved on to play for Oregon.

• Tre Freeman, a former Northern Durham student, achieved Second Team All-ACC at Duke University. During his time there, he had 106 total tackles, five tackles for a loss, 1.5 sacks, one forced fumble, and one interception.

• Devan Boykin, a student at Ragsdale High School, had an impressive season playing safety for NC State. He recorded 54 tackles, three tackles for loss, three interceptions, and one forced fumble. Despite suffering a torn ACL, he will be back with the Wolfpack next year. He was recognized for his accomplishments with an All-ACC Honorable Mention.

• Shyheim Battle, a defensive back from Rocky Mount, had a successful season at NC State as a redshirt junior. He recorded a total of 46 tackles, two interceptions, and one fumble recovery. His strong performance earned him recognition as an All-ACC Honorable Mention.

• Jaylon Scott, a former student of Shelby High School, had a successful year playing as a linebacker for NC State. He recorded a total of 75 tackles, 5.5 of which were for a loss. He also had two sacks, three pass breakups, one forced fumble, and one fumble recovery. As a result of his performance, he received Honorable Mention recognition from the All-ACC.

• Bryson Nesbit, a former South Mecklenburg student, was selected for the All-ACC First Team Offense as a tight end. Utilizing his impressive height of 6 feet 5 inches, Nesbit made 41 catches for a total of 585 yards and scored five touchdowns. While there have been discussions about Nesbit potentially being drafted into the NFL, he has not yet made a decision about staying with the North Carolina Tar Heels until 2024.

• In 2023, Michael Gonzalez, a former student of Sun Valley, was recognized as Honorable Mention All-ACC for his performance as an offensive guard for Louisville. He played at the position of left guard.

• Tim McKay from Wakefield played as the right guard for NC State and received the recognition of Honorable Mention All-ACC.

Third Down: Noteworthy seasons of P5 players from North Carolina.

I have chosen to highlight a few additional players who I believe deserve recognition. These individuals may have the potential for a breakout season in the 2024 college football season. They are organized in alphabetical order based on the North Carolina high school they attended.

• British Brooks, a former Ashbrook student, rushed for 375 yards and scored two touchdowns on 74 carries in his fifth year at the University of North Carolina.

• Liam Boyd, a former Asheville High student, served as the kickoff specialist for North Carolina and successfully hit 49 touchbacks out of 66 attempts.

• This season, NC State’s left guard position was filled by Anthony Carter Jr, who is an alumnus of Butler.

• Todd Pelino, a former student at Cannon School, successfully made 18 out of 23 field goal attempts while serving as Duke’s starting kicker.

• Mitch Jeter, originally from Salisbury but a player for Cannon School, had a 12 out of 14 success rate with his field goal attempts for the South Carolina Gamecocks. His longest kick was from 51 yards.

• Davin Vann, a player on the Cary High football team, continues to be a standout for the NC State defense. He has recorded 42 tackles, seven of which were for a loss, 5.5 sacks, one pass breakup, one forced fumble, and one fumble recovery. Vann will be back with NC State for the upcoming season.

• DeAndre Boykins, a former student of Central Cabarrus High School, experienced a torn ACL during the current season following a successful 2022 performance playing for the UNC Tar Heels.

• Stefon Thompson, a former student of Chambers, participated in all of Syracuse’s games and was a starter in one. During his second year of redshirt, he recorded 52 tackles, four of which were for a loss, 1.5 sacks, and also forced a fumble.

• In 2023, Garrett Shrader from Charlotte Christian assumed the role of starting quarterback for Syracuse. Throughout the season, Shrader had a completion rate of 134 out of 214 passing attempts, gaining a total of 1,686 yards, scoring 13 touchdowns, and throwing six interceptions. He also rushed for 469 yards and scored eight touchdowns. Unfortunately, Shrader’s season ended prematurely due to a shoulder injury before Syracuse’s bowl game.

• In the 2023 season, Ben Anderson from Charlotte Latin was responsible for long-snapping for the Oklahoma Sooners in all 12 games.

• Devin Carter, a 6-foot-3 wide receiver from Clayton High School, had a successful first season at West Virginia in 2023, catching 27 passes for 501 yards and scoring two touchdowns after transferring from NC State.

• Savion Jackson from Clayton, a former highly-rated player, had an impressive season at NC State with 40 tackles, 5.5 tackles for loss, and 2.5 sacks.

• In 2023, Palmer Williams, a former punter for Davie County, had a successful first year at Baylor as a true freshman. Williams punted 37 times for a total of 1,592 yards, averaging 43.0 yards per punt. His longest punt was 53 yards.

• In 2023, Tate Carney, a redshirt freshman from Davie County High, had a successful season for Wake Forest. He achieved 253 yards rushing and scored four touchdowns, placing him second among all players on the Demon Deacons team.

• In 2022, Ben Cutter achieved victory in the 3A state championship while playing for East Lincoln. The following year, as a true freshman at West Virginia University in 2023, Cutter quickly made a name for himself. He recorded a total of 56 tackles, six of which were for a loss, and two sacks.

• Dre Walker, a former student at East Lincoln, had a successful first year as a freshman at Virginia. He made a total of 11 tackles, intercepted one pass, and had six pass breakups. His standout performance was during a 30-27 victory against Duke, where he made six tackles and two pass deflections.

• Stephen Gosnell of East Surry played as a wide receiver in 12 games for Virginia Tech, recording 22 catches for 348 yards and three touchdowns.

• Benji Gosnell, Stephen’s sibling, began his football career as a tight end for Virginia Tech and played in eight games. He made 12 catches for a total of 137 yards and scored a touchdown.

• Collin Smith, a graduate of Eastern Guilford High School, served as NC State’s kickoff specialist and successfully achieved 40 touchbacks out of 66 attempts.

• John Saunders Jr., who previously played for High Point Christian, had a successful season as a safety for Ole Miss. As a senior, he recorded 65 total tackles, three interceptions, and four pass breakups. He is set to continue playing for Ole Miss in 2024.

• In his third year playing for NC State, Julian Gray of Hopewell recorded a total of 442 yards and scored a touchdown on 17 kickoff returns.

• NC State’s safety, Sean Brown, previously from Hough High School, had a notable performance this season with 66 overall tackles, five tackles for a loss, two sacks, two interceptions, seven pass breakups, and one forced fumble. He is expected to continue playing for NC State in the year 2024.

• UNC’s Kobe Paysour, a former student at Kings Mountain, caught 22 passes for 282 yards and scored three touchdowns.

• In 2023, Trey Cooley, a former student of Knightdale, achieved a total of 274 rushing yards and three touchdowns while playing for Georgia Tech.

• Desmond Evans, a highly-rated edge rusher from Lee County, had an impressive season with the North Carolina Tar Heels. He recorded 33 tackles, five tackles for loss, three sacks, and five pass breakups.

• Former Leesville Road student Beau Atkinson had a successful first year as a redshirt freshman on the University of North Carolina’s defensive line. He recorded a total of 19 tackles, 4.5 tackles for a loss, 3.5 sacks, and one forced fumble.

• C.J. McCray, a Lumberton native and former defensive lineman for Mallard Creek, appeared in every game for Virginia Tech and recorded a total of 21 tackles, 3.5 sacks, and a fumble recovery.

• Caden Noonkester, the punter for NC State from Marvin Ridge, maintained strong performance by averaging 42.6 yards and successfully placing 25 balls within the 20-yard line out of 71 attempts.

• NC State recently acquired a transfer from Wake Forest, Wesley Grimes, who was previously a wide receiver at Millbrook. In the 2023 season, Grimes had three starting appearances and recorded 20 catches for 339 yards and four touchdowns for the Demon Deacons.

• Diego Pounds, a student at Millbrook High School, played as the left tackle for his third season with the UNC Tar Heels and received a 61.6 overall grade from PFF. He has now transferred to Ole Miss.

• Donavon Greene, a former student of Mount Airy, was unable to play in the 2023 season due to an injury. Prior to that, he had a remarkable 2022 season for Wake Forest.

• Moose Muhammad III, a wide receiver from Myers Park, had a total of 27 catches for 345 yards and two touchdowns during the previous football season at Texas A&M.

• In 2023, Matthew Dennis, a former student at Myers Park, served as Wake Forest’s kickoff specialist during his third year as a redshirt player. He successfully completed 14 out of 20 field goal tries.

• In his debut season with UCF, Jireh Wilson, a defensive back from Northside-Jacksonville High School, recorded 46 tackles, two pass deflections, and a forced fumble.

• Alan Tisdale, an alumnus of Virginia Tech, completed his five-year tenure with the university, accumulating 75 total tackles, 3.5 tackles for loss, 1.5 sacks, and two pass breakups.

• In his second year as a linebacker for the University of Georgia, Salisbury’s Jalon Walker recorded 20 combined tackles, five sacks, and forced one fumble.

• In the year 2023, Slade Roy from South Mecklenburg was responsible for the long-snapping duties for the LSU Tigers in all 13 games.

• Justin Harrington, a former student at Southeast Raleigh, played in two matches for Oklahoma’s defense before getting injured and ending his season.

• During the 2023 season, Aaron Hall, a redshirt sophomore from Southern Durham, had 26 tackles, two of which were for a loss, 1.5 sacks, and one forced fumble while playing in a rotational position for Duke.

• In 2023, former Washington Pam Pack standout Terry Moore made the transition from running back to safety for Duke University. Throughout the season, Moore recorded 43 tackles, 3.5 tackles for loss, and 2.5 sacks.

• Will Cobb, a former Weddington student, continued his role as Wake Forest’s long snapper for the second year in a row.

• Jared Wilson, a former offensive lineman for West Forsyth, played in all of Georgia’s games as a redshirt sophomore. He has a strong possibility of securing a starting position in the upcoming season.

• Zeek Biggers, a West Rowan graduate, stands at an impressive 6-foot-6 and weighs 333 pounds. During his junior year at Georgia Tech, he recorded 40 total tackles, four of which resulted in a loss of yards, one sack, and three passes defensed.

Source: highschoolot.com