NC State football recruiting: DB Jacobe Clement and WR Emeka Emezie decommit

A couple of spots in the Pack’s 2017 class opened back up recently.

During a week in which NC State could not take a loss on the field, they did lose a couple of recruits. While one appears to be mutual, the other was undoubtedly a hit to the class. Meanwhile, the Pack hosted a coveted prospect committed elsewhere and has been narrowing down their recruiting board.

LOSSES

The first decommitment last week came from Mallard Creek (Charlotte) cornerback Jacobe Clement. This one appeared to be a mutual parting of the ways, with the Pack sounding like they will explore other options or not take a corner this class. Clement was a high priority recruit for many Power 5 teams early on, but when he came to camp at State in the summer, he had to earn his keep. He committed to NC State the day of his offer and added a big corner to the class from a powerhouse program. The Pack were not anticipating taking a cornerback this year, and Clement's on-field performances must not have been enough for State to be convinced to keep him in the fold. Expect schools like ECU (who he visited for the Pack's game there) and other mid-majors to be in the fold.

The other subtraction from the class was a big loss. Emeka Emezie from Marvin Ridge, also near Charlotte, was a tall receiver with good hands that was a big addition to the class. He will continue to be pursued by the program as well as some other bigger schools in the south. He can certainly rejoin the class, but other ACC programs will be in pursuit, and UNC could be a danger if they become involved.

POTENTIAL ADDITIONS

One positive from last week came from an extremely unexpected source. Four-star defensive lineman Aaron Sterling had been committed to Alabama for a while, but made a visit for the Old Dominion game and opened his recruitment up right after. This was not a case of Alabama giving him the boot, and he is being pursued by other SEC schools, namely South Carolina.

At other positions, the picture is less clear. The coaching staff will continue to pursue defensive linemen as well as an offensive tackle, a receiver (Emezie or otherwise), and possibly a safety. If any other spots open up, they will look to replace those, but the class is almost filled up. Dave Doeren and Co. tend to add a sleeper or two late in the season, so that will likely be the M.O. here as well.

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