HighSchool OT

Football

NC State signs 9 in-state players

Feb 6, 2013

NC State football coach Dave Doeren signed 25 players in his first recruiting class with the Wolfpack, including nine in-state players.

Johnathan Alston (Bunn), Cole Blakenship (Davie County), Bra'Lon Cherry (New Bern), Pharoah McKever (South Columbus), Dakwa Nichols (Richmond County), Quinton Patterson (Crest), Patrick Roane (Gray's Creek), Artemis Robinson (Scotland County), and Jack Tocho (Independence) all signed with NC State from North Carolina high schools.

Blakenship and Cherry have already enrolled at NC State for the spring semester.

Alston played wide receiver and linebacker at Bunn last season, helping the team to a 10-3 record. He caught 27 catches for 523 yards and seven touchdowns as a junior, and is ranked the No. 25 player in the state by Rivals.com.

Blakenship played center, guard and tackle at Davie County along the offensive line. He missed half of his senior season with a broken foot, but managed to get a spot on the Shrine Bowl roster where he earned a starting position. He is ranked the No. 23 center in the country by Scout.com.

Cherry played wide receiver and defensive back at New Bern, where he posted 39 receptions for 795 yards and nine touchdowns. On defense he recorded 46 tackles, 24 pass breakups, and four interceptions. He returned two of his interceptions for touchdowns. Cherry helped his team to the state championship where he recorded four catches for 89 yards and rushed four times for 56 yards and a touchdown.

McKever was a quarterback and safety at South Columbus High School where he passed for 3,617 yards and rushed for 2,070 yards during his high school career. On defense, McKever posted 280 tackles and 18 interceptions. As a senior, McKever recorded over 2,500 total yards, topping the 1,000-yard mark in both rushing and passing.

Nichols played running back at Richmond County High School where he ran the ball 91 times for 1,094 yards and 14 touchdowns as a senior. As a junior, Nichols posted nearly 1,000 yards on the ground , scoring 15 times.

More Info     2013 NC State football recruiting class player profiles

Patterson, a linebacker at Crest High School, helped his team to a 10-3 season last year, earning a spot on the Shrine Bowl roster. At the Shrine Bowl, Patterson recorded six tackles including two for a loss, earning him Defensive MVP honors.

Roane was an offensive tackle at Gray's Creek High School. Last season, Roane was named an all-state selection by NCPreps.com after earning a trip to the Shrine Bowl where he started at right tackle.

Robinson finished his high school career at Scotland County with a 48-2 record and 240 career tackles. As a senior, Robinson posted 153 tackles, including 104 solo tackles. He also had two sacks and an interception as as senior, earning a trip to the Shrine Bowl. 

Tocho played cornerback at Independence High School last season, posting 57 tackles and six interceptions. He also returned three kickoffs for touchdowns. An AP All-State selection as a senior, Tocho earned a trip to the Shrine Bowl in December.