Sep 11, 2025; Winston-Salem, North Carolina, USA; North Carolina State Wolfpack wide receiver Keenan Jackson (8) runs past Wake Forest Demon Deacons defensive back Nick Andersen (45) in the second half at Allegacy Federal Credit Union Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Luke Jamroz-Imagn Images Luke Jamroz-Imagn Images

Wolfpack Offers Fast-Rising 2028 Athlete

Originally posted on NC State Wolfpack on SI
By Max Dorsey | Last updated Feb 3, 2026 12:00 PM ET

Over the past month, the high school recruiting trail has become the focal point for college football programs across the country. As the offseason rolls on, coaching staffs continue to target and make progress with some of the top prospects in the 2027 and 2028 classes.

While NC State head coach Dave Doeren and his staff are primarily focused on the 2027 cycle, the Wolfpack has also started targeting several prospects in the 2028 class, recently extending an offer to one of the nation's most exciting athlete recruits.

NC State Extends Offer to 2028 Athlete

On Jan. 28, NC State extended an offer to Nicholas Carroll, a 2028 athlete prospect from Toombs County High School in Lyons, Georgia. He shared on X that the Wolfpack had offered him and thanked safeties coach Charlton Warren for the opportunity.

Blessed and thankful to receive an offer from @NStatefootball thank youuu!!! @CoachCwarren
@ChadSimmons_ @ToombsFootball1 @on3recruits @RivalsHS @CoachBMart pic.twitter.com/3QZRh0swHU
— Nicholas “Showtime”Carroll (@nickcarroll912) January 28, 2026

“Blessed and thankful to receive an offer from [NC State Football] thank youuu!!! [Coach Warren],” Caroll wrote.

Carroll doesn’t hold a star rating from 247Sports or Rivals and was relatively under-recruited during his sophomore season, only receiving offers from Florida State, Georgia Tech, Kentucky, Vanderbilt, and Syracuse.

However, over the past few weeks, his recruitment has exploded, picking up offers from Georgia, Wake Forest, Virginia Tech, East Carolina, Mississippi State, Georgia Southern, Kennesaw State, and now NC State.

Carroll is a versatile prospect who can play wide receiver or defensive back at the college level. He’s coming off a strong sophomore campaign at Toombs County, where, according to his X, he recorded 783 receiving yards and 11 touchdowns on offense and added 42 tackles, nine pass breakups, and seven interceptions on defense.

Although he’s currently a zero-star recruit, there’s a strong chance he’ll be rated among the top athlete prospects in the country once the 2028 class is graded out. NC State’s offer comes early in Carroll’s process, which should allow Doeren and his staff to build a strong relationship with the 2028 athlete before other programs start pursuing him.

Carroll is just the eighth 2028 prospect the Wolfpack has offered since the start of the new year, a move that signals that Doeren and company are highly interested in him.

While there’s a long way to go before the young athlete makes a decision, if NC State can make a strong early impression and continue making progress with him over the coming weeks, they should be well-positioned to compete for one of the fastest-rising prospects in the 2028 class.

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