Wolfpack Offers Lightning-Fast Edge Rusher From Alabama

NC State is one of the 30-plus schools that have offered Willis, who has established himself as one of the top prospects in the 2027 class. The Pell City star can play both off the ball and on the EDGE at the college level, and has drawn interest from some of the nation’s top programs. 

Willis initially committed to Alabama in July 2024 but decommitted the following January, reopening his recruitment. Since then, several programs have pursued him, and the Wolfpack has now entered the race for the four-star EDGE. 

Doeren and his staff are looking to add multiple talented pass rushers in the 2027 cycle, and Willis would be an excellent addition to NC State’s class. Rivals’ industry rankings list him as the No. 263 overall player nationally, the No. 25 EDGE, and the No. 12 prospect in Alabama. 

NC State’s offer comes relatively late in Willis’ recruitment, as several schools have already made significant progress with him. Rivals’ Recruiting Prediction Machine currently lists Alabama as the frontrunner for the young pass rusher, with Auburn and Georgia Tech also in the mix. 

Although NC State currently faces an uphill battle for Willis, the program may have a way to gain ground in his recruitment. 

Newly hired Wolfpack defensive analyst Roc Bellantoni, who served as Auburn’s outside linebackers coach in 2025, had been recruiting Willis while with the Tigers and still has a strong relationship with him. 

If Doeren, Bellantoni, and the rest of the Wolfpack staff can continue making progress with him in the coming months and convince him to make a trip to Raleigh for a spring or official visit, NC State could position itself as a serious contender for one of the top pass rushers in the 2027 class.

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