Friday Recruiting Rundown: Floodgates Opened

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The college transfer portal closed late last week, and it's opened the proverbial floodgates of the high school recruiting window. Coaches are on the road, and it's led to one of the busiest weeks of offers I can remember since covering this sport. Here, we're breaking down some of the offers and recruiting info that you may have missed.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading --> <h2 class="wp-block-heading">January 23 Recruiting Rundown</h2> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><a href="https://prepredzone.com/2026/01/friday-recruiting-rundown-jan-16-update/">Last week</a>, I surmised that it was one of the final quiet weeks before a big recruiting push for the classes of 2027 and 2028. That's turned out to be the case with a wild first week after the transfer portal. As one FBS director of player personnel texted me, his school has had guys in the 2027 class on the radar, but this is the first week they've had the chance to really get out and convert that interest into verbal offers.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Even with that prediction, I'm overwhelmed with how quickly high school recruiting has moved. Here, I'll attempt to summarize a lot of what's gone down across North Carolina this week.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading {"level":3} --> <h3 class="wp-block-heading">First Offers Going Out</h3> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>While technically not the start of a recruiting cycle, January is often a time when new names pop up on the recruiting radar, and several players across North Carolina earned their first offers. Several of those guys have experienced the "first offer bump" that has gotten the ball rolling on their recruitment.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Garner running back <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1225217' first='Amir' last='Wallace']</strong> has long been a scouting favorite of ours, a guy with excellent vision and the ability to fall forward. Now, he's on the board with a Campbell offer. Campbell also reached out to East Forsyth receiver <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='2111283' first='Christian' last='Cepeda']</strong> to give the rising senior his first offer.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>2027 edge rusher <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1668282' first='Christian' last='Stowe']</strong> also received his first FCS offer on Wednesday from Gardner-Webb, and then followed that up with one from FBS East Carolina on Thursday.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The Pirates were one of the first to offer St. Pauls 2028 edge rusher <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='2111037' first='Dallas' last='Richardson']</strong> after the Miami Hurricanes offered on Wednesday. While not his first offer, St. Pauls teammate <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1656785' first='Antwan' last='McKoy']</strong> has also had a busy week, with offers from Virginia Tech and Kansas State.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The 2028 edge rusher class is impressive, and another high-upside youngster earned an offer, as Cary's <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1969827' first='Anthony' last='Atunku']</strong> earned his first verbal offer from Boston College, a team that has historically been unafraid to offer early in the Tar Heel State.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Also in Raleigh, Cardinal Gibbons offensive lineman <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1607759' first='Malek' last='Griffin']</strong> earned an offer from Campbell last week. He's a massive lineman with positional versatility, and we think this could simply be the beginning of a busy spring.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading {"level":3} --> <h3 class="wp-block-heading">Teams Offering in Bulk</h3> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Several teams, many of them out of state, swooped in this week to offer players in bulk.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>UConn came through Greensboro and Charlotte earlier this week to offer several players. A trio of defenders in the Grimsley secondary earned offers from the Huskies. <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1788066' first='Makai' last='Yon']</strong>, <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='2111006' first='Ramir' last='Harris-Dupree']</strong>, and <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='2110745' first='EJ' last='Davis']</strong> all earned UConn offers shortly after in-state Charlotte offered. UConn also offered 2028 defensive back <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1393949' first='Zion' last='Dobson']</strong> and 2027 edge rusher <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1318716' first='Griffin' last='Cockerham']</strong>, who was also offered by Boston College, another New England school that was active in North Carolina this week.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Charlotte was probably the most active team this week in North Carolina, offering a host of prospects in the 2027, 2028, and even 2029 classes. Among those offered are a trio of RDU offensive linemen. Southeast Raleigh 2028s <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='548207' first='Grayson' last='Williams']</strong> and <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='2110441' first='Zamir' last='Jackson']</strong> each counted offers from Charlotte among a few others this week. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Millbrook 2029 offensive lineman <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='2072220' first='Amir' last='Daniels']</strong> was one of only a handful of freshman starters in the trenches among the higher classifications. This week, Charlotte and Boston College offered while at Millbrook. Tight end <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1252939' first='Hayes' last='Brawner']</strong>, Daniels' Millbrook teammate and one of the top tight ends in an awesome 2027 group, was also offered by the 49ers and Eagles.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The 49ers also offered TE <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1607810' first='Qualteau' last='Hawkins']</strong> of Stuart Cramer, WR <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1222913' first='Anthony' last='Roberts']</strong> from Rolesville, edge rusher <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1678650' first='Kadence' last='Pruitt']</strong> of Reidsville, South Garner's <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1607095' first='Randolph' last='Ross']</strong>, and Shelby's <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1687745' first='Tee' last='Hollifield']</strong>, five potential Power Four products in the 2027 class.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Finally, the 49ers offered Broughton edge rusher <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1606887' first='Darias' last='Johnson']</strong>, grabbing the 2028's attention in the process.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:embed {"url":"https://twitter.com/DariasJohnson/status/2014010407057293588?s=20","type":"rich","providerNameSlug":"twitter","responsive":true} --> <figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-twitter wp-block-embed-twitter"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper"> https://twitter.com/DariasJohnson/status/2014010407057293588?s=20 </div></figure> <!-- /wp:embed --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Wake Forest has been busier elsewhere this week, but has dispensed a few offers in North Carolina, too. Elite 2028 linebacker <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1044292' first='Skylar' last='Alston']</strong> (No. 2 overall in our <a href="https://prepredzone.com/north-carolina/rankings/2028-rankings/">2028 rankings</a>) was offered by the Demon Deacons, who also offered the aforementioned Williams and Jackson from Southeast Raleigh. The Demon Deacons also offered Hollifield and 2028 teammate <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1687752' first='Tyson' last='Williams']</strong> last week.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading --> <h2 class="wp-block-heading">Other News and Notes</h2> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:list --> <ul class="wp-block-list"><!-- wp:list-item --> <li>Cape Fear RB <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1675598' first='Tai' last='Phillips']</strong> earned an East Carolina offer. I wouldn't be surprised if that one progressed beyond the standard "blessed to receive an offer" tweet.</li> <!-- /wp:list-item --></ul> <!-- /wp:list --> <!-- wp:list --> <ul class="wp-block-list"><!-- wp:list-item --> <li>Several Providence Day defenders earned new offers. <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1608315' first='Moses' last='Poku-Kankam']</strong> earned his first offer since the season ended with a Louisville offer. The Cardinals also offered elite edge rusher <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1029786' first='Griff' last='Galloway']</strong>. Virginia Tech head coach James Franklin himself offered <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1239187' first='Caleb' last='Cooper']</strong> and <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1292543' first='AJ' last='Barnes']</strong>. <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1610603' first='Tre' last='Geathers']</strong> was offered by Vanderbilt, meaning four Charger defensive backs earned Power Four offers this week.</li> <!-- /wp:list-item --></ul> <!-- /wp:list --> <!-- wp:list --> <ul class="wp-block-list"><!-- wp:list-item --> <li>Midway TE <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1368099' first='Jacob' last='Holland']</strong> earned two offers this week: one from Wingate, and his first from an FBS school as East Carolina jumped in.</li> <!-- /wp:list-item --></ul> <!-- /wp:list --> <!-- wp:list --> <ul class="wp-block-list"><!-- wp:list-item --> <li>A few miscellaneous offers for top Charlotte prospects: West Charlotte's <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='949642' first='Michael' last='Griffin Jr'].</strong> and <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='422544' first='Jamil' last='Watson']</strong> earned Louisville offers. Linebacker <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='950969' first='Ryan' last='Peterson']</strong> earned a Penn State offer, while teammates <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='866141' first='Charles' last='Puckett']</strong> and <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='950967' first='JaMarion' last='Morrison']</strong> earned Liberty offers.</li> <!-- /wp:list-item --></ul> <!-- /wp:list --> <!-- wp:list --> <ul class="wp-block-list"><!-- wp:list-item --> <li>Garner defensive back/linebacker <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1397877' first='AJ' last='Randle']</strong> is as hot on the recruiting trail as anyone, as he earned a few big offers, namely one from Oregon. Fellow Raleigh defender <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1677119' first='Jayden' last='Broadie']</strong> earned a huge offer from Georgia.</li> <!-- /wp:list-item --></ul> <!-- /wp:list --> <!-- wp:list --> <ul class="wp-block-list"><!-- wp:list-item --> <li>Southeast Alamance two-way player <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='668611' first='Drew' last='Easter']</strong> earned a Campbell offer. He's one of the top tight ends in an elite 2027 class.</li> <!-- /wp:list-item --></ul> <!-- /wp:list --> <!-- wp:list --> <ul class="wp-block-list"><!-- wp:list-item --> <li>Finally, a couple of 2026 offers of note: CE Jordan teammates <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1670844' first='Caden' last='Rice']</strong> and <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='735579' first='Landon' last='Melton']</strong> earned offers, Rice from North Carolina A&amp;T, and Melton from Augsburg and Barton College. We have an FCS grade on Melton, so he could end up a steal for a smaller school.</li> <!-- /wp:list-item --></ul> <!-- /wp:list --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><em>This state is big, and it's easy to miss something. Want to keep us updated on your recruitment? Tag and/or DM me on Twitter/X (<a href="https://x.com/whelms21">@whelms21</a>) to make sure I know what's going on.</em></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph -->