NC State Targets Sprinkled Throughout Updated Top 300 for Class of 2027

Wolfpack fighting for several in-state recruits as well as out-of-state prospects in new Rivals rankings.

Published on Feb. 23, 2026

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The Rivals updated top 300 recruiting rankings for the class of 2027 were released on Monday, with 11 players from North Carolina-based high schools making the list. NC State has offered all of these in-state prospects and is actively pursuing at least six of them, along with several out-of-state targets that cracked the rankings.

Why it matters

Landing top-tier talent is crucial for NC State to remain competitive in the ACC and nationally. The Wolfpack have built a strong recruiting pipeline within their home state, and continuing to land the best players from North Carolina will be key to their long-term success.

The details

Among the North Carolina prospects in the Rivals top 300 are cornerback Joshua Dobson, the No. 1 player in the state and No. 7 nationally, as well as outside linebacker Aroson 'A.J.' Randle, edge rusher Rashad Streets, linebacker Jalaythan Mayfield, nose tackle John Archer, and safety Davion Jones. NC State is also pursuing several out-of-state targets in the rankings, including quarterback prospects Davin Davidson and Andre Adams.

  • The Rivals updated top 300 was released on Monday, February 23, 2026.
  • Aroson 'A.J.' Randle has an unofficial visit to NC State scheduled for March 13, 2026.

The players

Joshua Dobson

A junior cornerback at Cornelius Hough High School, Dobson is the No. 1 player in North Carolina and No. 7 nationally in the class of 2027.

Aroson 'A.J.' Randle

A junior outside linebacker at Garner High School, Randle is ranked No. 57 overall and has an unofficial visit to NC State scheduled for March 13, 2026.

Rashad Streets

A junior edge rusher at Raleigh Millbrook High School, Streets is the No. 61-ranked player in the country and a long-time NC State target.

Jalaythan Mayfield

A junior linebacker at Lincolnton High School, Mayfield is ranked No. 92 overall and is considering Georgia, Indiana, Miami, Oregon, and Kentucky in addition to NC State.

John Archer

A junior nose tackle at Fayetteville Seventy-First High School, Archer is ranked No. 113 and is a key priority for the Wolfpack.

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What’s next

NC State will continue to pursue the top in-state prospects in the Rivals top 300, as well as several out-of-state targets, as they look to build a strong recruiting class for 2027.

The takeaway

NC State's ability to keep the best players from North Carolina at home will be vital to their long-term success, and the Wolfpack appear to be in good position with several of the state's top-ranked recruits in the class of 2027.