Newcomer Ashford Thrives in Wolfpack Fast Lane
Rakeim Ashford didn't just the the ground running when he got to NC State from Jones County Community College as a late arriving addition to the Wolfpack's 2020 recruiting class.
He did it on a dead sprint.
But even without the benefit of spring practice or summer training activities and not knowing a soul on his team or staff beyond coach Dave Doeren and lead recruiter Brian Mitchell, the 6-foot-1, 195-pound Mississippi native adjusted quickly. Almost immediately began catapulting himself up the depth chart.
When starting free safety Tanner Ingle left the game with an apparent injury on just the second play of Saturday's opener against Wake Forest, Ashford found himself in the fast lane again.
And again, it didn't take him long to fit right in.
"The first couple of possessions it was going fast, because I came from a JUCO and D-1 it moves way faster,” Ashford said. "It started slowing down, I’d say, probably in the second half when I had seen how it was running."
He ended up recording 10 tackles -- tied for second-most on the team behind linebacker Drake Thomas -- while playing 80 snaps. He also put an exclamation point on State's 45-42 victory by breaking up a fourth down pass on the Deacons final possession.
Ashford summed up his debut with the Wolfpack by saying he had "a pretty decent game," but added that he "could have did better."
There's one play in particular he'd like to have back. Surprisingly, it's the play on which he made his victory clinching pass breakup.
“I got too excited,” he said. “Once I broke on the ball, I just saw open field. When I broke on it, I thought it was going to be tipped, but I guess it wasn’t tipped. When I got into my hands, I was just going to take off with it.”
Ashford may or may not have taken it to the house had he held onto the ball for an interception. But judging from his history, it probably won't be the last chance he'll get to pick off an opponent's pass.
He led his junior college team with four interceptions last year.
When asked what helps him be around the ball so much, Ashford laughed and said "I think the ball knows where my hands are."
The ball apparently knew more about Ashford than most Division I recruiters when he came out of high school. But after earning all-conference honors at Jones County, he finally caught the attention of State's Mitchell.
"I believed I was ready to come to an ACC, a Power Five school,” he said.
Although he was expected to come in and contribute immediately, not even he could have predicted the extensive role he played right out of the gate.
Especially considering where he started.
“When I got here, it was coming fast," Ashford said. "But after two or three weeks I caught on to everything.
"At first I was the quiet guy on the team. I was talking to nobody. But once I catch on, it's over with."
