Committed Recruits Make it Official Early

Michael Carter Jr., Claude Larkins Jr. and Joshua Crabtree waste little time submitting their National Letters of Intent on Signing Day 2

The fax machine at the Murphy Center began buzzing early Wednesday -- that is, if they still use fax machines -- as three of NC State's committed recruits wasted little time submitting their National Letters of Intent to play football for the Wolfpack.

Offensive lineman Anthony Carter Jr., defensive end Claude Larkins Jr. and wide receiver Joshua Crabtree were all on board shortly after the signing period began a 7 a.m. They join a 2020 recruiting class that also includes 17 players added to the program during the NCAA's early signing period in December.

A fourth committed recruit, defensive tackle Nick Booker-Brown, made it official by filing his signed NLI at around 9:30 a.m.

With one, perhaps more scholarships still available, there is a possibility of further signings Wednesday. The Wolfpack is one of three finalists for four-star cornerback Rashad Battle and with several players having left the program as transfers recently, there may be room for a surprise or two.

Carter is a 6-foot-4, 300-pound guard from Butler High School in Charlotte. The three-star prospect is one of the highest rated offensive linemen in the state and is an important pickup after State commit Austin Blaske flipped to Georgia at the 11th hour in December and Doeren missed on another top prospect R.J. Adams, who signed with Kentucky.

Larkins, a 6-4, 230-pound three-star end from Chaminade-Madonna Prep in Hollywood, Fla., also fills a need, bolstering a defensive line that lost three players to graduation and two to the NCAA transfer portal since the end of the 2019 season.

Described as an athletic pass rusher with an explosive first step and a large wingspan that allows him to disrupt passing lanes, Larkins originally committed to Minnesota, but decommitted in December.

Crabtree, meanwhile, is a 6-3, 185-pound three-star receiver from Heritgage High School in Wake Forest. 

He was originally slated to wait until the start of freshman practice before accepting his scholarship so he wouldn't be officially counted as a member of this year's class (a practice known as blueshirting), but those plans obivously changed.

🎥 @Nick_booker16 pic.twitter.com/5mgv4ERoBK

— NC State Football (@PackFootball) February 5, 2020

Booker-Brown is a 6-foot-1, 250-pound tackle from Hillside High School in Houston, Tex.

A three-star space eater who makes up for his lack of size with strength and a high-energy motor, the newest member of the Wolfpack originally committed to play at Boise State, but announced last month that he had decided to re-open his recruitment.