Top NC State Wolfpack Target Moves Official Visit Forward

Looking to avoid another disaster, this five-star guard moved up his visit with NC State.

Nov 11, 2024; Tuscaloosa, AL, USA; McNeese head coach Will Wade lifts his hands as he signals to his team during the game with Alabama at Coleman Coliseum. Mandatory Credit: Gary Cosby Jr.-Tuscaloosa News | Gary Cosby Jr. / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Tragedy struck NC State fans when they learned that bad weather was going to force Dylan Mingo to miss his scheduled visit. It was set to be one of the biggest stretches their program has seen in recent memory as Will Wade welcomed Mingo and Deron Rippey Jr. to town in back-to-back weeks.

While Mingo wasn't able to visit, Rippey Jr. moved up his flight so he'd have no issues coming to NC State. That turned out to be music to Wade's ears as he knew he couldn't afford to miss out on both players.

Ultimately, he's still in the running for Mingo, but all eyes are on Rippey. NC State has been favored for quite some time, so this upcoming visit could be extremely telling as to where he ends up next season.

NC State Fans Await Deron Rippey Jr.'s Visit

Deron Rippey Jr. has moved up his flight and will now be in Raleigh earlier for his NC State official visit this coming weekend.

Get more intel on Rippey and several other 2026 recruiting class updates in the latest Hoop Scoop.

✍️: https://t.co/8nn5HWP6ua pic.twitter.com/wTMoComF6b

— Cory Smith (@RCorySmith) November 5, 2025

Rippey's visit with the Wolfpack will be the ninth and final of his recruiting cycle. Having visited with Louisville, Miami, UNC, Texas, Syracuse, Kentucky, Duke, and Tennessee, it's clear that Wade has his work cut out for him.

The five-star guard is a Top-10 player in the nation. He's the No. 1 player in New Jersey and is arguably the top guard in the entire Class of '26. The only other player standing in his way is Mingo, whom Wade was also going after. At one point, it seemed like Wade was going to land both.

Now, NC State knows it's go time. While they would've loved to add both players, the addition of one immediately sets them apart from the rest. Playing in the ACC is no joke, but Wade has shown that he's up for the challenge and made an instant impact on this team.

Is NC State The Favorite?

🧃 Recruiting Intel:

5⭐️ PG Deron Rippey heads into his final scheduled visit — where is the momentum? 👀

[READ] 👉 https://t.co/R4jIHcxtXF pic.twitter.com/8X2IWI8a1E

— Jamie Shaw (@JamieShaw5) November 5, 2025

Until Rippey completes his official visit, this question is hard to answer. His Top 5 will be narrowed down after his time with the Wolfpack, something a team like Louisville has been waiting on for well over a year.

Ultimately, Rivals' Jamie Shaw doesn't want to get NC State fans' hopes up, but he shared good news in a recent article: "I am told that General Manager Andrew Slater has had a long-standing relationship with the family, and that he and Wade have taken a very hands-on approach to the recruitment."

He continued, "In furthering conversations with my sources, I am being told that the feeling is that, while everyone I am speaking is watching the NC State visit, this recruitment is not done just yet." NC State already has a Top-25 player in Cole Cloer coming to town, so one could only imagine how the landscape would change if they're able to add Rippey.

Jan 30, 2024; Raleigh, North Carolina, USA; North Carolina State Wolfpack logo during the first half against Miami (Fl) Hurricanes at PNC Arena. Mandatory Credit: Jaylynn Nash-Imagn Images | Jaylynn Nash-Imagn Images

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