NC State Predicted to Land 4-Star 2027 Legacy Quarterback

Heading into the 2027 recruiting cycle, one of NC State’s top priorities was to land a talented quarterback prospect. While Wolfpack head coach Dave Doeren and his staff have targeted several players at the position over the past few months, they have been zeroing in on a handful of recruits in particular.

One of those recruits is a four-star quarterback who’s the son of an NC State legend, and one national recruiting analyst recently logged an expert prediction that the Wolfpack will land him.

Analyst Predicts NC State to Land Legacy Quarterback

Throughout the 2027 cycle, NC State has been targeting Gunner Rivers, a four-star quarterback from St. Michael Catholic High School in Fairhope, Alabama.

NC State helme — Nov 11, 2023; Winston-Salem, North Carolina, USA; The North Carolina State Wolfpack helmet rests on the bench during the second half against the Wake Forest Demon Deacons at Allegacy Federal Credit Union Stadium. Mandatory Credit: William Howard-Imagn Images | William Howard-Imagn Images

Not only is Rivers a talented quarterback, but he’s also the son of NC State legend Philip Rivers, who threw for 13,484 yards and 95 touchdowns over his four seasons in Raleigh and still holds the school’s records for most yards and touchdowns.

While several other programs are pursuing Rivers, NC State has been firmly in the mix for the four-star quarterback throughout his recruitment, and Rivals’ Vice President of Recruiting and Transfer Portal, Steve Wilftong, recently logged an expert prediction for the Wolfpack to land him.

After making his prediction, Wiltfong reported that, barring a late push from Notre Dame, NC State should be in the driver’s seat for Rivers’ recruitment.

“Unless a Notre Dame jumped into the mix, it’s hard to imagine Fairhope (NC) St. Michael Catholic quarterback Gunner Rivers landing anywhere other than NC State,” Wilftong wrote.

Oct 11, 2025; South Bend, Indiana, USA; NC State Wolfpack head coach Dave Doeren claps as he walks onto the field against the Notre Dame Fighting Irish during the second half at Notre Dame Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Michael Caterina-Imagn Images | Michael Caterina-Imagn Images

While Rivers’ dad is the best quarterback in school history, NC State isn’t recruiting him solely for his last name. The St. Michael Catholic quarterback is coming off an impressive junior season, where, according to MaxPreps, he recorded 3,176 yards, 46 touchdowns, and five interceptions.

He’s established himself as one of the nation’s top signal-callers and would be a massive addition to NC State’s 2027 class. Rivals’ industry rankings list him as the No. 9 overall player nationally, the No. 7 quarterback, and the No. 2 prospect in Alabama.

Dec 19, 2025; Tampa, FL, USA; NC State Wolfpack quarterback CJ Bailey (11) throws a pass against the Memphis Tigers in the first quarter during the Gasparilla Bowl at Raymond James Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Nathan Ray Seebeck-Imagn Images | Nathan Ray Seebeck-Imagn Images

As of now, Rivers hasn’t set a commitment date, and there’s no timeline for his decision, so other programs still have a chance to make a push for the young quarterback.

Still, based on Wiltfong’s prediction, if NC State can continue to make progress with him over the coming months and bring him to campus for an official visit this spring, the Wolfpack should be well-positioned to land the legacy quarterback.

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