Sports
NC State ranked No. 3 in country in 247Sports Transfer Portal Rankings – 247Sports
RALEIGH, N.C. — After a slew of new additions through the transfer portal, 247Sports has ranked NC State No. 3 in the country in its transfer portal rankings following a bevy of stars taking their talents to Raleigh.
Specifically, the Wolfpack added MJ Rice, DJ Horne, Jayden Taylor and Ben Middlebrooks to bolster its roster for the upcoming season. Rice, Horne and Butler make up a top-tier trio of transfers for the Pack. All three earned four-star ratings from the 247Sports team and rank within the top 100 in this transfer class.
Rice, originally from Durham, makes his return to the Triangle after playing his freshman season at Kansas. The 6-foot-5 small forward averaged 2.2 points per game in limited minutes for the Jayhawks in 2022-23, but that number is sure to increase with more time on the floor. Rice rates as the Wolfpack’s top incoming transfer with a .9300 composite rating as a transfer.
NC State possibly nabbed its starting backcourt for 2023-24 with Horne and Taylor. Horne averaged 12.5 points and 2.2 assists per game in two seasons at Arizona State. The 6-foot-1 guard enters his fifth season of college ball with plenty of experience with Sun Devils and his prior two season at Illinois. Horne, a Raleigh native, not only brings a veteran presence to the Pack, but also plenty of hometown pride. Taylor, for his part, comes to NC State after two season at Butler. The 6-foot-4 combo guard emerged as the Bulldogs’ leading scorer last season with 12.9 points per game.
Middlebrooks rounds out the group of incomers as the Pack’s main addition in the frontcourt. With a surprisingly mobile 6-foot-10 frame, Middlebrooks fits well in Keatts’ fast-paced style of play. The big man averaged 3.1 points and 2.7 rebounds per game in 11.3 minutes per game at Clemson last year. While he only garnered three stars as a transfer, Middlebrooks will also be a solid contributor for the Wolfpack this coming season.
These four will help replace NC State’s outgoing transfers: Jack Clark, Ebenezer Dowuona and Greg Gantt. While Clark and Dowuona have already landed at Clemson and Georgia Tech, respectively, Gantt’s destination is still to be determined. Clark and Gantt combined for 11.0 points and 11.4 rebounds for the Pack last year. Both are listed at small forward but saw a considerable amount of minutes at the four spot. Dowuona, a defensive big man, departs with minimal offensive production for the Wolfpack to fill.
While the 2023-24 season is still several months away, State fans have plenty to get excited about in this transfer portal. Not only are high-profile players coming in to don the red and white, but local products like Rice and Horne are tabbing NC State as a destination to go out and win ballgames. For a Wolfpack program hoping to continue its upward trend, that’s a very, very good sign.
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