BREAKING: Kevin Concepcion commits to NC State over UNC
Following a highly-contested, down to the wire recruiting battle between two in-state rivals, NC State picked up a massive boost to its 2023 class Saturday afternoon. Kevin Concepcion committed to the Wolfpack over UNC, announcing his decision on Instagram just minutes before he makes his senior-season debut with Chambers.
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The three-star wide receiver has been a priority prospect for the Pack for more than a year. NC State wide receivers coach Joker Phillips and the Wolfpack staff extended an offer June 23, 2021.
Ever since Phillips started expressing interest in Concepcion, the coach remained consistent throughout his recruitment— a significant reason why Concepcion included the program as a finalist.
“I came here one time, I ran some routes, I got the offer and, ever since then, me and him, we just connected,” Kevin Concepcion said in July.
North Carolina and NC State separated themselves from the rest of the receiver’s offers this summer, leading to their selection as his finalists.
“Just the two programs pushing me the hardest, and I felt like it was just right,” Concepcion said.
The wide receiver is friends with quarterback-commit Lex Thomas, one of the class’s most active recruiters, and defensive back-commit Tamarcus Cooley. His bonds with the NC State coaching staff, and the program’s class of 2023 commits, are extremely strong and played a role in his decision.
“Ever since they offered me, I’ve been talking with Coach Joker every week,” Concepcion said. “I’ve been talking with Lex [Thomas] every day, dang near. The relationships are definitely important for sure.”
Leading up to Concepcion’s decision, NC State’s already-committed athletes were recruiting him hard, including four-star safety Zack Myers.
“I’ve been in KC’s ear this whole time,” Myers said at Alpha Wolf. “I’ve really been trying to recruit my butt off.”
NC State held almost all of the momentum coming out of Concepcion’s official visit in June, but UNC complicated things when they made a great impression during his visit. After he made the trip to Raleigh last weekend to see Thomas’ scrimmage and visited for the Alpha Wolf Showcase, it seemed like the Wolfpack had secured enough momentum in his recruitment headed into the decision.
Momentum for UNC picked up in the final days before his decision, but the Wolfpack held off the late push. Concepcion is the No. 18 prospect in North Carolina’s 2023 class and the No. 85 receiver prospect nationally according to the On3 Consensus Ranking. He is the No. 12 commit of the 2023 class for NC State and the first wide receiver. With a consensus rating of 87.58, Concepcion is also the fourth-highest ranked member of the class.
