Southeast DT is headed to the ACC

NC State picked up a pledge earlier today from a southeast defensive tackle. The 6-foot-2, 260-pounder picked the Wolfpack over offers from Tennessee, UCF, FIU and Middle Tennessee State.

"I committed to the coaches about ten minutes ago," Gainesville, Ga. defensive tackle Thomas Niles said. "I called up my recruiter, Coach Reed and he was like, 'Wow, we think highly of you and are glad to have you.'"

What made Niles pull the trigger in favor of State?

"They were the first ones to recruit me and they recruited me the hardest," he stated. "Tennessee recruited me too and they had a nice place and all, but I just liked NC State. They were the first ones to offer me with paper, not over the phone, but they got me to come up there for a junior day and gave me the offer letter."

The coaches and program were big as well.

"All the coaches liked me and they are a cool group of guys I can play for," he said. "Coach Reed is a cool guy. I like the way he is. He's just a coach I like and Coach O'Brien I've talked to a couple times. He's pretty cool too.

"I just liked everything about it. The setup there and Coach O'Brien has a good graduation rate going. It's the best environment possible and it's nothing but colleges surrounding that area."

State's coaches want Niles to bulk up over the next year before he enrolls.

"They see me as a defensive linemen and want my weight up to about 280-pounds, so I've got to gain about 20 more between now and then."