RALEIGH — NC State football is busy in the recruiting cycle for its 2027 class, hosting numerous high school recruits for official visits throughout May to help build the roster for the future, rather than just the present. The program is already earning commitments during this part of the cycle, as head coach Dave Doeren and his staff continue to grind for new pieces to add to the mix.
The Wolfpack earned its fifth commitment of the cycle on Sunday, as three-star linebacker Jake Godfree announced his intent to join the Pack on social media. The North Gwinnett (Ga.) defender had a flurry of choices during his recruiting process, ultimately landing on NC State as the best possible option to start his collegiate career.
What adding Godfree means for NC State
BREAKING: ELITE (‘27) LB Jake Godfree is committing to play for @packfootball, he tells me for @247sports.-Godfree attends North Gwinnett HS in GA. He chose the Wolfpack over many of the nations top schools.-Welcome Jake home Pack fans! 🔴⚪️ pic.twitter.com/fn2dumYiLs
— Riley Alberts (@CfbRalb) May 10, 2026
The Lawrenceville native was a coveted recruit for the last two years, earning more than 40 offers during that period, including one from the Wolfpack. Godfree turned down multiple SEC programs, including Oklahoma, Tennessee, Florida, LSU and Alabama. He even received an offer from the defending national champion Indiana Hoosiers, a program considered by many to be on the rise as the next great destination for the best college football players.
NC State needed to find a way to differentiate itself from the rest of those programs when recruiting Godfree and turned to one of the program’s most important former linebackers, Isaiah Moore, who now serves as the team’s inside linebackers coach. Moore made the trip to the Peach State to visit with Godfree and his family, something that resonated positively with the talented young linebacker as he deliberated over his decision…