NC State early enrollee freshman WR Amiri Acker earns fourth star and enters Rivals300 rankings

NC State was on the cusp of not having a four-star recruit in a recruiting class for the first time since 2013 under Dave Doeren, but with the final Rivals300 rankings update for the 2026 cycle released Tuesday, the Wolfpack’s 13-year streak will continue. 

Iva (S.C.) Crescent wide receiver Amiri Acker, who moved in on campus earlier this month as an early enrollee freshman, earned his fourth star to rise inside the top-200 prospects in the class of 2026 at No. 194 — the lone Pack signee inside the Rivals300. 

In addition to Acker moving inside the top-300, NC State signees Stephen Brown and Tyreek Copper also achieved four-star status in Rivals’ latest update.

Acker’s standout senior season with 55 receptions for 1,277 yards and 16 touchdowns, coupled with a head-turning showing at the Shrine Bowl of the Carolinas practices in front of Rivals Director of Scouting and Rankings Charles Power helped boost the wideout to the next level of recruiting rankings. 

Power’s in-person evaluation seemed to be the difference after Acker, who owns South Carolina state track titles in the 100-meter dash (10.52 seconds) and the 200-meter dash (21.35), consistently impressed him in mid-December.

“Acker is well-built and showcased an impressive overall skill set throughout the day,” Power wrote after watching a Shrine Bowl of the Carolinas practice. “Acker was surprisingly refined as a route runner, easily changing gears to separate mid-route. He had no issues pulling away from defensive backs on vertical routes, seamlessly transferring his state champion track speed over to this setting. 

“Acker made a great high-point contested catch during one-on-ones. He later broke off a corner on an in-breaking route for a long gain during the team period. A one-time Liberty commit, Acker looks like a steal for NC State.”

Acker, who measured in at 6-foot-2, 190 pounds with the Wolfpack, was previously the No. 106 wide receiver in the cycle and the No. 12 prospect in South Carolina as a three-star player. But after the rankings update, he checked in as the No. 29 player at his position in the nation, while he is now the No. 6 recruit to emerge from his home state in the class.

The 2026 recruiting cycle now marks the third straight year that NC State has signed a four-star wide receiver under Doeren and position coach Joker Phillips. Acker joins Marshville (N.C.) Forest Hills four-star Je’rel Bolder, who ranked No. 270 overall by On3 in 2025, and Greensboro (N.C.) Grimsley four-star Terrell Anderson, the No. 51 recruit in the 2024 class. 

With Acker’s new rise up the list, NC State’s team recruiting ranking moved up to No. 46 overall and No. 12 in the ACC for its 26 signees that it inked during the early singing period in December.

While Acker’s profile raised in the latest rankings update, Sheldon Evans, his high school coach, believes that he’s yet to even scratch the surface of what his potential can be.

“I think his route running will be improved,” Evans told TheWolfpacker.com in December. “He will spend time in a college setting with film and coaching.

“I think he’s nowhere near his ceiling at what he’s going to be capable of doing. I think he’s going to be a special player.”