Since the Technician’s last recruiting update this summer, coach Sidney Lowe and his staff have added some major recruits to the 2009 class, landing two of the nation’s top 51 players, according to Scout.com. With its commitments thus far, State has the No. 6 recruiting class in 2009 according to ESPN.com, though many of the top players remain undecided. Deputy Sports Editor Langdon Morris breaks down the new additions and the potential prospects that could give N.C. State basketball its greatest recruiting class in the program’s history.

The Commitments

Lorenzo Brown

Ranked the No. 8 shooting guard in the nation by Scout.com, Lorenzo Brown is a smooth, unselfish player capable of playing the point or on the wing. At 6-4, his moves and explosiveness are reminiscent of a young Joe Crawford. State landed Brown this summer after much speculation that the Pack was his early favorite. He was the second commitment from the class of 2009, and is the No. 32 player overall in the class, according to Scout.com. Brown played AAU ball this summer with 2010 commit C.J. Leslie, and from what I saw of him at the Bob Gibbons Tournament of Champions in May, the Roswell, Ga. native has all the makings of a special player who should immediately contribute next season with the departure of Courtney Fells.

Richard Howell

The commitment of Richard Howell, the No. 19 power forward in the class of 2009 and the No. 51 player overall, was by far the biggest surprise of the summer. The 6-8 big-man is skilled and athletic, though he is just returning to full strength after overcoming lingering injuries. Howell, like Lorenzo Brown, is affiliated with the Worldwide Renegades, the AAU team of former Pack center J.J. Hickson and coach Sidney Lowe’s relationship with WWO coaches continues to aid in a recruiting tear through the state of Georgia.

Howell told Packpride.com that State was an easy decision for him after his mother moved to North Carolina from New York. I got a chance to watch Howell and speak with him at the Tournament of Champions in May and he showed great strength, an ability to face the basket and a nice touch around the rim. Though he showed little interest in State when we talked in May, his sudden commitment shows that Lowe and his staff can be pretty persuasive.

Scott Wood

Scott Wood, a 6-5 shooting guard from Marion, Ind., is a former teammate of freshman Julius Mays. Though I have yet to see Wood play in person, film of the high school senior shows he is a pure shooter. Ranked the No. 29 shooting guard nationally by Scout.com, Wood will likely look to contribute mainly from behind the arc.

The top targets

Derrick Favors

Ranked the No. 1 overall player in the nation by Scout.com, Favors is a program changer at center. I also watched him at the Tournament of Champions, and he did not disappoint me as the top player in the class of 2009. On any give play, he would collect multiple blocks, run the court with passion, and finish above the rim on offense. Though only 6-9, Favors’ athleticism and skill should land him as a top pick in the NBA draft after one year in college.

Though he is likely one-and-done, he will change whatever program he commits to. He was in Raleigh this weekend for an official visit, hearing his name chanted among a crowd at an open practice Saturday in Reynolds Coliseum. Many believe it will be hard to get Favors away from his home state and either Georgia or Georgia Tech. But if Lowe can convince Favors that his NBA experience will help him prepare for the next level, N.C. State could be in for its best recruit since David Thompson.

John Wall

Though Wall’s position overall varies among recruiting databases, he is without question the best point guard in his class. According to Scout.com, Wall is the No. 2 player overall and the top point guard in the 2009 class. Wall is a Raleigh native who plays alongside 2010 commit C.J. Leslie at Word of God, and his speed and ability to get to the rim are unmatched. Every time I’ve watched him play, he makes scoring and finding open teammates look easy, while often making defenders look silly along the way.

Wall also attended the open practice this Saturday, as well as Thursday’s football game, and sent the Reynolds crowd into a frenzy when he stood up and flashed the Wolfpack symbol to fans. Wall will very likely wait until the spring to commit anywhere, and claims he is wide open. State can only hope he wants to stay close to home, as his stint in college also might be brief. But if Wall and Favors happen to commit together, State is looking not only at the best recruiting class in its history, but a contender for the best recruiting class of all time.

A look ahead: Class of 2010

The Pack already landed a pair of commitments for the class of 2010 in power forward C.J. Leslie of Raleigh’s Word of God and point guard Ryan Harrow of Marietta, Ga. It will be interesting to see if the Pack can afford to offer any other players in the class of 2010, as it is reserving at least two for the potential commitments of Derrick Favors and John Wall, who will likely make late decisions for the class of 2009.

Leslie is about as skilled as power forwards come. When I saw him play in the Dave Telep’s Carolina Challenge, a showcase of North Carolina’s top players, he dominated and even ran some point guard. He has the skills of a guard and the height of a big man, which is why he is ranked the No. 16 player overall in the class of 2010, according to Scout.com, and the No. 4 power forward. A junior in high school, Leslie needs to improve his strength and work on not taking plays off. When he’s active, though, he’s tough to stop on either end of the floor.

I haven’t seen Harrow play, but from what I hear he’s an incredibly skilled and unselfish point guard. The main concern with Harrow is his size and strength, as he is only 5-11 and 155 pounds, according to Scout.com. Still, in two years, there’s no telling how much he could grow.