Clinton OL Aiken makes commitment to N.C. State
Clinton OL Tre Aiken makes the Wolfpack sign after committing to N.C. State Saturday.
Surrounded by family, friends, teammates and coaches, Clinton offensive lineman Tre Aiken made his college choice at a commitment and early graduation party Saturday afternoon at the Ole Blue Truck Farm in Gray Court.
Aiken, who has been a literal big cog in the Red Devils’ vaunted running game for the past three seasons, committed to N.C. State, choosing the Wolfpack over five finalists and a total of 16 offers. He lined up baseball caps from South Carolina, Florida, Virginia Tech, and Georgia Tech before picking one with the N.C. State logo.
“Every single time I’ve been there, it’s been on,” Aiken said. “People brought me in the locker room and really brought me in. I’m very close to a lot of the players, and it’s just somewhere I feel like I can go and develop as a man and play at the same time.”
Aiken, who is listed a 6-foot-4, 295 pounds, is listed as a three-star recruit and has been attracting attention from college programs since his freshman year at Clinton.
He also became the second lineman from this past year’s Class 2A state championship team to commit or sign with a Division I program. Cal Pitts signed earlier this year with Coastal Carolina. His older brother and Clinton alum, Dre Aiken, is an offensive lineman at Anderson University, and Tre credited Dre with helping him find his way to football.
“I was a hooper,” Tre said. “But Dre was the one who said you have to come out for football. Without him, I wouldn’t even be playing football right now.”
Aiken, who became the Red Devils’ second Power 5 commitment since 2023 joining Cincinnati (Big 12) defensive back Zay Johnon, plans to graduate in December and then enroll at N.C. State, a member of the ACC.
Trey Aiken (70) looks for a block last season.
“What a great opportunity, and I’m super proud of Tre and the work that he’s put in, not only with us at Clinton High School, but off the field with his trainers, and everything he does off the field and on the field,” said Clinton head coach Corey Fountain. “He’s just an awesome human being in a school building, in the community and on the football field.”
Former Clinton offensive line coach Mathew Bennett, who is now head coach at Ninety Six, offered Aiken some advice as he prepares to join the Wolfpack.
“Never lose that look he had in your eyes when he was a freshman and all he wanted to do was get on the field,” Bennett said. “He took advantage of every single opportunity that he got.”
N.C. State finished 6-7 overall last season and 3-5 in the ACC. The Wolfpack qualified and played in the Go Bowling Military Bowl and lost to East Carolina, 26-21, in Annapolis, Maryland. N.C. State is led by head coach Dave Doren, who has been the leader of the Pack since 2013.
“They felt like I was a player that could just do anything – like I could go out there and play every position on the offensive line,” Aiken said.
