3-star DL Makhi Williams-Lee decommits from NC State
NC State lost a commitment from one of the top defensive linemen on its recruiting board Tuesday afternoon. Three-star nose tackle prospect Makhi Williams-Lee announced that he is no longer pledged to the Pack.
The nation’s No. 77 defensive lineman from Atlanta (Ga.) Lakeside High joined the class July 4, picking NC State over Oklahoma and Texas Tech. He officially visited all of those schools and committed to the Pack soon after.
Williams-Lee announced the news on social media. He posted a Clemson offer soon after.
Following his departure from the class, the program now holds commitments from two defensive linemen— three-star edge Colby Cronk (ranked No. 868 nationally) and three-star nose tackle Omarian Abraham (No. 1,406 nationally). Williams-Lee was the highest-ranked player out of the trio as the No. 789 prospect in the country.
Standing 6-1, 290 pounds, he had the versatility to play all three spots on NC State’s defensive front. Through the first 5 games of his senior year, the three-start prospect recorded 40 total tackles (31 solo, 10 for loss), 1 defended pass and 5 sacks.
When he committed to the Pack earlier this year, he believed in defensive line coach Charley Wiles and the rest of the staff’s vision and plan for him in the three-man defensive line.
Top 10
- 1Breaking
Coach Michael Vick
Former NFL star is college HC
- 2Hot
Zachariah Branch
USC 5-Star hits the portal
- 3
Jaylen Mbakwe
5-Star Alabama freshman staying in Tuscaloosa
- 4
Dan Mullen
Contract details released
- 5
Updated National Title odds
Latest odds on the CFP title chase
Get the On3 Top 10 to your inbox every morning
“A dawg’s gotta be a dawg,” Williams-Lee said after committing. “If you’re good, you’re good. It is what it is. I’m here to play football, and I feel comfortable with coach Wiles being my coach. He sees something in me that maybe I didn’t see but that I know I’ve got in me.”
Williams-Lee officially visited NC State June 7, followed by a trip to Oklahoma June 14 and a weekend with Texas Tech June 21. He silently committed to the Pack shortly after those trips concluded.
NC State now holds 16 commits in its 2025 class— a group that ranks No. 50 nationally and No. 11 in the ACC. Williams-Lee is the third prospect to decommit this cycle, joining three-star cornerback Robert Jones and three-star defensive lineman Mykah Newton.
