When Will Wade took the podium at Reynolds Coliseum in March, he promised N.C. State fans a ‘red reckoning.’ Wade insisted that this was not a rebuild but instead, a reload. And after the 12–19 stumble that wiped away last year’s ACC title, he needs to do what he did at McNeese yet again.

With just two returners and a transfer haul stacked with 13 new faces, Wade’s got the Wolfpack marching into 2025–26 in full win-now mode. His track record at McNeese with 50 wins in two seasons and an .847 record means there is room for hope. With his 2025 class already locked in, Wade is looking at his 2026 class.

Building a 2026 group that keeps the momentum rolling means recruiting battles at their peak. And this weekend, one of those battles is taking a step ahead. A five-star guard with 20 offers in hand is walking into Baylor, and he is the kind of player who could reshape the entire board.

Dylan Mingo Sets Sights on Will Wade’s Baylor With Another Weekend Visit

Dylan Mingo, the Long Island Lutheran point guard, is already billed as the No. 1 PG in the 2026 class and the No. 5 overall prospect. He has names like UConn, Washington, Miami, Alabama, and Penn State trying to land him. North Carolina, Oklahoma, Virginia, and Wade’s N.C. State, are all pressing hard too.

However, Mingo knows what he is looking for.

In a recent interview with Rivals, Mingo went on to talk about his recruitment. “I’ll probably take anywhere between five to eight visits,” he explained. “If it goes well, I’ll most likely commit before my season.”

That timeline puts pressure on every program, especially the ones hosting him now. The clock is ticking, and Baylor just might have the inside track.

5⭐️ Dylan Mingo is taking an official visit to Baylor this weekend, he tells @Rivals.

The 6-5 prospect is the No. 5 overall player in the 2026 class and the No. 1 point guard.https://t.co/aGWcAoygcJ pic.twitter.com/3kOVJC1Yqm
— Joe Tipton (@TiptonEdits) October 1, 2025

Interestingly, Mingo is taking his sixth official visit, perhaps because the Bears have a trump card. VJ Edgecombe, Mingo’s former LuHi teammate, exploded at Baylor before going No. 3 to the Philadelphia 76ers in the 2025 NBA Draft. For a player who values immediate playing time and a fast track to the league, Edgecombe’s story is the kind of proof that pitches cannot top.

“They’ve had a lot of good guards,” Mingo said. “They had VJ (Edgecombe) last year. Seeing that freshman guards go to the league consistently year after year is very important.” It helps that Edgecombe is talking up his old stomping grounds. “He told me he loved it at Baylor,” Mingo added.

Additionally, Baylor’s guard pedigree, including Davion Mitchell, Keyonte George, and Ja’Kobe Walter, has turned Waco into a launchpad. However, Mingo added, “I want to play for a coach who values me a lot. Not even just the coach, the whole program. I want to have a strong relationship with the coaches, especially the head coach… and a program that’s willing to play a freshman.”

For Wade and every coach in this chase, those lines are the litmus test. Can you hand the keys to a five-star guard right away? If not, Mingo might just not be on the team. It is hard to argue the demands because his production backs them up. At the NBPA Top 100 Camp in South Carolina, he averaged 23.8 points, 6.8 assists, and 6.5 rebounds.

Those are numbers that say plug and play. And as he steps into Baylor this weekend, the spotlight is on Mingo and every coach watching nervously from afar, Wade included. With one commitment, the ‘red reckoning’ either gains a superstar centerpiece or loses him to a rival.