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RALEIGH (MCT) — Brandon Costner entered N.C. State's basketball program four years ago as a McDonald's All American, heralded as a future star.

His college career ended Monday with a press release from the school.

Costner, the Wolfpack's leading scorer in 2008-09, will not return for his senior season. Instead, he will graduate in May and go through the NBA draft evaluation process, N.C. State announced Monday.

" ... I just feel like it is time to move on and pursue my dreams of playing professionally," Costner said in a statement.

Reserve guard Trevor Ferguson will not return for his final season either, the school said.

Costner's early exit means State's starting lineup will have a different look for 2009-10, coach Sidney Lowe's fourth season.

State has to replace three starters and Monday's departures mean it will have three scholarships available.

Lowe, who was not available for comment, filled one of the scholarship spots with Josh Davis.

A 6-foot-6, 210-pound forward, Davis committed to State during a campus visit Monday, according to Robert Clemons, who coaches Davis at Raleigh's Athens Drive.

Davis averaged 25.7 points and 12.0 rebounds this season as a senior. He had scholarship offers from UNC-Wilmington, Gardner-Webb and High Point.

"He's always wanted to go (to N.C. State)," Clemons said. "He always talked about N.C. State. That was his school. He worked hard enough, and was able to get an offer."

Of the seven scholarship players returning for the Wolfpack, only Tracy Smith plays the post. State lost senior forward Ben McCauley after its first-round loss to Maryland in the ACC Tournament.

Lowe landed 6-7 power forward Richard Howell in the early signing period. The other two early signees — Lorenzo Brown and Scott Wood — are guards.

The spring signing period begins April 15.

Dave Telep, Scout.com's recruiting director, said State would probably not be able to find forward help from the remaining uncommitted recruits.

"At this point in the game," Telep said. "There's just not many guys left on the board who can make an impact on your team."

The Wolfpack is still in the running for Raleigh's John Wall, a point guard rated by Scout.com as the No. 2 recruit in the country in the class of 2009.

Howell and Brown are the type of players who can make an immediate impact in the ACC, Telep said. The same was expected of Costner, who had mixed success in his three seasons.

Costner, who was recruited by former Wolfpack coach Herb Sendek, redshirted the 2005-06 season after playing in only five games because of a stress fracture in his left leg.

As a redshirt freshman in 2006-07, he led State in scoring (16.8 points) and rebounding (7.3), then had a breakout performance in the ACC Tournament. He led the Wolfpack to three wins in three days, scoring 28 points in the title game loss to UNC.

Much of Costner's success came off set plays with point guard Engin Atsur. The next season — without Atsur and with freshman J.J. Hickson — Costner's role changed, and his numbers dropped (8.5 points, 4.6 rebounds).

Costner's numbers improved (13.3 points, 6.0 rebounds) this past season with Hickson in the NBA and as a focal point of the offense with McCauley and senior guard Courtney Fells.

Costner's production waned in the final month of the season as Smith emerged as a post scorer, and he dealt with the death of his paternal grandfather. Costner had five points in 18 minutes in the tournament loss to Maryland.

Reached by phone at their home in Montclair, N.J., Costner's mother, Stacy, who regularly attended State's home games, said the family wasn't ready to talk about their son's decision.

Ferguson, whose career started in 2005 after he transferred from Pittsburgh, will graduate in the summer. He averaged 5.5 points in 19 games with eight starts.

Staff writer Ken Tysiac contributed to this report.