The NC State football team will have a decidedly different look this year, particularly on the defensive side of the ball. That’s what losing a program-record seven players to the NFL draft will do to you.
The Wolfpack saw its entire defensive line, headlined by 2017 ACC Defensive Player of the Year Bradley Chubb, running back Nyheim Hines, versatile weapon Jaylen Samuels and key offensive linemen Will Richardson and Tony Adams all join the pro ranks. In addition, starting linebackers Jerod Fernandez and Airius Moore, safety Shawn Boone and corners Mike Stevens and Jonathan Alston all graduated.
That’s not to say NC State is devoid of returning starters. Redshirt senior quarterback Ryan Finley has a chance to be one of the best signal callers in the country, particularly with one of the nation’s best receiving corps, returning all three starters from last year.
And for the positions NC State lost pieces at, a mix of highly-motivated former backups and incoming freshmen look to replace the players who departed.
The Pack has a plethora of options at running back, including senior Reggie Gallaspy and freshmen Nakia Robinson, Trent Pennix and Ricky Person.
As we highlighted last week, there are also several options to replace the key contributors lost on the defensive side of the ball. Players such as senior defensive end Darian Roseboro, a talented pass rusher stuck behind Chubb and Kentavius Street in a reserve role the past three years, and senior linebacker Germaine Pratt, who finished fourth on the team in tackles last year despite not starting, will get a chance to assume leadership roles.
For players such as Roseboro and Pratt, seeing so many of their defensive peers parlay a strong senior season into a spot in the NFL gives them the desire to step up and show what they are capable of in hopes of doing the same.
“Motivation first starts with yourself; you have to motivate yourself,” Pratt said at the ACC Football Kickoff. “You see four of the guys go to the NFL, then what will you do? I’m gonna go to the NFL too. So it should drive them, it doesn’t matter what outsiders say, it’s about internally.”
Of course, replacing performers like Chubb, who now holds the NC State career records for sacks and tackles for loss, is no easy task.
While it’s nearly impossible to replace players of that caliber, NC State head coach Dave Doeren thinks the outside talk of a possible drop-off from last year’s seniors to this year’s returnees will only serve to provide more motivation for players like Pratt and Roseboro.
“And I think the fact that you guys are all asking that question, I guarantee you motivates [them],” Doeren said. “Because those guys are hearing that they can’t be as good as last year’s D-line, which will be hard to do. I don’t know how many years the NFL Draft has been happening, but only three times in the history of the draft have all four D-linemen been drafted ever, so this was a unique thing to have happen, so for [Roseboro] I know it’s a motivating factor.”
While filling in for the contributions NC State football got from last year’s senior class won’t be easy, seeing the rewards last year’s departures got for their efforts will only serve to make those stepping into their shoes hungry to earn those same payoffs for themselves.
