Every year, football teams need players to step up and fill roles that were vacated by seniors or players leaving early for the draft. This year, NC State has a few more starting spots to fill than usual after a big senior class departed and Nyheim Hines and Will Richardson left early for the draft. With practice starting on Aug. 3, let’s take a look at the positions that will be up for grabs:

Backup Quarterback

The battle to start week one in 2019 will begin this fall between redshirt freshman Matt McKay and freshman Devin Leary. NC State will add an incoming freshman for next year and possibly a grad transfer, but as of now, one of these two will start next year. Ideally, the Pack won’t need to use a backup quarterback this year, unless there’s mop-up duty early in the season. McKay and Leary will go back and forth to earn those late-game snaps, but also in case graduate Ryan Finley has to miss any amount of time. This is a battle that likely won’t see the results on the field this year, but is huge for the future of the program.

Running Back

This isn’t necessarily a battle, but it’s a position to keep an eye on. Senior Reggie Gallaspy is the only returning player to have taken a collegiate snap, but talent is behind him. Highly-touted freshman Ricky Person will be expected to contribute from the jump, but two running backs isn’t enough. Redshirt freshman Nakia Robinson is going to have to help in some capacity, but freshman Trent Pennix will also have an opportunity after Erin Collins transferred.

Something to keep an eye on will be whether or not Pennix earns enough trust to play the whole year, as opposed to just four games, so he could keep an extra year of eligibility. Keep an eye on redshirt junior walk-on Damontay Rhem who transferred in from UNC-Pembroke. He will likely earn some snaps. In an ideal world, Gallaspy stays healthy and is the bell-cow, becoming the third-straight 1,000 yard rusher for the Wolfpack, and Person will come in and be the home run hitter.

Tight End

Similar to running back, tight end isn’t as much of a battle, because everybody will play a lot, sometimes more than one at a time. However, with Jaylen Samuels and Cole Cook gone, there are big shoes to fill. Redshirt sophomore Dylan Autenrieth has the most experience under his belt, and will look to replace Cook as the blocking tight end.

Redshirt sophomore Cary Angeline transferred in from Southern California and will attempt to replace Samuels, at least the receiving version of him, when he’s eligible. Redshirt sophomore Dylan Parham also got some experience last year and will factor in. Redshirt freshmen Damien Darden and Adam Boselli could also see action. Angeline has the highest ceiling and could become a huge weapon for Finley, but with the Pack’s offense, the other tight ends will have plenty of opportunities, even if it’s just as blockers.

Right Tackle

Technically, the right guard spot is also up for grabs, but it seems that sophomore Joshua Fedd-Jackson has already wrapped that starting spot up. It could change, but odds are he starts against James Madison. However, the right tackle spot is certainly a competition after Richardson left. Redshirt sophomore Justin Witt enters practice as the favorite, but redshirt junior Tyrone Riley, a converted defensive end, will push him.

Redshirt junior Emanuel McGirt is one of the most heralded recruits of the Dave Doeren era, but has struggled with injuries. He will also be in the mix. Those are the three main guys, but the possibility remains that Doeren and offensive line coach Dwayne Ledford could decide to shift guys around to get somebody like redshirt sophomore Joe Sculthorpe in the starting five, although he’s not a tackle. Whoever wins the job, they will have to keep it once the season starts.

Linebacker

The Wolfpack only plays two linebackers at a time, and redshirt senior Germaine Pratt is lined up to have a breakout season, but he can’t do it by himself. The other spot is up in the air, but sophomore Louis Acceus looks to be the favorite to start. Redshirt freshman Isaiah Moore and redshirt sophomore Brock Miller will compete with Acceus, and will certainly be in the rotation once the season starts.

NC State has to replace Jerod Fernandez and Airius Moore and the experience that they had, but the hope is that the young linebackers will make up for their lack of experience with improved athleticism. It’s a thin group, so staying healthy will be key for all four. This will be one of the most interesting position battles during the next month. Whoever “loses” will still get plenty of snaps in the rotation and on special teams to help keep Pratt and the other starter fresh.

Cornerback

Along with right tackle, this is the camp competition that will have the biggest impact on the Wolfpack’s 2018 season. Junior Nick McCloud enters as the starter on one side, but the competition for the second cornerback spot is wide open. Senior Maurice Trowell, a converted wide receiver, redshirt junior Vernon Grier, sophomore Chris Ingram, freshman De’Von Graves and Taiyon Palmer and junior Kishawn Miller could all realistically see snaps this year. The only other scholarship cornerback is freshman Teshaun Smith, but honestly, it’s so wide open that he could play his way into the role this fall.

Trowell and Grier seem to have the upper hand, if only because of seniority, but neither have ever taken snaps at cornerback. Ingram earned time as a true freshman but didn’t play well when called upon as the nickel. Graves and Palmer are very talented freshman, and Graves was an early enrollee, so they are certainly in the mix.

As with right tackle, whoever wins will have short leash once games start. The good news is that NC State opens with James Madison and Georgia State, so somebody could emerge before West Virginia rolls in, although that’s a short amount of time. The Pack likes to pick its two corners and run with them, barring injury. Trowell will emerge from camp as the starter opposite McCloud, but Ingram and Graves will see early time before ACC season starts when either Palmer or Graves will get the majority of the snaps as the season progresses.