The countdown to the Wolfpack’s return to Carter-Finley Stadium is nearing a close and the excitement builds as NC State takes on James Madison Saturday at noon.
Though the Pack will face an opposing team in Raleigh for the first time since Nov. 25, 2017, where it defeated UNC-Chapel Hill to close out the regular season, the 2018 NC State football team will differ greatly from the 2017 Wolfpack.
In fact, a program that prides itself on a strong defensive unit has had several holes to fill during the offseason.
The defensive line of Bradley Chubb, B.J. Hill, Justin Jones and Kentavius Street was a nightmare for opposing offensive lines and quarterbacks during the 2017 season, and NFL scouts took notice as all four seniors were selected in the 2018 NFL Draft.
However, while the big names up front garnered all the fame, there are numerous question marks as to who will take the reins of the usually sturdy NC State defense. Here’s a breakdown of what the Wolfpack defense will look like during 2018:
Defensive Line
The biggest question mark on the entire team for the season is undoubtedly the men in the trenches; however, the Pack does have senior defensive end Darian Roseboro who was heavily involved in the defensive line rotation in 2017 and could have been a starter on most ACC units.
After Roseboro, the other sure-fire starter is senior defensive tackle Eurndraus Bryant on the inside. Bryant is by far the biggest body in the interior, listed at 6-foot-1 330 pounds, more than enough to fill the void of B.J. Hill.
Redshirt juniors Larrell Murchison and James Smith-Williams round out the front four. Murchison is a new face as he enters his third year of eligibility after transferring from Louisburg College. Smith-Williams saw the majority of his action on special teams in 2017, including a blocked punt against the loss to Notre Dame which was returned for a touchdown.
Linebackers
In 2017, NC State played just three linebackers for the bulk of the season. Airius Moore and Jerod Fernandez are currently jockeying for roster spots on the Arizona Cardinals and Washington, respectively, leaving graduate Germaine Pratt as the lone remaining starter. Pratt emerged as a leader during the spring along with Roseboro, becoming more vocal during the huddle. He will be the voice of the defense alongside newcomer and redshirt freshman linebacker Isaiah Moore.
The 6-foot-2-inch Moore eventually beat out the much smaller Louis Acceus for the middle linebacker spot; however, don’t let Acceus’ 5-foot-11 frame fool you, he’s often on every pile at the end of plays and will definitely see a lot of action in 2018. Redshirt sophomore Brock Miller rounds out the linebacking core and will come in for relief of Pratt on the weak side.
Defensive Backs
The secondary lost veterans Shawn Boone and Jonathan Alston to graduation, but now what has always been considered a weakness of the Wolfpack defense could now be seen as an under-the-radar strength.
The maturity throughout the secondary is evident with starters like junior Nick McCloud, redshirt senior Dexter Wright, redshirt junior Jarius Morehead, junior Kishawn Miller and redshirt junior Freddie Phillips Jr.
The key players to look out for are the free safety Wright and nickel corner Phillips. Wright missed three games after suffering an injury vs. South Carolina in the season opener, ended the season starting the final two games and is considered to be the most experienced among the defensive backs. As for Phillips, he replaces Boone, who was arguably the best all-around defensive back the Pack had for the last two seasons.
Phillips suffered a torn Achilles against the Gamecocks in Charlotte, then reinjured it later and sat out the remainder of the season. Phillips will be chomping at the bit to see the gridiron, and especially as a starter in 2018.
