After losing to the Vanderbilt Commodores in the Franklin American Mortgage Music City Bowl on New Year’s Eve, N.C. State’s seniors left Wolfpack football to pursue graduate school or dive straight into the working class.
For five of the football players that earned their degrees, the end of their story as a member of the Wolfpack marked the beginning of their tales in the National Football League. These stories began earlier than anticipated as the players were selected to participate in exhibition games following the bowl season.
St. Petersburg, Fla. is the first stop for safeties Earl Wolff and Brandon Bishop. The secondary duo was selected to represent the Pack as members of the Eastern All-Stars in the East-West Shrine Game, the longest running college all-star game in the country, on Jan. 19. Both players were coached by former Houston Oilers and Atlanta Falcons head coach Jerry Glanville.
While both safeties played in the game, it was Wolff who made one of the key plays of the contest. With four minutes remaining in the game, the Western All-Stars were looking to increase its 18-point lead with Texas Tech quarterback Seth Doege behind center.
On third-and-3 on the East’s 12-yard line, Doege threw to the back of the end zone, looking for Mississippi State wide receiver Chad Bumphis. Wolff managed to get in front of Bumphis, intercept the pass and run out of the back of the end zone, resulting in a touchback.
The Eastern All-Stars used this momentum to drive down the field on the ensuing possession, which resulted in a field goal from Florida kicker Caleb Sturgis. The West ran out the clock following Sturgis’ failed onside kick attempt and came away with the win, 28-13.
While Bishop and Wolff were on the same team in the Shrine Game, on Jan. 19, offensive guard R.J. Mattes and defensive end Brian Slay were on opposing forces for the National Football League Players Association Collegiate Bowl in Los Angeles, Calif. Mattes played on the National team while Slay participated as part of the American team. Slay recorded two tackles and a pass deflection, yet Mattes and the National team were on the winning side as the National team prevailed, 34-0.
Quarterback Mike Glennon, one of the top quarterback prospects in the NFL Draft, traveled to Mobile, Ala. to compete in the Senior Bowl as the starter for the Northern All-Stars on Jan. 26. Despite being projected as the first quarterback to be picked in the Draft, Glennon struggled early, completing only four of eight passes for 26 yards on two drives that both stalled out.
At the beginning of the third quarter, Glennon helped engineer the North’s first scoring drive of the game, completing all three of his passes for 34 yards and a one-yard third down conversion on the ground. UCLA running back Johnathan Franklin scored on a 20-yard run to finish the drive.
Glennon’s final drive of the game started strong as he connected with Western Kentucky tight end Jack Doyle for a 22-yard gain following a 10-yard holding penalty, but the drive quickly stalled after two incomplete passes from Glennon. The North had to settle for a 42-yard field goal by Oklahoma State placekicker Quinn Sharp.
Glennon finished the game going 8-for-16 for 82 yards. Glennon’s counterpart, Florida State quarterback E.J. Manuel, led the Southern team with seven completions for 76 yards, a touchdown and an interception as the South came away with the victory, 21-16.
With the draft less than three months away, the players will have to make a lasting impression on all of the NFL teams, especially during the NFL scouting combine. The week-long combine starts on Feb. 20 and lasts until Feb. 26.
