The highly anticipated 2022 NC State football season is less than a week away. In the meantime, it is time to take a look at each position group for the Wolfpack and the starters and reserves that stand in the balance.
Quarterback
Heading into his third season as starter, redshirt junior Devin Leary not only serves as the leader of the quarterback room but the whole team. He received a lot of praise this offseason as he was named the ACC Preseason Player of the Year. Last season was one for the ages for Leary as he was able to play an entire season after fracturing his fibula during the 2020 season. He helped guide the Wolfpack to nine wins, six of which were in the ACC.
Leary passed for 3,433 yards, 35 touchdowns as compared to only five interceptions. He also had an impressive 65.7 completion rating. It should be noted that each of these stats ranked in the top five in the ACC last season. In the season finale against UNC-Chapel Hill, he passed for his 35th touchdown which broke the NC State single-season touchdown record set by Philip Rivers. Leary looks to continue his legacy as the next great quarterback to play for the Pack. If he is able to continue his success from last season, he will definitely be a top prospect in next year’s NFL draft.
“As a recruit, you understand that NC State really is QBU,” Leary said in a postpractice presser on Aug. 9. “The amount of everything they produce on the next level, you know they hold their quarterbacks to a really high standard.”
There are key depth pieces that help round out the quarterback room. Redshirt freshman Ben Finley is the most experienced when it comes to the other quarterbacks. He appeared in three games last year behind center but saw relatively limited action. Freshman MJ Morris and graduate transfer Jackson Chambers are both newcomers on this squad.
Running Backs
Running back looks like an area of relative uncertainty for the Pack at the moment. Over the offseason, NC State bid farewell to veterans Ricky Person Jr. and Zonovan Knight who both went pro. The job to replace them looks to be a rather challenging task as they both combined for 1,389 yards and eight rushing touchdowns.
There are several new faces that look to stake their names to the running attack, but junior Jordan Houston looks to use his veteran experience to help lead the way.
“I feel as the most experienced back, it’s my role now to lead by example and minimize mistakes,” Houston said.
The former three-star recruit has been used sparingly since the 2019 season in which he ran for 526 yards and two touchdowns.
“2019 I feel like was great for me because I was able to get that early experience,” Houston said. “Experience goes a long way when it comes to playing college football.”
Another name to keep in mind is sophomore Demie Sumo. Even though he did not see much playing time outside of special teams, Sumo looks to be a very promising ground force as he put together a rather impressive career for Willingboro High School in New Jersey. Redshirt sophomore Delbert Mimms III also looks to add his name to the mix. The Indianapolis product saw relatively limited time at running back last season as he only played in two games. He mostly contributed to special teams where he recorded the most snaps. It should be no surprise if both spend considerably less time on special teams this season.
Wide Receivers
Offensive coordinator Tim Beck has to be pleased with the level of talent that currently resides in the NC State receiving room. Despite star pass-catcher Emeka Emezie turning pro, there is still lots of talent in Raleigh. It starts with graduate Thayer Thomas and redshirt junior Devin Carter. The two of them combined for 1,152 yards and 14 touchdowns last season.
Thomas, a former walk-on, has plenty of experience as he heads into his fifth season with the team. He has undoubtedly left an impact on the program as he ranks seventh in receptions and third in receiving touchdowns in school history. Carter has proven himself to be a serious threat in the passing game as he led the team in yards per reception last season. His frame and skillset have made him a reliable target in the red zone as he hauled in six touchdown receptions, one of which was the game-winner against Clemson last season.
One name that has begun to emerge on the scene is sophomore Porter Rooks. The former four-star receiver from Charlotte, North Carolina posted 298 yards last year primarily as a slot receiver. He should certainly be expected to be a larger piece of the offense this season.
The depth begins with graduate transfer Darryl Jones, who transferred to the Pack after four seasons with Maryland. Also, junior Keyon Lesane and sophomore Anthony Smith add options as they have both been contributors in years past.
Tight Ends
The tight end play was a large factor in the Pack’s offensive success last season. Redshirt junior Trent Pennix and redshirt sophomore Christopher Toudle both had the opportunity to play the position for the first time and they ran with it. Pennix, who was a running back at the time of his recruitment, made the position switch and he put up 236 receiving yards and three touchdowns. Toudle, a former receiver, also provides another reliable option as he hauled in four scores of his own. It should be noted that he had to have surgery in the offseason which required him to miss spring practice. However if healthy, both should be reliable options in the redzone.
Offensive Line
The front line for NC State has continued to be an integral part of the team and that was certainly evident last season. There is a noticeable gap in the line however as standout left tackle Ikem Ekwonu was drafted in the first round of the 2021 NFL draft. However, the line is still in good hands as the projected starters for this year average around 5.2 years of team experience.
The line is led by graduate Grant Gibson, who was named to the All-ACC third-team last year, has exemplified dependability by starting each of the Pack’s last 35 games at center. It also should be highlighted that he led the entire team in total snaps played at a staggering 828.
As noted above, the absence of Ekwonu could prove to be troublesome but the presence of graduate Bryson Speas should help. Even though he has primarily played at right tackle, he could be shifted to the left. Graduate Timothy McKay could fill in the missing tackle spot after being the sixth man on the line last season. Other veterans returning include redshirt sophomore Dylan McMahon and graduate Chandler Zavala, who will most likely be used as guards. After originally losing his battle for an extra year of eligibility, Zavala was able to secure another season after suffering a back injury that kept him out for seven games.
Defensive Line
Despite losing star lineman Daniel Joseph, the defensive line still looks to be talented heading into the season. They are led by graduate defensive tackle Cory Durden who was named to the All-ACC First Team in his first year after transferring to the program. He recorded a respectable 31 total tackles and three sacks on the season.
Junior Savion Jackson looks to build off of a strong season which was interrupted by injury. He was honored this offseason with being able to wear the legendary number nine that past greats Mario Williams and Bradley Chubb donned during their time in Raleigh.
“Consistent behavior over a long period of time, as a coach that builds trust,” said head coach Dave Doeren. “He’s put on good weight, he’s moving well and he’s been out there every day working hard.”
To round out the starting three is most likely sophomore Davin Vann. He was able to garner his fair share of experience last season as he played when Jackson went down. He started the final three games of the year and he collected 25 total tackles and 3.5 sacks.
Linebackers
Arguably the most talented and most deep position group on this entire team belongs to the linebacker core. All three presumed starters have the potential to collect postseason awards and establish themselves as top NFL prospects.
For redshirt junior Payton Wilson and graduate Isaiah Moore, the season cannot start fast enough. After both were named as preseason All-ACC First-Team selections and having a very strong start to the 2021 season, they both experienced season-ending injuries. Wilson hopes to build off of a strong 2020 campaign which saw him rank fourth in all of college football in tackles and be named to the All-ACC first team. Moore would also like to duplicate his 2020 season as he posted 94 total tackles, three sacks and was named as an honorary All-ACC member.
“You always have to get better as a player, you’re never a finished product,” Moore said. “The more reps I can give helps me continue to refine my craft and to get better”.
When both Wilson and Moore went down, junior Drake Thomas stepped into the spotlight and took advantage of it. He helped take a leadership role in the Pack defense and collected 763 total snaps which was second most of any defensive player. He recorded his best season as he amassed 99 total tackles and six sacks. At the end of the season, he was named to the All-ACC First Team.
Some other names to keep in mind are sophomore Devon Betty and junior Jaylon Scott. Both saw action last year in the absence of Wilson and Moore.
Secondary
Over the course of the past few years, the Wolfpack secondary has continued to improve and that is in large part due to its veteran presence. The leader of this unit is senior safety Tanner Ingle. He recorded the most snaps played on defense at 776 and earned All-ACC First Team honors. Also graduate safety Cyrus Fagan looks to have a strong season after he missed the bulk of last season with an injury after transferring from Florida State. Honorary All-ACC selection Tyler Baker-Williams will also line up at corner. The senior nickelback continued his excellence as he helped lead the conference in passes defended.
At cornerback is talented redshirt senior Derrek Pitts Jr. In his first season with the Pack, he started 11 games which was the most of any corner on the team and ranked fifth on the team in terms of tackles. Lastly, redshirt sophomore Shyheim Battle rounds out the starting secondary as he started nine games at corner last season. He was also an honorable All-ACC selection.
There is considerable depth on this squad as there are several others who saw at least a decent amount of playing time. Sophomore nickelback Devan Boykin was crucial coming off of the bench as he started four games near the end of the season. Another name includes junior safety Jakeen Harris who started seven games last year.
Special Teams
The new season brings with it the return of the leading scorer in NC State history, graduate senior Christopher Dunn. He is notably very accurate as he nailed 48 field goals last season and has yet to miss an extra point in his entire career. He was responsible for one of the biggest moments of the season as he executed a perfect onside kick to help the Pack complete a late comeback against UNC-Chapel Hill.
In regards to punter, there will be change as Trenton Gill left for the NFL. Graduate transfer Shane McDonough looks to fill in for Gill as he showed great promise with Towson. McDonough was a two-time all conference section and averaged 41.3 yards per punt last season. The special teams unit as a whole should continue to be a strength for this NC State team.
