NC State football finished its 2023-34 season with a solid 9-4 record, headlined by a late-season win over UNC-Chapel Hill and a trip to the Pop-Tarts Bowl. But as always, turnover in college football is inevitable. 

Quarterback Brennan Armstrong completed his final year as a graduate, and wide receiver Keyon Lesane declared for the 2024 NFL Draft. Wide receivers Terrell Timmons, Porter Rooks and running back Delbert Mimms entered the transfer portal. 

With sophomore wideout KC Concepcion being the only remaining key piece of the 2023 offense, head coach Dave Doeren exceeded expectations with both transfers and recruits, instilling the Wolfpack with new sense of confidence for the 2024 season.

Grayson McCall, QB

After much deliberation on his future, graduate quarterback Grayson McCall will call Raleigh home for his final year of eligibility. McCall played at Coastal Carolina for four years and was the driving force behind its success, completing 710 passes for 10,005 yards, 88 touchdowns and just 14 interceptions. 

McCall has also proven his capability as a scrambler by taking 350 carries for 1,113 yards and another 18 touchdowns. He is a three-time Sun Belt Player of the Year and a four-time first-team all-conference selection. The four-star transfer is expected to be Doeren’s starting quarterback for the 2024 season.

Jordan Waters, RB

Graduate running back Jordan Waters will fill NC State’s vacancy at running back. Waters spent four seasons at Duke but was not the primary back until 2022. Last season, he took 153 carries for 819 yards and 12 touchdowns and hauled in nine receptions for 139 yards. The four-star transfer should add a new dimension to the 2024 offense, especially with the Pack’s rushing attack on the decline for most of the 2023 season.

Jonathan Paylor, WR

Incoming freshman Jonathan Paylor was the Wolfpack’s number one target out of high school for good reason. The ‘Swiss Army Knife’ has proven to be one of the most explosive weapons in high school, accumulating an astonishing 3,200 all-purpose yards and 33 touchdowns during his senior season. 

Paylor received offers from over 25 schools, including big names like Alabama and Georgia. However, he narrowed down his schools to the Carolinas and Maryland, eventually choosing NC State. Paylor can line up anywhere on the field and has the ability to be the most dynamic player on the field at any given time. Between him and Concepcion, defenses will have issues both predicting and stopping NC State’s offense.

Terrell Anderson, WR

Terrell Anderson is a four-star recruit and was another one of NC State’s biggest targets. After originally being predicted to head to Georgia, he flipped the script by committing to NC State. 

Anderson played three years of varsity high school football, turning 180 receptions into 3,269 yards and 34 touchdowns. Standing at 6-foot-3, he is an expert at tracking and catching the ball in contested situations. His size and aggressiveness adds a new facet to the NC State passing attack that wasn’t present last season.

Noah Rogers, WR

Noah Rogers is a four-star transfer wide receiver from Ohio State. Due to a stacked wide receiver room, he didn’t have much playing time with the Buckeyes. However, he was ranked as the No. 2 wide receiver prospect in high school in his class. 

During his breakout junior year, Rogers had 70 catches for 1,432 yards and 22 touchdowns. In total, he ended his career with 141 catches for 3,069 yards and 48 touchdowns, averaging 21.8 yards per catch. Rogers runs a sub-4.5 second 40-yard dash and is excellent at creating separation from his defenders. Rogers adds immense big-play potential, so there is always potential for an electric play anytime he touches the field.

Justin Joly, TE

Justin Joly is a four-star transfer tight end from UConn. Though he didn’t get much playing time his freshman year of college, he showed his potential in high school. Joly played three years of varsity, where he turned 123 catches into 1,827 yards and 19 touchdowns, all within 25 games. 

Joly is an elite receiving tight end, but he’s also shown his capabilities as a strong blocker, thus bolstering the rushing attack. He should provide some consistency in a tight end room that had its ups and downs last season.