The Wolfpacker: An Independent Magazine Covering NC State Sports
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72 ■ THE WOLFPACKER OFFENSIVE LINE and will provide depth in the middle of the line. Sculthorpe started one game last season. True freshman and early enrollee Jalynn Strickland, a tackle, also thoroughly impressed the coach with his spring audition. "He's got tremendous upside," Ledford noted. Ledford's hope is that potential lives up to its promise like his three fifth-year seniors have proven to do. "All three of those guys will have something to play for after the year is up," Ledford said. "I think all three of them could have a career for themselves." ■ Getting To Know: Joshua Fedd-Jackson Joshua Fedd-Jackson can recall when his mother would refuse to allow him to play football. "She was an overprotective mom," Fedd-Jackson admitted. But his uncle ran a Pop Warner football team and eventually was able to persuade his mother into letting Fedd-Jackson play, and from day one he has proven to be a natural. There is a reason for that — Fedd-Jackson found an immediate liking to the sport. "You get to hit people," he explained in simplistic fashion. His mindset proved suitable to play offensive line at a high level, which he has done. Fedd-Jackson was one of the rare true freshman offensive linemen to see the field when he suited up last year for the Wolfpack. He started at right guard for an injured Tony Adams in the 52-31 victory against Arizona State in the Hyundai Sun Bowl. At the college level, he knew he would be facing players that were bigger, faster and stronger than he had ever seen. And when he arrived at NC State, he had to go up against a pair of defensive tackles in B.J. Hill and Justin Jones that heard their names called in the last NFL Draft. "I just thought I was going to come and I was not going to be scared of anybody," he recalled. "The first day I came I was going up against B.J. Hill and Justin Jones. It was like, 'Okay, this is what I wanted and I got it.'" Fedd-Jackson has never been one to back down from a challenge. During the re - cruiting camp circuit, he developed a reputation for his mean streak and physicality in one-on-one battles. He has the nasty demeanor ideally suited to play in the trenches. "If you don't do it to your opponent, they are going to do it to you," he explained. When Fedd-Jackson arrived at NC State, he was not ready to play for one reason. He acknowledged he lost track of his weight between his senior season at St. Joseph Regional in Montvale, N.J., and his arrival at NC State. Thus when he stepped on campus, Fedd-Jackson was 352 pounds. Less than a year later, he is less than 330 and hoping to start this season at 320-325. He could be in line for a starting job as well. Someone must replace Adams at right guard, and Fedd-Jackson is a strong candidate with valuable game experience now under his belt. Ironically, his first major action came against UNC, when he logged 37 snaps. "I was actually committed there [UNC]," Fedd-Jackson admitted. He called the chance to help NCSU prevail 33-21 over its archrivals "really fun" and "a blessing." Yet the bowl game will probably be more meaningful because it was his first start. "The night before was different," he remembered. "I didn't want to eat team din - ner. Coach was saying you have to eat. I was like, 'I'm good.' I needed to get the first play out of the way." It's unlikely Fedd-Jackson will experience similar nerves moving forward. "I have some pieces of the puzzle," he said. "Now it's time to put them together." — Matt Carter Quick Facts Position Coach: Dwayne Ledford (third season) Returning Starters: Garrett Bradbury (26 career starts), Tyler Jones (32) and Terronne Prescod (16) Starters Lost: Tony Adams (47) and Will Richardson (30) FYI: NC State's offensive line was ranked No. 17 in the country and third in the ACC by Athlon … Athlon also named fifth-year senior tackle Tyler Jones first-team All-ACC, while fifth-year senior center Garrett Bradbury was a second-team pick and fifth-year senior guard Terronne Prescod was a third-team choice … The Wolfpack returns the sixth most amount of starts among ACC schools on the offensive line … In high school, redshirt sophomore Joe Sculthorpe was a state champion wrestler, redshirt junior Tyrone Riley played basketball and redshirt junior Philip Walton Jr. was a competitive swimmer … Sophomore Joshua Fedd-Jackson was one of two from St. Joseph Regional High School in Montvale, N.J., to sign with NC State in the 2017 class, joining linebacker Louis Acceus … Incoming freshman Gabriel Gonzalez played in the Shrine Bowl of the Carolinas All-Star Game. ■ Preseason Analysis **** Among country's best; *** Among ACC's best; ** Solid or has potential; * Too unproven Starters *** There are a trio of fifth-year seniors that are being touted as potential all-conference and NFL Draft candidates in left tackle Tyler Jones, left guard Terronne Prescod and center Garrett Bradbury. Sophomore Joshua Fedd-Jackson received high grades for his freshman season, but there could be a position battle looming at right tackle between redshirt sophomore Justin Witt and redshirt junior Tyrone Riley, the latter a converted defensive end. Experience *** Bradbury, Jones and Prescod have a combined 74 starts, and three more offensive linemen — Witt, Fedd-Jackson and redshirt sophomore Joe Sculthorpe — started a game last year. Experience is not an issue with this group. Depth **½ Along the interior of the line, offensive line coach Dwayne Ledford is confident in Scult - horpe, whom Ledford believes could be NC State's center of the future but is also equally capable of being a good guard. There are some intriguing talents at tackle providing depth, notably true freshman early enrollee Jalynn Strickland, a massive 6-6, 318-pounder with a wide wingspan. Overall grade *** NC State's offensive line has been one of the better groups in the ACC for the past couple of seasons, and that is unlikely to change this fall given the number of quality veteran starters. Sophomore Joshua Fedd-Jackson started at right guard and played 70 snaps in the 52-31 win over Arizona State in the Hyundai Sun Bowl. PHOTO BY KEN MARTIN