The Wolfpacker: An Independent Magazine Covering NC State Sports
Issue link: https://comanpub.uberflip.com/i/1013591
52 ■ THE WOLFPACKER WOLFPACK FOOTBALL Players Picked For Preseason Watch Lists With his decision to return for a final season of football at NC State rather than turn pro, it is little surprise that sixth-year senior quarterback Ryan Finley is finding himself mentioned for some of the sport's most prestigious awards. The Walter Camp Football Foundation included Finley on its list of 50 players to watch for its 2018 Player of the Year honor. Finley was also picked for the Davey O'Brien National Quarterback Award and Maxwell Award watch lists, with the latter going to college football's best player. Last season, Finley ranked 10th na- tionally in the Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS) and second in the ACC with 3,518 passing yards — the fourth most in a single season at NC State. Athlon Sports also rated Finley No. 3 on its list of Heisman Trophy contenders from the ACC. The outlet also dubbed him the league's best signal-caller. Junior wide receiver Kelvin Harmon was picked for the Biletnikoff Award Preseason watch list. The honor is given annually to the most outstanding receiver in college football. Harmon's 1,017 receiving yards last season was the second best mark in the ACC and sixth best for a single season at NC State. Fifth-year senior linebacker Germaine Pratt — who despite not starting a game last year had 69 tackles and two inter- ceptions, one of which he returned for a touchdown — was among 51 linebackers named to the 2018 Butkus Award watch list, annually given to the nation's best at the position. Fifth-year senior center Garrett Bradbury has been selected for both the watch lists for the Rimington Trophy and the Outland Trophy. The Outland is given to college football's top interior offensive lineman and the Rimington is awarded to the best center. Bradbury was honorable mention All-ACC in 2017. Senior punter A.J. Cole was selected for the watch list for the Ray Guy Award, given to college football's best punter, and the Wuerffel Trophy, known as "college football's premier award for community service." Cole has a career average of 42.2 yards per punt, third best in school history. Last season he had a 43.7-yard clip, 25th best at the FBS level and fifth best in a year at NC State. NC State's Waiver For Tight End Transfer Denied The Wolfpack had hoped that redshirt sophomore tight end Cary Angeline, a transfer from Southern Cal, would only have to sit out two games at the most, but head coach Dave Doeren announced after the first day of preseason camp Aug. 3 that Angeline's waiver was denied and he will miss the first three games of the year. Angeline played in the first two games of USC's season last year and dressed for a third before leaving school. In December, he chose to transfer to NC State, and he arrived on campus for the first session of summer school. Angeline did not catch a pass for the Trojans, but he was a heralded prospect coming out of Downington East High in Chester Springs, Pa. The 6-7, 254-pounder was rated by 247Sports.com as a four-star prospect and the No. 177 overall player in the country in the 2016 class after catching 47 passes for 826 yards and 13 touchdowns as a senior. In his redshirt year at USC, Angeline was named the 2016 Offensive Service Team Player of the Year. NC State head coach Dave Doeren has high expectations for Angeline, noting his impact would be "huge." "He's 6-foot-7, 250 [pounds], can run, pass block," Doeren said. "He's got a re- ally, really good skill set." ■ ■ Projected 2018 NC State Depth Chart OFFENSE Pos. No. Name Ht. Wt. Cl. QB 15 Ryan Finley 6-4 212 6th-Sr. 7 Matthew McKay 6-4 210 R-Fr. RB 25 Reggie Gallaspy Jr. 5-11 235 Sr. 20 Ricky Person Jr. 6-1 210 Fr. X 3 Kelvin Harmon 6-3 214 Jr. 19 C.J. Riley 6-4 206 R-So. Z 1 Stephen Louis 6-2 215 5th-Sr. 86 Emeka Emezie 6-3 208 So. S 11 Jakobi Meyers 6-2 203 R-Jr. 87 Thayer Thomas 6-1 193 R-Fr. TE 42 Dylan Autenrieth 6-4 242 R-So. 28 Dylan Parham 6-5 236 R-So. LT 53 Tyler Jones 6-3 306 5th-Sr. 52 Kendall Brown 6-4 263 R-So. LG 70 Terronne Prescod 6-5 334 5th-Sr. 73 Justin Chase 6-5 300 R-So. C 65 Garrett Bradbury 6-3 300 5th-Sr. 71 Joe Sculthorpe 6-3 314 R-So. RG 66 Joshua Fedd-Jackson 6-3 329 So. 72 Philip Walton Jr. 6-6 300 R-Jr. RT 67 Justin Witt 6-6 310 R-So. 55 Tyrone Riley 6-6 290 R-Jr. DEFENSE Pos. No. Name Ht. Wt. Cl. DE 39 James Smith-Williams 6-3 270 R-Jr. 44 Joe Babros 6-4 250 Jr. DT 91 Eurndraus Bryant 6-1 330 Sr. 92 Larrell Murchison 6-3 291 R-Jr. DT 90 Shug Frazier 6-3 318 R-So. 73 Grant Gibson 6-1 300 R-Fr. DE 45 Darian Roseboro 6-4 283 Sr. 55 Deonte Holden 6-4 247 5th-Sr. WLB 3 Germaine Pratt 6-3 240 5th-Sr. 12 Brock Miller 6-3 231 R-So. MLB 41 Isaiah Moore 6-2 233 R-Fr. 2 Louis Acceus 5-11 220 So. NIC 21 Stephen Griffin 6-3 210 R-Jr. 7 Freddie Phillips Jr. 6-1 208 R-Jr. CB 4 Nick McCloud 6-1 186 Jr. 27 Vernon Grier 5-10 185 R-Jr. CB 15 Chris Ingram 6-0 186 So. 8 Maurice Trowell 5-11 195 5th-Sr. SS 31 Jarius Morehead 6-1 220 R-Jr. 22 Isaiah Stallings 6-4 220 R-So. FS 14 Dexter Wright 6-2 229 5th-Sr. 34 Tim Kidd-Glass 6-1 204 Jr. Pos. No. Name Ht. Wt. Cl. K 32 Christopher Dunn 5-8 177 Fr. 92 Kyle Bambard 5-8 188 Sr. P 90 A.J. Cole III 6-4 218 Sr. 99 Trenton Gill 6-4 211 R-Fr. Pos. No. Name Ht. Wt. Cl. LS 57 Tyler Griffiths 6-1 253 Sr. 50 Jackson Quiggle 5-11 214 R-So. SPECIAL TEAMS Fifth-year senior linebacker Germaine Pratt is on the Butkus Award watch list after becoming the first NC State defensive player since David Amerson in 2011 to have a pair of touchdowns in a season (he had an interception return and recovered blocked punt last year). PHOTO BY KEN MARTIN