The Wolfpacker: An Independent Magazine Covering NC State Sports
Issue link: https://comanpub.uberflip.com/i/1137844
JULY 2019 ■ 67 TIGHT ENDS He played in 12 games his rookie season and hauled in a 25-yard pass. Another redshirt junior, walk-on Thomas Ruocchio, played on special teams in all 13 games a year ago and saw action in three contests at tight end. During the spring, all the tight ends had the opportunity to earn playing time. "Any time you get into a new room you look the guys in the eye and say you have a fair chance to win the job and earn the right to play here," Goebbel said. "I don't think you need to ask a lot of questions. "It's a collaborative approach with the evaluations starting with Coach [George] McDonald and Coach [Des] Kitchings as the offensive coordinators and trickles down through the rest of the coaching staff." The tight end roster features four redshirt juniors and three freshmen, two of them redshirt walk-ons in Matthew Alderfer and Camden Woods. The Pack also signed Kameron Walker, a Shrine Bowl selection from Pisgah High in Canton, N.C. "We're very top heavy in regard to age, but not so much in veter- ans who have playing time on the field," Goebbel said. "It's a good room. The older guys are very mature in the way they go about their business and handle it the right way." Goebbel's wish for the group this fall: an unselfish, hard-working bunch with a balanced approach to the position. "They have to be culture builders, and they have to be jack-of-all- trades and masters of all," he noted. "It's the one position on offense that needs to be highly effective run blockers, be very effective in the pass game and also solid in pass protection." ■ Getting To Know: Dylan Parham There was a point in time when Dylan Parham dreamed of replacing Wolfpack quarterback Ryan Finley for the 2019 season. NC State will have three signal-callers battling to replace Finley, and Parham's new dream is to catch passes from the winner of the competition. The 6-5, 243-pounder converted from quarter - back to tight end following his first year at NC State. He subsequently played 12 games in 2017, but injuries derailed his redshirt sophomore season. The former Southeast Raleigh High standout has three catches for 36 yards in 13 career games heading into his pivotal redshirt junior season. "I feel like I have a pretty good un - derstanding of what is going on, and I'm trying to uphold the standard DA [Dylan Autenrieth] and Cary Angeline set last year," Parham said. NCSU also brought in a new tight ends coach with Todd Goebbel taking over. Sometimes change can be good for a player's career. "He brings some stuff to the table that is really helping us out," Parham said. "He has new tricks and nuances that we can carry on to the field." Parham was considered a "developmental" quarterback recruit with great upside. He was 6-4 and 210 pounds in high school with a 4.81-second 40-yard dash at the Nike Opening Regional in Washington, D.C. The righty threw for 2,003 yards, 20 touchdowns and 10 interceptions during his senior year, and also tallied 404 rushing yards with eight scores in 11 games. "I still have a little something," Parham half-joked about his throwing skills. "If you aren't throwing every day, you can feel the difference, but it does come back pretty quick." Parham is now two years removed from throwing the football all over the field and missing last year due to injury gave him extra time to ponder his future. He also has been working hard in the weight room, and is set to graduate next December with a degree in business and a concentration in marketing. Parham wants to one day work for a company similar to adidas. "No one wants to be injured, and everyone wants to play up to their full potential," Parham said. "I want to help the team as much as possible. I've put on a good amount of weight since last year, and it has helped me on the field." Using his size against smaller defensive backs and his speed against slower line - backers could help him make an impact this fall. "Whatever gets the job done and help us win as many games as possible," Parham said. "I want to be a well-rounded player." — Jacey Zembal Redshirt junior Dylan Parham was a Shrine Bowl of the Carolinas All-Star Game quarterback as a senior at Southeast Raleigh High, but he now catches passes from the tight end position. PHOTO BY KEN MARTIN Tight End Roster STARTERS No. Name Yr. Ht. Wt. Hometown 6 Cary Angeline R-Jr. 6-7 250 Chester Springs, Pa. The former Southern Cal transfer caught three passes for 33 yards and a touchdown in the Kay Yow Spring Game. 42 Dylan Autenrieth R-Jr. 6-4 245 Dallas, Ga. Started more games than any tight end on the roster a year ago (eight) and is credited with being the leader of the unit. RESERVE No. Name Yr. Ht. Wt. Hometown 28 Dylan Parham R-Jr. 6-5 243 Raleigh The former quarterback caught a 25-yard pass on a trick play against Florida State in 2017 for his first career reception. WAITING IN THE WINGS No. Name Yr. Ht. Wt. Hometown 39 Matthew Alderfer R-Fr. 6-3 242 Concord, N.C. Walk-on from Cox Mill High School. 89 Thomas Ruocchio R-Jr. 6-4 255 Raleigh Walk-on was a valuable special teams contributor in 2018. 48 Kameron Walker Fr. 6-5 240 Canton, N.C. Two-way player for Pisgah High was selected to play in the Shrine Bowl of the Carolinas All-Star Game. 45 Camden Woods R-Fr. 6-3 242 Raleigh Walk-on from Wake Christian Academy was the 2018 Raleigh Sports Club Athlete of the Year and is the son of former NC State linebacker Mike Woods. ■ By The Numbers 6-4 2 ⁄5 Approximate average height for NC State's seven tight ends. 13 Total catches by NC State tight ends last year, two fewer than any leading tight end over the past 10 seasons. The group accounted for 207 yards and a score. 177 The overall national recruit ranking from 247Sports of redshirt junior Cary Angeline, when the four-star was coming out of high school in 2016. Quick Facts Position Coach: Todd Goebbel (first season) Returning Starter: Dylan Autenrieth (eight career starts) Starters Lost: None FYI: Athlon ranks the NC State wide receivers and tight ends No. 7 in the ACC … Rivals. com rated incoming freshman Kameron Walker out of Canton (N.C.) Pisgah High as the No. 50 player in the state in the class of 2018 … Both Walker and redshirt junior Dylan Parham played in the Shrine Bowl of the Carolinas All-Star Game, but Parham did so as a quarterback … Parham's father graduated from NC State … Tight end Damien Darden started the first two games of last season due to injuries and redshirt junior Cary Ange - line's ineligibility, but then left the team.