The Wolfpacker: An Independent Magazine Covering NC State Sports
Issue link: https://comanpub.uberflip.com/i/1137844
JULY 2019 ■ 63 OFFENSIVE LINE perience of starting every game last year when healthy and eligible (he was suspended the first half of the regular-season finale against East Carolina) into a leadership role. "You want guys who have played," Garrison noted. "They have seen the live bullets. Justin has certainly done that. "When I first came in, I don't know if he felt he needed a voice. Now is his time. Guys respect him. He has done a great job of lead- ing and being verbal and communicating." Fedd-Jackson adds a dimension of physicality to the unit. "He is one of those guys that is a throwback — he will come off the ball and play physical," Garrison said. "He has physicality. He can just man up and block somebody one-on-one and create movement. "He's athletic, and he moves very well. His raw strength and power are pretty darn impressive along with his quickness and agility." NC State must find two more starters to go with that trio. Former defensive tackle Grant Gibson, a redshirt sophomore, could be in position to grab the center or a guard spot after being moved to of- fense following the first few games of the 2018 season. "He is very, very coachable," Garrison noted. "I think he is one of those guys inside where you can just plug him in anywhere and he can play. Time will tell what he can handle at the center spot. I'm not worried about him mentally or even physically, but I want to see where he is at." Another former defensive lineman, Tyrone Riley, started two games last season at right tackle and is vying to become a full-time starter for his fifth-year senior season. Garrison noted that you can- not teach Riley's wingspan and 36-inch arm length. Offensive Line Roster STARTERS No. Name Yr. Ht. Wt. Hometown 66 Joshua Fedd-Jackson Jr. 6-3 332 Montvale, N.J. Did not allow any sacks and had 34 knockdown blocks in the 12 games (all starts) he was healthy enough to play at right guard. 50 Grant Gibson R-So. 6-1 305 Charlotte The former Rivals.com four-star signee was the Defensive Scout Team Player of the Year in 2017 while redshirting and made the switch to offensive line after the 2018 season started. Could play center or guard. 55 Tyrone Riley 5th-Sr. 6-6 296 Savannah, Ga. Moved from defensive end to offensive tackle in the spring of 2018, and started two games last fall on the right side due to injuries and suspensions. 71 Joe Sculthorpe R-Jr. 6-3 300 Hampstead, N.C. Versatile option has started three games in his career at guard, including both wins against Marshall, and had a career-best 10 knockdown blocks in a victory over Boston College last fall. 67 Justin Witt R-Jr. 6-6 310 Chicago Right tackle has 12 career starts to his credit and played more snaps in 2018 (800) than any returning player. RESERVES No. Name Yr. Ht. Wt. Hometown 52 Kendall Brown R-Jr. 6-4 288 Jacksonville, Fla. Athletic former high school defensive lineman with a 7-foot-1 wingspan has added much-needed weight. 74 Emanuel McGirt Jr. 5th-Sr. 6-6 300 Durham, N.C. Was a four-star and top-200 recruit from Hillside High in the 2015 class, and after being hampered by injuries is finally healthy and competing for a job this fall. 62 Bryson Speas R-So. 6-4 288 Greensboro, N.C. After playing 12 snaps in the first seven games of his rookie season, he was in on 45 plays in the final six contests. WAITING IN THE WINGS No. Name Yr. Ht. Wt. Hometown 56 Kollin Byers R-So. 6-4 267 Shelby, N.C. Is working as a reserve at center and guard while trying to add weight. 73 Justin Chase R-Jr. 6-5 315 Chesapeake, Va. Reserve guard has a chance to land a spot on the two-deep this fall. 79 Ikem Ekwonu Fr. 6-4 298 Charlotte Three-star signee from Providence Day High in Charlotte could play guard or tackle. 68 Charles Fletcher R-So. 6-2 300 Greenville, N.C. Walk-on from Rose High. 78 Gabriel Gonzalez R-Fr. 6-5 281 Mebane, N.C. Redshirted last fall and then missed the spring with an injury. 57 Zovon Lindsay Fr. 6-4 291 Fayetteville, N.C. Early enrollee received valuable reps in the spring due to injuries. Projects as a tackle. 65 Timothy McKay Fr. 6-4 299 Raleigh Another early enrollee who could play either tackle or guard, and due to injuries was able see action with the makeshift first-string line in the Kay Yow Spring Game. 54 Dylan McMahon Fr. 6-3 290 Savannah, Ga. Was rated the No. 9 center in the country in the 2019 class by Rivals.com. 61 Bo Ressler R-Fr. 6-7 281 Cary, N.C. Walk-on from Green Hope High. 59 Liam Ryan R-So. 6-2 297 Cary, N.C. Walk-on played at Cary High before spending a year at Fork Union (Va.) Military Acad - emy and could secure a spot on the two-deep at center. 70 Kennan Solomon R-So. 6-5 300 Roxboro, N.C. Former defensive lineman and imposing-looking walk-on played at Person High. 75 Jalynn Strickland R-Fr. 6-6 329 Waycross, Ga. If healthy, Strickland has the potential to move up to the reserves category. Made a big first impression when arriving in the spring of 2018 but has been limited since last fall with injury issues. ■ PRESEASON ANALYSIS ★★★★ Among country's best; ★★★ Among ACC's best; ★★ Solid or has potential; ★ Too unproven Starters ★★★ The trio of redshirt juniors Joe Sculthorpe (guard/center) and Justin Witt (tackle) and junior Joshua Fedd-Jackson (guard) is an excellent starting point that should hold up well in the ACC. The question is, who fills out the rest of the interior and the always- important left tackle position? Experience ★★★ In addition to Sculthorpe, Witt and Fedd-Jackson, some other players have extensive experience. Fifth-year senior tackle Tyrone Riley started and played two full games last year, and redshirt sophomore guard Bryson Speas saw action in all 13 games as a rookie. Depth ★★ There are intriguing options. Fifth-year senior tackle Emanuel McGirt Jr. is finally healthy and had a great spring according to his position coach. Also at tackle, redshirt junior Kendall Brown has started to add the necessary strength. On the inside, whomever does not start between Speas and redshirt sophomore Grant Gib- son should be able to provide depth. However, all of those players are limited in experience. Overall grade ★★★ It will be hard to replicate the success of the past few years given the losses from those offensive lines, but NC State should still field a solid unit, provided it's healthy. "It was an interesting spring because there were so many weird or nagging injuries. We got to find some depth because it forced some guys to play a little out of position at times. It forced some other guys to get extra reps that they needed." ■ Offensive line coach John Garrison