The Wolfpacker: An Independent Magazine Covering NC State Sports
Issue link: https://comanpub.uberflip.com/i/1153250
46 ■ THE WOLFPACKER 2. Wide Receiver It's hard to imagine a unit that loses a pair of 1,000- yard receivers and first-team All-ACC performers a year early to the NFL could still be considered a strength on the team. But that's the luxury NC State enjoys. While Kelvin Harmon (Washington Redskins) and Jakobi Meyers (New England Patriots) are turning heads in their respective NFL training camps, NC State is moving on with junior Emeka Emezie, red- shirt junior C.J. Riley and redshirt sophomore Thayer Thomas after all three played prominent roles in 2018. Collectively, they combined to bring in 115 passes for 1,314 yards and 10 touchdowns last season. Emezie was second on the team in scoring receptions (five), while the former walk-on Thomas had a 100- yard receiving game in week two against Georgia State. But there is still good depth, too. NC State coaches are high on the potential of redshirt freshman Devin Carter, who took advantage of the new rule that al- lowed him to play four games without burning that redshirt. Carter caught an 11-yard pass against East Carolina in the regular-season finale. Plus, NC State welcomes former Wake Forest/Or- egon receiver Tabari Hines. When Hines suited up for the Demon Deacons, he was both a Pack killer and one of the best slot receivers in the conference. He torched NCSU for eight receptions for 139 yards and three touchdowns in 2017. Hines finished that year with 53 catches for 683 yards and seven scores before leaving as a graduate transfer to Oregon. His last season, though, was cut short with an in- jury after he played in three games for the Ducks and caught three passes for 32 yards and a score. 3. Kicker It did not take sophomore Christopher Dunn long to become a fan favorite. In his rookie season, Dunn set school records with 23 made field goals and 120 points scored, and was named second-team All-ACC. He was 23 of 26 on field goal attempts with a long of 49 yards, which came in the bowl game. He also connected on all 51 of his extra points. And, for good measure, Dunn's backup is not that bad either. Walk-on redshirt sophomore Trenton Gill, who is battling classmate Mackenzie Morgan for the starting punter job, made a 45-yard field goal in the Kay Yow Spring Game and connected on 8 of 12 at- tempts when he was a senior at Cedar Ridge High in Hillsborough, N.C. Redshirt sophomore Isaiah Moore had an impressive debut at middle linebacker and won the team's Philip Rivers Freshman of the Year award last year, but will be pushed by several young talents this fall. PHOTO BY KEN MARTIN 2019 PRESEASON SUPERLATIVES Breaking Down The Wolfpack Heading Into The Fall BY MATT CARTER T he 2019 season is quickly approaching, and with the Aug. 31 opener against East Carolina at Carter-Finley Stadium closing in, we take a look at the team's biggest strengths, position battles to watch, top rookies and more. Three Strongest Position Groups 1. Linebacker During his rookie season, Isaiah Moore started all 12 games that he played in the middle of the Wolfpack defense. He piled up 69 tackles, 7.5 stops for loss and 2.5 sacks, while adding six quarterback hurries, two passes broken up and a fumble recovery. If Moore can improve from his redshirt freshman campaign, NC State defen- sive coordinator/linebackers coach Dave Huxtable will be smiling this fall. However, Moore will need to be locked in. Talented and well- r eg a r d e d f r e s h m a n D r a ke Thomas enrolled early at NC State after a decorated ca- reer at Wake Forest (N.C.) Heritage High and was a Clemson-caliber recruit, literally. He picked the Wolfpack over Clemson and was a major catalyst for NCSU dominating the in-state recruiting in 2018. The weakside linebacker spot is completely up for grabs, but has some good options. Both redshirt ju- nior Brock Miller and junior Louis Acceus have shown that they can make plays in the ACC and will now get a chance to start af- ter the departure of first-team All-ACC performer Germaine Pratt. The two have appeared in 43 games with three starts. Throw in a pair of good-looking redshirt freshmen in Payton Wilson and C.J. Hart Jr., and it's no wonder that Huxtable feels he has his deepest and most athletic linebacking corps in his seven years at NC State.