The Wolfpacker: An Independent Magazine Covering NC State Sports
Issue link: https://comanpub.uberflip.com/i/1472609
JULY/AUGUST 2022 ■ 37 SPOTLIGHT PLAYER REDSHIRT SOPHOMORE SHYHEIM BATTLE The NCAA froze eligibility in 2020, which was Shyheim Battle's initial redshirt freshman season. Thus, while Battle is officially listed as a red- shirt sophomore on the roster, he is a seasoned veteran with 21 career starts now to his credit. And according to NC State defensive coordinator Tony Gibson, Battle could be set up for a big breakout. "Shy, I thought, had his best year [in 2021], and I think he's ready to make that next step," Gibson noted. Battle tied fellow starting corner super senior Derrek Pitts Jr. for a team-high 6 pass breakups in 2021. Battle added 2 interceptions. His success was predicted by many recruiting analysts. Coming out of Rocky Mount (N.C.) High, Battle was rated an On3 Consensus four-star in the 2019 class. He accumulated an impressive offer list that included Clem - son, LSU and Ohio State, among others. DEFENSIVE BACKS PROJECTED DEPTH CHART STARTERS No. Name Year Ht. Wt. Hometown 13 Tyler Baker-Williams (NIC) Sr. 6-0 205 Raleigh 25 Shyheim Battle (CB) R-So. 6-2 195 Rocky Mount, N.C. 4 Cyrus Fagan (S) R-Sr. 6-1 197 Daytona Beach, Fla. 10 Tanner Ingle (S) Sr. 5-10 186 Orlando, Fla. 24 Derrek Pitts Jr. (CB) R-Sr. 6-1 193 Dunbar, W.Va. RESERVES No. Name Year Ht. Wt. Hometown 12 Devan Boykin (S/NIC) So. 5-10 187 Greensboro, N.C. 6 Jakeen Harris (S) Jr. 5-10 190 Savannah, Ga. 19 Joshua Pierre-Louis (NIC) So. 5-10 175 Riviera Beach, Fla. 22 Teshaun Smith (CB) R-Jr. 6-3 190 Ft. Lauderdale, Fla. 3 Aydan White (CB) So. 6-0 185 Asheville, N.C. WAITING IN THE WINGS No. Name Year Ht. Wt. Hometown 16 Rakeim Ashford (S) Jr. 6-1 190 Ackerman, Miss. 20 Sean Brown (S) R-Fr. 6-0 198 Charlotte, N.C. 30 Isaiah Crowell (NIC) Fr. 5-10 175 Kernersville, N.C. 30 Darius Edmundson (S) R-Jr. 6-0 175 Middlesex, N.C. 21 Nate Evans (CB) R-Fr. 6-0 175 Virginia Beach, Va. 8 Jalen Frazier (S) R-Fr. 5-9 180 Charlotte, N.C. 35 Chase Hattley (S) R-Fr. 6-3 215 Cary, N.C. — Dreshun Miller (CB) R-Sr. 6-2 194 Atlanta, Ga. 4 Cecil Powell (CB) R-So. 6-0 190 Ft. Lauderdale, Fla. 26 Jackson Vick (CB) Fr. 5-11 172 Bailey, N.C. ■ PRESEASON ANALYSIS ★★★★ Among country's best; ★★★ Among ACC's best; ★★ Solid or has potential; ★ Too unproven STARTERS ★★★ Both super seniors safety Tanner Ingle and nickel Tyler Baker-Williams plus fourth-year redshirt sophomore corner Shyheim Battle return with experience and All-ACC credentials. EXPERIENCE ★★★★ Nine defensive backs who started games last year, including eight who were first string in multiple contests, are back. There are four more secondary per- formers who have past starts prior to 2021 at the Power Five level on the roster. DEPTH ★★★1/2 Given the amount of experience, if healthy, NC State will have multiple posi- tion battles on a unit that also has multiple all-conference contenders. OVERALL GRADE ★★★ ESPN's David Hale noted that NC State was second in the ACC in yards per pass attempt allowed when there was no quarterback pressure, second in lowest explosive play rate and third in success rate on what are construed as obvious passing downs. Hale noted that NC State's secondary "did it all well." BY THE NUMBERS 9 NC State ranked ninth among 130 Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS) teams in 2021 in passer efficiency rating allowed (111.12). That was second best in the ACC behind Clemson's 110.07. 52.5 Completion percentage allowed by NC State in 2021, second best in the FBS behind Fresno State's 52.1. 131 Career starts at NC State among current defensive backs. Three transfer additions (Cyrus Fagan, Derrek Pitts Jr. and Dreshun Miller) had more starts at their previous schools. Competitive Depth BY MATT CARTER N ine of the 10 defensive backs that started for NC State in the secondary last season are back this fall, and there could be even more depth due to healthy returns and an intriguing addition to the secondary. That's part of the reason why ESPN's David Hale rated the Wolfpack the best secondary in the ACC. NC State head coach Dave Doeren noted that the cornerback position could have some of the best competition in fall camp despite the return of two starters: fourth-year redshirt sophomore Shyheim Battle (28 tackles, 6 pass breakups and 2 interceptions) and super senior Derrek Pitts Jr. (43 tackles, 6 pass breakups and 2 picks). Battle was honorable mention All-ACC. Third-year sophomore Aydan White started two games and should be healthy after missing spring with an injury. White had 11 tackles, 5 pass breakups and an interception last season. Fifth-year redshirt junior Teshaun Smith has five career starts and returns to the mix after redshirting in 2021. NC State added walk-on transfer Dreshun Miller in the summer. Miller was honorable mention All-Big 12 in 2020 at West Virginia before transferring to Auburn, where he saw limited playing time. A pair of super seniors — nickel Tyler Baker-Williams (honorable mention) and safety Tanner Ingle (first team) — also were All-ACC last season. The safety op- posite Ingle will be a major position battle in the fall. Fourth-year junior Jakeen Harris had seven starts last year and made 38 tackles, 2 pass breakups and an interception. Former Florida State transfer Cyrus Fagan started one of two games he played before being injured and missing the remainder of the year. Fagan had an interception in the season opener. "It's going to be a battle all the way through August, and they're both going to play a bunch," Gibson confirmed. PHOTO BY ETHAN HYMAN/NEWS & OBSERVER SHYHEIM BATTLE