The Wolfpacker: An Independent Magazine Covering NC State Sports
Issue link: https://comanpub.uberflip.com/i/1493632
34 ■ THE WOLFPACKER in recent years at NC State. The 2020 spring practices were wiped out by the pandemic, and the next two years, the Wolfpack returned huge chunks of the depth chart, leaving less room for breakthrough players. That changes this spring. One position to watch is receiver. Thayer Thomas and Darryl Jones ex- hausted their eligibility, and Devin Carter transferred to West Virginia, meaning that NC State will be without three of last year's top four pass catch- ers among wideouts. Rising super senior Keyon Lesane returns, but there are nu- merous openings for lesser-known wide receivers to step up, especially consid- ering Anae has in the past shown a pref- erence for passing the football. In 2021, his Virginia offense with Armstrong at quarterback was second nationally in passing yards per game. Rising sophomore Terrell Timmons Jr. flashed as a rookie with 3 catches for 79 yards and a touchdown. Rising fourth- year redshirt sophomore Anthony Smith and rising redshirt sophomore Julian Gray both bring track speed to the field and could be primed for larger roles. Defensively, a player to watch could be rising redshirt sophomore safety Sean Brown, a hard hitter who led the Wolfpack in special teams tackles a year ago. With both starting safeties from a season ago having exhausted their eli- gibility, Brown has a chance to compete for a starting job. How will the older newcomers impact the team? The combination of the transfer por- tal and a targeted approach to hitting the junior college ranks in recruiting has resulted in nine newcomers who have experience beyond the high school level joining the Pack the spring. In addition to Armstrong, receiver DJ Collins (Clemson transfer), defensive lineman Red Hibbler (junior college), cornerback Renté Hinter (junior col- lege), offensive lineman Dawson Jara- millo (Oregon transfer), nickel Robert Kennedy III (Old Dominion transfer), kicker Brayden Narveson (Western Ken- tucky transfer) and defensive lineman Noah Potter (Cincinnati transfer) will all be working out with the Wolfpack this spring. All of those players have the potential to quickly find their way onto the NC State depth chart. Their initial impressions may impact future decisions, too. There is a second NCAA transfer window that opens up following spring practice from May 1-15. The availability of super senior defensive end Savion Jackson this spring is unclear. His past two seasons have both been cut short by injuries. PHOTO BY KEN MARTIN