The Wolfpacker: An Independent Magazine Covering NC State Sports
Issue link: https://comanpub.uberflip.com/i/1525890
SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2024 ■ 27 BY ETHAN MCDOWELL ean Brown never hesi- tated to put his trust in NC State's staff. A starter at free safety for the Wolfpack, Brown maintained full faith in the coaches when they threw him into the lineup at line- backer for exactly one series in 2023, and he knew they had his best interests at heart when they suggested during the off- season that he move to the Will position on a full-time basis as a redshirt junior. Wolfpack superstar Payton Wilson left the Clemson game last season due to an injury in the fourth quarter, and with the team one drive away from a second consecutive victory over the Tigers, the coaching staff needed a quick answer. The coaches already knew that Brown tackled with intensity and rarely made mistakes. Those traits were evident in his stats, which included just 4 missed tackles in 554 snaps over the course of the season. So, when the Pack looked for someone to fill in for Wilson, Brown was the obvious choice. He delivered. Clemson took possession with 4:23 left, and in his seven plays during a 14-snap drive, Brown made 5 tackles to help secure a 24-17 win. He finished with 11 stops that day — the first time all year in which someone other than Wilson led the team in tackles. "Sean Brown is just a warrior and so smart," head coach Dave Doeren said after the game. "We just felt like that's where Payton would be, and we'd have to cover the [running] back man-to- man with him, and he could do it." By all accounts, that single appear- ance at linebacker was far from an ab- erration. Rather, it was more evidence that Brown possessed the versatility to fill a key vacancy in NC State's defense in 2024. The Wolfpack intends to put that versatility to the test this fall. For the first time in defensive coordinator Tony Gibson's tenure, he will field a defense without Drake Thomas, Isa- iah Moore or Wilson on the roster, and Brown is preparing to uphold the Wolfpack's standard of excellence at the position. He put in the work this offseason, changing his body in the process. Now, the rising star is ready to put it together on the field. 'I Trust Every Word They're Saying' Brown's position switch was months in the making. He had never played linebacker before that nail-biting win over Clemson at Carter-Finley Sta- dium, but he understands Gibson's vi- sion for his football future. "For me to get to where I want to be at the next level, I trust him," Brown said. "The coaches have a lot of expe- rience, so I trust every word they're saying." Conversations about his move to linebacker began while the Pack pre- pared for its Pop-Tarts Bowl clash with Kansas State last year. Gibson told him it would be a great move that would brighten his future, and the former de- fensive back bought in. Brown didn't have any doubts about the career-altering choice and em- braced NC State's strength and con- ditioning plan. He weighed around 215 pounds at the start of fall camp, a 10- to 15-pound increase from his redshirt sophomore season. And while he's been bulking up, he's also been diving into the Wolfpack playbook and enjoying the transition. "I'd say it's been more exciting than free safety," he said. The pitch for Brown's move was straightforward: Just look at what NC State did with Wilson. He won the Butkus and Bednarik awards, along with a host of other ACC and national accolades, which recognized him as the top linebacker in the country. This year, Brown has made the pre- season watch list for the Butkus — a noteworthy accolade for someone with minimal experience at the position. "Sean is a great football player," Gib- son said. "He's smart, and with his old position at free safety, he knows what we're doing at linebacker. He's tied into us, so it was an easy transition for him to make the move, and how can you argue or fight back on it when you say, 'Hey, look what Payton Wil- son just did.'" Going into camp, the defensive co- ordinator emphasized that he's not comparing Brown, a first-year line- backer, to Wilson. But Brown does have the skill set to be a playmaker in NC State's defense. After a strong spring, more and more positive buzz began to build around the linebacker in August. He stood out during the first week of practice and, per multiple sources, was one of the stars of the team's first scrimmage. "He's going to make a lot of money as an LB," one anonymous source told The Wolfpacker. "He's so natural, and he's a great leader." 'Sean's Built For That' Brown flew around the secondary last year, finishing third on the team with 66 total tackles. He recorded a well-above- average 86.6 tackling grade from Pro Football Focus and made at least 3 solo stops in five of the team's final six games of the year. In coverage, he secured 2 in- terceptions and defended 5 passes. Now that Brown will spend most of his time in the box, his quickness is ex- pected to be one of his standout traits. Dantonio Burnette, NC State's director of strength and conditioning, clocked Brown was NC State's third-leading tackler last season with 66 stops. He made at least 3 solo tackles in five of the team's last six games. PHOTO BY LARRY BLANKENSHIP S " Coming into the spring, he told me that he was going to be making the switch, and I was really excited, knowing that I was going to have a dawg like him playing next to me. I couldn't ask for anything more. Linebacker Caden Fordham on Brown's move