The Wolfpacker: An Independent Magazine Covering NC State Sports
Issue link: https://comanpub.uberflip.com/i/1536961
32 ■ THE WOLFPACKER DEPTH IS KEY BY NOAH FLEISCHMAN N o matter who you talked to around NC State's coaching staff this offseason, one word continued to pop up when describing the team's offensive line: competition. Going into fall camp, the Wolfpack has three open starting spots to replace tackle Anthony Belton, guard Tim McKay and center Zeke Correll after all three exhausted their eligibility following last season. There are sure to be heated battles at right tackle, right guard and center in August, and with an abundance of talent at its disposal, NC State's coaching staff is excited to see how they play out. Wolfpack coach Dave Doeren described the line as "very deep," and offensive coordinator Kurt Roper took it a step further when asked about the guys who will be protecting sophomore quarterback CJ Bailey. "Since I've been here, it's the deepest we've been," Roper said. "We've got some really com- petitive situations, and we're developing some young football players mixed in with some older guys. I feel like we've got talent in case injuries and things like that pop up." Redshirt junior Jacarrius Peak is expected to slide from right to left tackle, while graduate Anthony Carter Jr. is the incumbent starter at left guard. Purdue transfer Jalen Grant and freshman Spike Sowells, the latter a four- star recruit in the 2025 cycle, are set to battle at center, while redshirt junior Val Erickson and redshirt sophomore Kamen Smith will likely compete for the right guard position. Transfer Teague Andersen, who started 18 games for Utah State the past two seasons, seems to have the edge at right tackle, but redshirt freshman Trent Mitchell could push him in fall camp. No matter how it shakes out, the staff likes how the unit is coming together. "It's going to be a fun fall camp," Doeren said. "It's not a locked lineup right now. It's better depth, competition and opportunity because we have fewer returning starters there." ❱ ❱ ❱ OFFENSIVE LINE PROJECTED DEPTH CHART STARTERS No. Pos. Name Year Ht. Wt. Hometown 65 LT Jacarrius Peak R-Jr. 6-4 298 Valdosta, Ga. 75 LG Anthony Carter Jr. Gr. 6-3 315 Charlotte, N.C. 74 C Jalen Grant Gr. 6-1 294 Chicago 54 RT Val Erickson R-Jr. 6-5 316 Chicago 56 RG Teague Andersen R-So. 6-5 319 Lehi, Utah BACKUPS 64 Rico Jackson R-So. 6-6 323 Fort Lauderdale, Fla. 66 Matt McCabe Gr. 6-6 308 Cary, N.C. 72 Spike Sowells Fr. 6-2 300 Louisville, Ky. 79 Kamen Smith R-So. 6-5 323 Wilkesboro, N.C. 78 Trent Mitchell R-Fr. 6-5 319 Gastonia, N.C. WAITING IN THE WINGS 61 Tyler West R-Fr. 6-5 275 Andrews, N.C. 76 Michael Gibbs Fr. 6-4 304 Wilmington, N.C. 55 Rylan Vann R-Jr. 6-1 297 Cary, N.C. 53 Brock Stukes Jr. 6-2 303 Chesapeake, Va. 73 Darion Rivers R-So. 6-6 315 Charlotte, N.C. BY THE NUMBERS 9 Spike Sowell's ranking among all high school interior offensive linemen nationally in the class of 2025. 11 Number of games in which Jacarrius Peak didn't allow a sack last season. 1,773 Number of snaps Anthony Carter Jr. has played at NC State. SPOTLIGHT PLAYER REDSHIRT JUNIOR LEFT TACKLE JACARRIUS PEAK Peak has big shoes to fill with Anthony Belton off to the NFL. He's got professional ambitions of his own, and he's embracing the challenge of moving from the right side of the offensive line to the left side. "Every time I block, it's personal," Peak said. "I feel like if I lose a rep, that person is stopping me from feeding my family. I feel like nobody can do that, so I don't plan on losing any reps." A two-year starter, Peak shined during the 2024 campaign with just 18 quarterback pres - sures and 2 sacks conceded in 494 pass-blocking opportunities, per Pro Football Focus. Offensive coordinator Kurt Roper can't wait to see Peak take another step forward. "Not only is he a really talented guy, but he brings a lot of energy to the practice field," Roper said. "He's the engine to our offense a lot of times, and we're fortunate to have him." ■ POSITIONAL GRADES ★★★★ Among country's best; ★★★ Among ACC's best; ★★ Solid or has potential; ★ Too unproven STARTERS ★★★ Despite losing three starters from last year's offensive line, the Wolf- pack has plenty of experienced players competing for those roles this fall. Jacarrius Peak and Anthony Carter Jr. are known commodities, while Teague Andersen has more than a year's worth of starts under his belt. EXPERIENCE ★★★ NC State doesn't have to worry about too many green players earning key roles for the upcoming season. The Wolfpack used the transfer portal to its advantage over the last two years, landing veterans who are ready for the moment, including Teague Andersen, Val Erickson and Jalen Grant. DEPTH ★★★½ The coaching staff enjoys its versatility on the offensive line with the dif- ferent players it can plug and play. NC State can go two-deep at nearly ev- ery spot on the line, the exact type of competitive depth that Dave Doeren likes to have on his squad. OVERALL GRADE ★★★ While the Pack has plenty of options on the offensive line, it isn't a proven unit playing together. It will need to jell in fall camp to prepare for a quick start to the 2025 campaign. JACARRIUS PEAK PHOTO BY LARRY BLANKENSHIP