The Wolfpacker: An Independent Magazine Covering NC State Sports
Issue link: https://comanpub.uberflip.com/i/1543694
doesn't mean that other teams lacked great players. An older age group boasted future Miami pass rusher Rueben Bain Jr., a likely top-10 NFL Draft pick this year, and safety King Mack, who recently transferred from Penn State to NC State to reunite with the rest of the Ravens. "It's very, very competitive at a young age," Rod Mack said. "These kids have grown to be competitive. We may not al- ways produce the best athletes, but we have competitive kids with the will to win." Looking For Contact Smith was one of those future FBS standouts on the Ravens. He's among the best players in college football heading into his junior season at Ohio State — NC State's 2026 Transfer Class Name Pos. Ht. Wt. Elig. Home/Last School Rating* Popo Aguirre ILB 6-1 235 Sr. Fayetteville, Ga./Miami HHH Finished with 77 tackles, a sack and a pass deflection in three seasons with the Hurricanes, in- cluding 43 stops during the team's 16-game 2025 campaign. Daniel Cruz OL 6-2 315 R-So. N. Richland Hills, Texas/Texas HHH Played in three games with the Longhorns last season with 14 snaps at center … Four-star prep recruit who was ranked as the No. 291 overall player and No. 22 interior lineman nationally … Projected as a guard for the Wolfpack. Davion Dozier WR 6-3 195 R-Jr. Moody, Ala./Appalachian State HHH Caught 20 passes for 448 yards and 5 touchdowns in nine games last fall … Started his career at Arkansas, where he caught 2 passes for 27 yards in two seasons. Harvey Dyson OLB 6-2 248 R-Sr. Cedar Hill, Texas/Tulane HHH Earned third-team All-American Athletic Conference honors after totaling 11.5 tackles for loss and 8 sacks last season for the Green Wave. KaTron Evans NG 6-3 336 Gr. Norfolk. Va./Marshall HHH Had a career-high 12 tackles for the Thundering Herd last season, where he played for former Wolfpack defensive coordinator Tony Gibson. Ondre Evans DB 6-0 187 R-So. Franklin, Tenn./Georgia HHH Didn't see action for the Bulldogs as a redshirt freshman due to an injury … Was the No. 102 overall prospect and No. 13 cornerback in the 2024 class, per the Rivals Industry Ranking. Davion Gause RB 5-11 212 Jr. Opa-Locka, Fla./North Carolina HHH Became the first UNC player since 1993 to transfer to NC State when he committed on Jan. 10 … Rushed for 585 yards and 7 touchdowns on 128 carries in two seasons with the Tar Heels. Jai'Lun Hampton OT 6-9 320 Gr. Detroit/Tennessee-Martin N/R Allowed just 3 sacks on 361 pass-blocking snaps as a 12-game starter last fall … Committed to NC State in mid-February and won't enroll until the summer. Tad Hudson QB 6-3 227 R-Jr. Huntersville, N.C./Coastal Carolina HHH Played in 11 games with seven starts for the Chanticleers last season, throwing for a career-high 1,253 yards, with 6 touchdowns and 7 interceptions. King Mack S 5-10 184 Sr. Miami/Penn State HHH Started his career at Penn State in 2023 before transferring to Alabama ahead of his sophomore season … Returned to the Nittany Lions last year and totaled a career-best 58 tackles. Jimarion McCrimon OL 6-5 295 R-Jr Kissimmee, Fla./East Carolina HHH Started 13 games for the Pirates last fall, allowing 17 quarterback pressures on 452 pass-block- ing snaps. Da'Kaari Nelson ILB 6-3 232 R-Jr. Livingston, Ala./Penn State HHH Played in 29 games with one start in three seasons with the Nittany Lions … Totaled 10 tackles. Vander Ploog TE 6-6 230 R-Fr. Fullerton, Calif./Oregon HHH Did not see action in his lone season with the Ducks … Was the No. 160 overall prospect and No. 9 tight end in the 2025 class, per the Rivals Industry Ranking. Hunter Provience TE 6-5 245 R-Jr. San Diego/Montana State HHH Was used primarily as a blocker in three seasons with the Bobcats … Caught 11 passes for 135 yards and a touchdown during Montana State's run to the FCS championship last year. Chance Robinson WR 6-2 205 R-So. Fort Lauderdale, Fla./Miami HHH Played in six games during his two seasons with the Hurricanes, seeing action on special teams and offense … Has yet to record a collegiate catch. Victor Snow WR 5-8 170 R-Sr. Webster, N.Y./Buffalo HHH Caught a personal-best 62 passes for 815 yards and 8 touchdowns for the Bulls last fall … Had 55 catches for 651 yards and 6 scores in 2024. Joshisa Trader WR 6-1 190 Jr. Hollywood, Fla./Miami HHH Finished with 19 catches for 269 yards and 2 touchdowns in two seasons with the Hurricanes. Jackson Waller P 6-2 214 R-So. Katy, Texas/Arkansas State HHH Averaged 41.3 yards on 59 punts, including 8 of 50 yards or more, in his lone season with the Red Wolves after transferring from SMU. Tyran Warren WR 6-3 180 Sr. Picayune, Miss./Alcorn State HHH Totaled 35 receptions for 785 yards (22.4 yards per catch) and scored 8 touchdowns the past two seasons. Ty White CB 5-10 176 R-So. Buford, Ga./North Carolina HHH Played mostly on special teams the past two seasons for the Tar Heels, totaling 6 tackles in 12 games. * Per the On3 Transfer Portal Ranking Receiver Joshisa Trader stayed home to play for Miami coming out of Chaminade-Madonna Prep in 2024. He totaled 19 catches for 269 yards and 2 touchdowns in two seasons with the Hurricanes. PHOTO COURTESY MIAMI ATHLETICS 34 ■ THE WOLFPACKER