The Wolfpacker: An Independent Magazine Covering NC State Sports
Issue link: https://comanpub.uberflip.com/i/1545830
30 ■ THE WOLFPACKER ❱ ❱ ❱ OFFENSIVE LINE DEPTH IS A STRENGTH BY NOAH FLEISCHMAN N C State coach Dave Doeren didn't hesitate when asked about the Wolfpack's offensive line going into the 2026 season. The group, which has a handful of new faces mixed in with several critical returnees, quickly brought confidence to his voice. "I'm excited about our O-line," Doeren said. "It's the most depth we've had since I've been here." The Pack lost three starters from last year's unit, but the team has multiple options at all five spots, a luxury it has been building toward the past few years in the recruiting process. A pair of returning starters — fifth-year senior right tackle Teague Andersen and sophomore right guard Spike Sowells Jr. — headline the group. Elsewhere, NC State used the transfer portal to land senior tackle Jimarion McCrimon from East Carolina and junior center/guard Daniel Cruz from Texas. Both are instant- impact additions. McCrimon will likely step in as the starting left tackle. He al- lowed only 6 quarterback pressures in the last eight games of the 2025 season, a hopeful sign that he's ready to protect CJ Bailey's blind side. Andersen started 12 games at right tackle last fall and will remain in that role. At the interior positions, expect some heated battles in pre- season camp. Cruz and Sowells are both capable of playing center and guard and could be interchangeable. In addition, NC State expects seniors Rico Jackson and Kamen Smith and graduate Yousef Mugharbil to push for playing time at guard. Entering the 2026 season, NC State has a promising group that collectively has made 79 starts at the college level. "I always say the offensive line is the engine of the offense," coordinator Kurt Roper said. "I think they're going to be fun to watch." Not only does the depth provide quality backups in case of injury, it also has created a competitive environment, which is exactly how Doeren likes it. "I'm happy that [offensive line coach Garett] Tujague has that, because for a while, we didn't," Doeren said. "Guys could have a bad day, and there wasn't anyone behind them that could take their job. That's not the way it is right now." PROJECTED DEPTH CHART STARTERS No. Pos. Name Cl. Ht. Wt. Hometown 62 LT Jimarion McCrimon Sr. 6-5 295 Kissimmee, Fla. 64 LG Rico Jackson Sr. 6-6 322 Fort Lauderdale, Fla. 50 C Daniel Cruz Jr. 6-2 315 N. Richland Hills, Texas 72 RG Spike Sowells Jr. So. 6-2 312 Louisville, Ky. 54 RT Teague Andersen 5th 6-5 322 Lehi, Utah RESERVES 74 Jai'lun Hampton Gr. 6-8 345 Detroit 78 Trent Mitchell Jr. 6-5 316 Gastonia, N.C. 71 Yousef Mugharbil Gr. 6-5 322 Murphy, N.C. 79 Kamen Smith Sr. 6-5 325 Wilkesboro, N.C. 55 Rylan Vann 5th 6-1 285 Cary, N.C. WAITING IN THE WINGS 75 Tre Aiken Fr. 6-3 310 Clinton, S.C. 76 Michael Gibbs So. 6-4 303 Wilmington, N.C. 52 Kage Payne So. 6-2 290 Cincinnati 73 Brady Sakowitz Fr. 6-6 328 Richmond, Va. 70 TK Whitset So. 6-4 300 Antioch, Tenn. BY THE NUMBERS 9 Number of quarterback pressures Spike Sowells Jr. allowed in 207 pass-block- ing opportunities at guard during his freshman season. 183 Where Texas transfer Daniel Cruz ranked nationally in the 2024 recruit- ing cycle, per Rivals, as a four-star prospect out of Richland High in North Richland Hills, Texas. 1,482 Snaps played by Jimarion McCrimon at either right or left tackle the previous two seasons at East Carolina. SPOTLIGHT PLAYER SENIOR LEFT TACKLE JIMARION MCCRIMON NC State worked quickly after Jacarrius Peak transferred to South Carolina, landing McCrimon out of the portal. McCrimon started at right tackle for East Carolina in 2024 and moved to the left side last fall. He earned first-team All-American Athletic Conference honors at the latter position, a performance that caught NC State's eye. McCrimon continued his upward trajectory this spring. He established himself as the Pack's top left tackle, while also making a significant impact as a veteran leader. "He's the right kind of guy," offensive coordinator Kurt Roper said. "He's going to be a leader of that group. … He's going to come with his lunch pail and hard hat ev - ery day and go to work." ■ POSITIONAL GRADES ★★★★ Among country's best; ★★★ Among ACC's best; ★★ Solid or has potential; ★ Too unproven STARTERS ★★★ NC State has confidence in its five top offensive linemen. Tackles Teague Andersen and Jimarion McCrimon have excelled at the collegiate level, while the interior positions are full of talent, no- tably former four-star recruits Daniel Cruz and Spike Sowells Jr. EXPERIENCE ★★½ Both of the Pack's first-team tackles have multiple years of starting experience. The interior positions are more green, but Sowells did start six games as a fresh- man. Rico Jackson, Kamen Smith and Yousef Mugharbil all played last season and will be asked to take on bigger roles this fall. DEPTH ★★½ NC State was forced to play inexperienced of- fensive linemen the past few seasons. That's never ideal, but the upside is that the Pack goes into its 2026 campaign with real depth. The staff is confi- dent in the entire position group, not just the starting five. OVERALL GRADE ★★★ The coaching staff is excited about this unit's po- tential. The line will be critical to the success of the entire offense, whether that's protecting CJ Bailey or helping establish the run. TEAGUE ANDERSEN PHOTO COURTESY NC STATE FOOTBALL