The Wolfpacker: An Independent Magazine Covering NC State Sports
Issue link: https://comanpub.uberflip.com/i/1546417
TRACKING THE PACK 14 ■ THE WOLFPACKER BY NOAH FLEISCHMAN One of the most anticipated sets of preseason college football rankings was released Aug. 10 when The Athletic published its annual "Freaks List." Every year, writer Bruce Feldman ranks the top 100 "freaks" in college football, players whose athletic abilities stand out even in locker rooms full of elite performers. For as long as Feldman has been com- piling his rankings, NC State has con- sistently landed players on his list. This year, two players cracked the top 100: junior running back Jayden "Duke" Scott at No. 18 and sophomore defensive line- man Colby Cronk at No. 41. Scott, the Wolfpack's top running back, checked in at No. 66 on the list a year ago ahead of his sophomore sea- son. That panned out well; he rushed for 196 yards in an upset victory over No. 8 Georgia Tech and gained 108 in a victory against Memphis in the Gasparilla Bowl. NC State expects even more out of him this fall. "Longtime Wolfpack strength coach Dantonio 'Thunder' Burnette predicted big things from Scott last year, when he made his debut on the Freaks List," Feld- man wrote. "It feels like this guy is just getting warmed up with top rusher Hol- lywood Smothers off to Texas. "Scott has packed on 10 more pounds since last year but still is running a 4.35 40, with a 1.42 10-yard split, and upped his vertical jump to 381/2 inches. He cleaned 405 pounds this offseason, a huge amount for a running back. In ad- dition, he back squatted 575 pounds and did 20 reps of 225 pounds on the bench." Cronk, meanwhile, has always been a standout in the gym. He hadn't seen the field prior to the start of the 2026 season, but the second-year player is in line to compete for rotational reps at defensive tackle this fall. A native of Palm Coast, Fla., Cronk set the program record with a 410-pound power clean this summer, a mark that led Wolfpack coach Dave Doeren to rave about his ability. "He's an animal when it comes to strength," Doeren said. Feldman couldn't overlook that eye- popping number — or any of the others that Cronk can consistently put up in the weight room on a given day, placing him on the Freaks List for the first time in his career. "The redshirt freshman nicknamed Crash arrived in Raleigh with an impres- sive level of power and explosiveness," Feldman wrote. "He was a Florida state champion in the shot put and a runner- up in the discus. He reported at 260 pounds last year but is now 285 pounds on his 6-3 frame. This summer, he broke a program record by power cleaning 410 pounds. He bench pressed 420 pounds, vertical jumped 35.6 inches, broad jumped 9-6, clocked a 4.80 40, a 4.30 shuttle and had a 1.60-second 10-yard split." This marks the 10th consecutive year in which NC State has landed at least one player on the Freaks List under Bur- nette's watch in the weight room. The Pack has had at least two selections for five of those iterations of the rankings. ■ Sophomore defensive tackle Colby Cronk set a program record with his 410-pound power clean earlier this summer. PHOTO COURTESY NC STATE ATHLETICS Junior running back Jayden "Duke" Scott is up to 220 pounds this season, but he still runs a 4.35-second 40-yard dash. PHOTO COURTESY NC STATE ATHLETICS Wolfpack Duo Makes The Athletic's 'Freaks List' NC State Players On The Athletic's 'Freaks List' Year Name Rank 2017 Kentavius Street 3 2018 James Smith-Williams 27 2019 James Smith-Williams 3 2020 Alim McNeill 32 2021 Ikem Ekwonu 58 Dylan McMahon 73 2022 Payton Wilson 48 Dylan McMahon 63 2023 Payton Wilson 27 Davin Vann 40 Jordan Houston 54 2024 Davin Vann 6 2025 Jacarrius Peak 31 Jayden "Duke" Scott 66 Sean Brown 75 2026 Jayden "Duke" Scott 18 Colby Cronk 41