The Wolfpacker: An Independent Magazine Covering NC State Sports
Issue link: https://comanpub.uberflip.com/i/470359
84 ■ THE WOLFPACKER ■ PACK PROS testing and finished among the top half of participants in every drill. The Burlington, N.C., native tied for the second-best vertical jump (32.5 inches) at his position, while he also ranked in the top 10 for 20-yard shuttle (ninth, 4.6 seconds) and standing broad jump (tied for 10th, 8 feet, 11 inches). His 40-yard dash time of 5.26 seconds ranked 18th, while he tied for 23rd in the three-cone drill at 8.07 seconds. "Hard-nosed, high-effort tackle whose feet are always in motion and who has the footwork necessary to match up with speed rushers on the left side," NFL.com's Lance Zierlein wrote in his scouting report. "Crisp has limited strength and may not be a fit for teams looking to run the ball with power, but his feet and length give him a shot to become an NFL starter at left tackle." Former All-ACC punter Wil Baumann was invited to the event as one of 12 specialists. He checked in at 6-6 and 187 pounds, but did not participate in any testing. The Wilming- ton native is ranked as ESPN draft guru Mel Kiper Jr.'s No. 2 punter and No. 3 overall specialist available in the draft. "Wiry punter with very good feel for when to cut a punt loose and when to show re- straint and precision," Zierlein wrote. "Touch inside the 20 gives him a chance to [be] drafted." ■ NBA Player Updates Through Feb. 24 • Lorenzo Brown (Played at NC State from 2011-13), G, Minnesota Timberwolves: Initially joined the squad on a pair of 10-day contracts before Minnesota inked him for the remainder of the season on Feb. 19 … The 12-43 Timberwolves are the team that originally selected him 52nd overall in the 2013 NBA Draft … Has played in six games and averaged 16.5 minutes, 2.7 points, 2.5 assists and 1.7 steals per contest … Scored 11 points in his debut on Jan. 28 against Boston, and then dished out nine assists and pulled down six rebounds in 48 minutes against Cleveland on Jan. 31. • J.J. Hickson (2008), C/F, Denver Nuggets: Has appeared in 48 games and started five times for the 20-36 Nuggets … Averaging 19.2 minutes, 7.9 points, 6.2 rebounds and 0.9 assists, while shooting 49.7 percent from the floor … Has eight double-doubles on the year; his last came against Boston on Jan. 23, when he logged 15 points and 14 rebounds. • T.J. Warren (2013-14), F, Phoenix Suns: Has played in 18 games off the bench for the 29-28 Suns … Aver - aging 9.3 minutes, 3.8 points and 1.3 rebounds per contest, while shooting 46.2 percent from the floor … Scored eight points in nine minutes of action against Boston on Feb. 23. ■ By The Numbers 2 First-team All-Pro honors earned in his profes- sional career by former Wolfpacker Mario Wil- liams after he set a career high with 14.5 sacks; his first such laurel came in 2008. 14 Is the ranking of former NC State star left- handed pitcher Carlos Rodon on MLB.com's ranking of the top 100 prospects in 2015. Former team- mate Trea Turner, a shortstop in the San Diego Padres' organization, checks in at No. 62. 17 Super Bowl points scored by Seahawks kicker Steven Hauschka in the last two years, which sets a school record for most by a former Pack player in the title game. Fellow kicker Mike Cofer, of San Francisco, held the previous mark with 15. Quotable • "Super Bowl XLIX, I take full responsibility for it. One of the reasons why I always will and always do is because I know that it's going to happen again for me. I know that I'll be in that situation again. The hardest thing about the game was to be able to walk off that field, all those fans, and feeling like you let them down. … The mindset doesn't change. The focus doesn't change. The belief that I'm going to get there again, and we're going to do it bet- ter than it's ever been done, that's never going to change for me, no matter what the circumstances are." — Seattle Seahawks' quarterback Russell Wilson on a players' point of view video posted to The Players' Tribune, a website started last fall by former New York Yankees shortstop Derek Jeter • "He basically has been a pro for a month, in terms of pitching competitively in games, so at this point the expectations are come to camp, show us what you have, get acclimated with the staff, get the staff acclimated to you, and we'll take it from there. We're just going to let him be him over the next few weeks. He'll have ample opportunity to show us where he's at, and we'll make an assessment about what's next and best for his development." — Chicago White Sox general manager Rich Hahn on former Wolfpack star pitcher Carlos Rodon, who pitched 24 2 ⁄3 innings on three different minor league levels after he was drafted in the first round last year (ChicagoTribune.com) Former NC State offensive lineman Robert Crisp boosted his draft stock by performing very well in the on-field tests at the NFL Combine Feb. 20 in Indianapolis. PHOTO BY KEN MARTIN