The Wolfpacker: An Independent Magazine Covering NC State Sports
Issue link: https://comanpub.uberflip.com/i/554771
46 ■ THE WOLFPACKER WOLFPACK FOOTBALL DT Monty Nelson Is Poised To Experience New Thrills Junior defensive tackle Monty Nelson has experienced both the excitement and frustration of college football during his first two years at NC State. He prefers to relive the still fresh mem- ories of playing his first college game against Louisiana Tech in the 2013 season opener, rather than anything that happened last year. Nelson remembers tackling star Loui- siana Tech running back Kenneth Dixon for a five-yard loss like it was yesterday in NC State's 40-14 win. The crowd and atmosphere at Carter-Finley Stadium was thrilling for the former Plantation (Fla.) High standout. "I still remember making my first TFL," Nelson said. "That was definitely my best moment. That was so clear to me. They tried a power scrape block, and we had practiced against that all week. I just split the center and the guard and got the TFL. Then I forced a fumble on the next play. "That game was the most memorable moment of my life, just feeling that atmo- sphere for the first time. I'm working to get back that feeling." The defensive tackle was one of the big surprises of the 2013 season. He started five out of 12 games, and recorded 32 total stops, 8.5 tackles for loss, 0.5 sacks and one forced fumble. Nelson started the first five games of his sophomore season, recording 18 tackles and a sack, but then missed seven of the last eight contests due to a knee injury. Even in the game he did play, he was lim- ited to 12 snaps at Syracuse. He missed spring practice and is still working his way back during preseason camp. Whether the 6-2, 310-pounder can again flash the form of his freshman year remains to be seen, but if he does the Wolf- pack defense will have added firepower. The big man is listed as the second- string defensive tackle behind sophomore B.J. Hill. He plays the one-technique spot, which lines up over the center in NCSU's 4-2-5 defensive scheme. "It feels great to even get back and play football," said Nelson. The Florida native has gotten some rest here and there in preseason camp, but he has been encouraged by his start. "I just need to keep working and get stronger and faster, and I've been in the weight room a lot more," Nelson said. "I've been stretching a lot more. Just doing the little things. I want more." Nelson might be entering his third year of college, but he has become the "older" OFFENSE Pos. No. Name Ht. Wt. Cl. QB 12 Jacoby Brissett 6-4 235 5th-Sr. 2 Jalan McClendon 6-5 212 R-Fr. HB 10 Shadrach Thornton 6-1 218 Sr. or 21 Matt Dayes 5-9 203 Jr. FB 28 Jaylen Samuels 5-11 236 So. 36 Max Stoffer 6-1 230 R-Fr. WR 15 Johnathan Alston 6-0 203 Jr. 80 Elliott Davis 6-1 185 R-Fr. WR 13 Bra'Lon Cherry 5-11 191 Jr. 85 Jumichael Ramos 6-2 200 Jr. TE 86 David J. Grinnage 6-5 265 R-Jr. 48 Cole Cook 6-6 250 So. LT 53 Tyler Jones 6-3 300 R-Fr. 74 Emanuel McGirt Jr. 6-6 295 Fr. LG 54 Joe Thuney 6-5 295 5th-Sr. 56 Bryce Kennedy 6-3 305 R-Jr. C 60 Quinton Schooley 6-4 298 Sr. 59 John Tu'uta 6-3 280 R-Jr. RG 50 Tony Adams 6-2 300 So. 65 Garrett Bradbury 6-3 285 R-Fr. RT 71 Alex Barr 6-8 318 5th-Sr. 66 Will Richardson 6-6 303 R-Fr. DEFENSE Pos. No. Name Ht. Wt. Cl. DE 90 Mike Rose 6-3 270 5th-Sr. 45 Darian Roseboro 6-4 287 Fr. DE 49 Bradley Chubb 6-4 260 So. 87 Pharoah McKever 6-6 260 R-So. DT 35 Kentavius Street 6-2 290 So. 93 Justin Jones 6-2 300 So. DT 98 B.J. Hill 6-4 300 So. 94 Monty Nelson 6-2 310 Jr. WLB 58 Airius Moore 6-0 232 So. 46 Ernie Robinson III 6-1 229 R-Jr. MLB 4 Jerod Fernandez 6-0 231 R-So. 44 Ford Howell 6-1 240 R-So. CB 29 Jack Tocho 6-0 198 Jr. 6 Niles Clark 5-11 186 R-Jr. CB 11 Juston Burris 6-1 207 5th-Sr. 20 Mike Stevens 5-11 190 So. Nick 8 Dravious Wright 5-10 208 Jr. 10 Freddie Phillips Jr. 6-1 200 Fr. FS 1 Hakim Jones 6-2 205 5th-Sr. 31 Germaine Pratt 6-3 234 So. SS 2 Josh Jones 6-2 215 R-So. 24 Shawn Boone 5-10 194 So. Projected 2015 NC State Depth Chart Pos. No. Name Ht. Wt. Cl. K 92 Kyle Bambard 5-8 190 Fr. or 97 Jackson Maples 5-10 195 R-Fr. P 90 A.J. Cole III 6-4 238 Fr. 47 William Stephenson 6-3 195 R-Jr. Pos. No. Name Ht. Wt. Cl. LS 57 Tyler Griffiths 6-2 230 Fr. 52 Ben Garnett 6-0 238 R-Jr. SPECIAL TEAMS Junior defensive tackle Monty Nelson hopes to recapture the form he flashed during his rookie season, when he notched 32 tackles and 8.5 stops behind the line of scrimmage. PHOTO BY KEN MARTIN