The Wolfpacker: An Independent Magazine Covering NC State Sports
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JULY 2016 ■ 59 FOOTBALL PREVIEW 2016 take the ball in space and create some one-on-one matchups, and then go win those." Locklear played in the slot after returning from a serious injury. He caught seven passes for 75 yards in 12 games. NC State has never been afraid to play young receivers in the past, and this year two redshirt freshmen and three incoming rook- ies will get their chance to impress McDonald. Speedsters Brian Sessoms and Vernon Grier both redshirted last fall. Hines might be the only offensive player faster than them. Incoming freshmen Kelvin Harmon, C.J. Riley and Daeshawn Stephens are all listed at 6-2 or taller, which was a major priority for wide receivers in the class of 2016. "You look at C.J. and Kelvin, and even Daeshawn to an extent, were national recruits," McDonald said. "You aren't going to recruit guys and tell them they are going to come in and redshirt. "They'll get the opportunity to come in, and they'll go out and compete. They'll see how their skill set translates to what we need." The lanky 6-5, 188-pound Riley was heavily recruited com- ing out of North Broward Prep in Coconut Creek, Fla. The 6-3, 196-pound Harmon was a standout at Palmyra (N.J.) High and Quick Facts Position Coach: George McDonald (second year) Returning Starters: Bra'Lon Cherry (15 career starts), Jumichael Ramos (9) and Maurice Trowell (7) Starters Lost: None FYI: NC State's wide receivers and tight ends were ranked No. 9 in the ACC by Athlon Sports' 2016 Preview … Redshirt freshman Freddie Simmons was dismissed from the team during the spring … Redshirt freshman Brian Sessoms of Winston- Salem (N.C.) Carver High played for former NFL and Virginia wide receiver Ger- mane Crowell … The jet sweep was part of the Wolfpack's offense last year, and it will be interesting to see how much it remains for the wide receivers; sophomore Nyheim Hines was the principle ball carrier, while senior Johnathan Alston (who is now a cornerback) and senior Bra'Lon Cherry also logged carries … Two returning receivers and all three incoming recruits are 6-0 or taller out of the 15 receivers on the roster … NC State hasn't had the same leading receiver in back-to-back seasons since tight end T.J. Williams in 2004 and 2005; the last wide receiver to do so was Jerricho Cotchery in 2002-03. ■ By The Numbers 7 Receiving touchdowns by NC State's wide receivers last year. Senior Jumichael Ramos led the way with three scoring catches and redshirt sophomore Maurice Trowell had two. Sophomore Nyheim Hines and senior Johnathan Alston (who has switched to cornerback) had one apiece. 34 Receptions for senior Jumichael Ramos, which is the most for a returning wide receiver. 83 Yards on redshirt sophomore wide receiver Maurice Trowell's touchdown catch against Boston College — the longest pass play of last season. Maurice Trowell debuted as a redshirt freshman last year with 12 re- ceptions, including 59- and 83-yard touchdown catches against Wake Forest and Boston College, respectively. PHOTO BY KEN MARTIN Wide Receivers Roster STARTERS No. Name Yr. Ht. Wt. Hometown 13 Bra'Lon Cherry Sr. 5-11 191 New Bern, N.C. Caught 22 passes for 288 yards. Also averaged 13.3 yards on 27 punt returns with a touchdown against Wake Forest. 12 Stephen Louis R-So. 6-2 215 West Palm Beach, Fla. Showcased his size and speed during spring practices after redshirting last year due to injuries to both of his shoulders. Recorded seven catches for 72 yards and a score in 2014. 85 Jumichael Ramos Sr. 6-2 200 Lovejoy, Ga. Went from one catch his sophomore year to 34 receptions for 457 yards and three scores last year. Caught a season-high eight passes for 83 yards and a touchdown in the 42-29 win over Syracuse. RESERVES No. Name Yr. Ht. Wt. Hometown 7 Nyheim Hines So. 5-9 197 Garner, N.C. Hauled in 20 passes for 256 yards and a touchdown while also rushing 48 times for 243 yards and one score as a true freshman. Also was one of the top kick returners in the ACC with 35 returns for 920 yards, including a 100-yard touchdown against Clemson. Will also play running back this season. 30 Gavin Locklear R-Jr. 5-10 186 Apex, N.C. Former walk-on from Apex High that bounced back from a 2014 injury to play 103 snaps in 12 games last year. Caught seven pass for 75 yards with a long of 15. 8 Maurice Trowell R-So. 5-11 191 Durham, N.C. Speedy receiver was productive at Southern Durham High and gave glimpses of his potential last year. Started seven games and caught 12 passes for 210 yards and two touchdowns. WAITING IN THE WINGS No. Name Yr. Ht. Wt. Hometown 24 Chandler Belk R-Fr. 5-11 170 Winston-Salem, N.C. Walk-on from Reagan High — where he had 1,251 receiving yards and 12 touchdowns as a senior — redshirted last year. 10 Heath Boyd Fr. 5-10 190 Wake Forest, N.C. Walk-on that played at Raleigh Wakefield High. 80 Ben Grazen R-Jr. 5-9 190 Cary, N.C. Walk-on from Cardinal Gibbons High saw time at running back in the past. Logged 13 snaps in four games and rushed once for minus-five yards last year. 20 Vernon Grier R-Fr. 5-10 180 Charlotte Had 1,158 receiving yards and 16 touchdowns his senior year while helping Mallard Creek win a NCHSAA 4AA state title. 3 Kelvin Harmon Fr. 6-3 196 Palmyra, N.J. The Rivals.com four-star prospect caught 66 passes for 1,111 yards and 14 touchdowns his senior year at Palmyra (N.J.) High. 32 Stephen Morrison R-So. 5-11 201 Weddington, N.C. Walk-on from Weddington High that played two games and seven snaps last season. Caught a pass for three yards against Troy. 19 C.J. Riley Fr. 6-5 188 Coconut Creek, Fla. The Rivals.com three-star prospect caught 40 passes for 1,047 yards and 13 touchdowns his senior year at North Broward High. 82 Brian Sessoms R-Fr. 5-8 170 Winston-Salem, N.C. Speedster who won four state titles in track — 100-meter dash, 200-meter dash, 400 relay and 800 relay — and played wide receiver, running back, cornerback and was a return guy on special teams at Carver High. 83 Daeshawn Stephens Fr. 6-2 205 Durham, N.C. Caught 71 passes for 989 yards and 17 touchdowns his senior year at Durham (N.C.) Hillside.