The Wolfpacker: An Independent Magazine Covering NC State Sports
Issue link: https://comanpub.uberflip.com/i/896287
28 ■ THE WOLFPACKER to win. Not coming out with a win hurts." That may have been some of the senti- ment behind Chubb's return to NC State. It could also explain why it may have taken too long for college football to rec- ognize one of its own stars. "Unfortunately, that's sort of been the story of NC State: they had not gotten it done on those stages regardless of how well he has played," Hale noted. "To his credit, that's sort of one of the things he has talked about: 'My journey is part of NC State's journey. I had to get back on that stage and prove what the team has.' "I think that's what sort of brings him to the spotlight now." The Chubb family is used to the lime- light. Chubb's older brother Brandon was a star All-ACC linebacker at Wake Forest and has been bouncing around the NFL on practice squads the past two years. Chubb's cousin is Georgia star senior running back Nick Chubb, who eclipsed 4,000 career rushing yards by midseason of his senior year. Yet Rivals.com's Mike Farrell has joined the Bradley Chubb bandwagon, making up a midseason award specifically for him called "The Other Guy With That Name." "A unique category for a player whose last name makes you think of someone else," Farrell wrote. "Nick Chubb gets a lot of attention as a running back for No. 3 Georgia, but Bradley Chubb is the best Chubb in the nation." Hale may suggest it has been that way for a while. "It's funny how many of those guys slip beneath the radar when their team flies beneath the radar," Hale said. "I think he's improved as a player, but he's a guy that could have played at the next level [last year] and people are just now kind of realizing this is somebody we should have been paying attention to." ■ Chubb was tabbed as ESPN.com's Midseason National Defensive Player of the Year and was the lone unanimous selection on Sports Illustrated's Midseason All-America squad. PHOTO BY KEN MARTIN What They're Saying About Bradley Chubb "Chubb shows good takeoff from the edge as a pass rusher, and he has an excellent mix of speed and power." — ESPN Draft analyst Mel Kiper, who rated Chubb the No. 7 prospect in the NFL Draft and the top defensive lineman "Chubb's been a man possessed for the Wolfpack. He ranks second in the nation with 14 tackles for loss and is tied for third with 6.5 sacks in just seven games. Chubb's strength is impressive, but his short-area quickness and never-say-die pass-rush mentality are what scouts really love. He could have been a top-15 selection in last year's draft, and there's been no reason to drop his grade so far this season." — NFL.com's Chad Reuter, who named Chubb the No. 5 overall player in college football at the midway point "Rarely do defensive linemen substantially impact the result of a game. But NC State defensive end Bradley Chubb is a rare talent." — Sporting News contributor Eric Galko "That guy can really go. We're playing … [Arden] Key, the defensive end for LSU, [who] is supposed to be the fourth or fifth pick in the draft, so to speak, and I'm looking at Chubb on film and I think he's better. "The guy is flying all over the field. He's stout. He's ripping the ball out 10, 12 yards downfield, making plays on backs. He's very, very active. He's very, very good. I'm not sure we've seen better so far." — Syracuse head coach Dino Babers, whose team lost 33-25 to NC State Sept. 30 "Chubb has been a one-man wrecking crew for the surging Wolfpack." — ESPN.com's Mark Schlabach, who named Chubb his Midseason National Defensive Player of the Year