With the end of the season approaching and the Pack set to begin its finishing touches on the 2019 recruiting class, NC State is currently committed to having 84 scholarship players on the roster next season.
The number could actually be 83 however. Redshirt junior offensive lineman Philip Walton Jr. walked with the seniors on senior day Nov. 8.
The scholarship roster breaks down as follows:
Seniors (15)
Fifth-year seniors (9): QB Ryan Finley, WR Stephen Louis, CB Maurice Trowell, OL Garrett Bradbury, OL Tyler Jones, OL Terronne Prescod, DE Deonte Holden*, LB Germaine Pratt, S Dexter Wright
True seniors (6): RB Reggie Gallaspy, DE Darian Roseboro, DT Eurndraus Bryant, K Kyle Bambard, P A.J. Cole, LS Tyler Griffiths
* - Note: Holden has been approved for a sixth season by the NCAA and will return next year.
Juniors (15)
Redshirt juniors (10): WR Jakobi Meyers, OT Emanuel McGirt, OT Tyrone Riley, OT Philip Walton*, DE James Smith-Williams, DT Larrell Murchison, NIC Freddie Phillips, CB Vernon Grier, S Stephen Griffin, S Jarius Morehead
True juniors (5): WR Kelvin Harmon, DE Joe Babros*, CB Nick McCloud, CB Kishawn Miller, S Tim Kidd-Glass
* - Note: Babros appears to be redshirting this season, and Walton walked with the seniors Nov. 8 against Wake Forest.
Sophomores (16)
Redshirt sophomores (11): WR C.J. Riley, TE Cary Angeline, TE Dylan Autenrieth, TE Dylan Parham, OT Kendall Brown, OT Justin Chase, OG/C Joe Sculthorpe, OT Justin Witt, DT Val Martin, LB Brock Miller, S Isaiah Stallings
True sophomores (4): WR Emeka Emezie, OG Joshua Fedd-Jackson, LB Louis Acceus, CB Chris Ingram
Freshmen (32)
Redshirt freshmen (11): QB Matt McKay, WR Max Fisher, WR Thayer Thomas*, TE Adam Boselli, OL Kollin Byers, OL Bryson Speas, DE Ibrahim Kante, DE Xavier Lyas, DT Grant Gibson, DT Dante Johnson, LB Isaiah Moore
True freshmen (21): QB Devin Leary, RB Trent Pennix, RB Ricky Person, WR Devin Carter, WR Jasiah Provillon, OL Gabriel Gonzalez, OL Jalynn Strickland, DE Joseph Boletepeli, DE Derrick Eason, DT Alim McNeill, DT Davontae McCrae, LB Calvin Hart, LB Payton Wilson, NIC Tanner Ingle, NIC/S Tyler Baker-Williams, CB De’Von Graves, CB Taiyon Palmer, CB Teshaun Smith, S Malik Dunlap, K Christopher Dunn, P Mackenzie Morgan
* - Note redshirt freshman walk-on receiver Thayer Thomas has been put on scholarship for this season and is perhaps a safe bet to continue to be on one.
• Since the end of last season NC State has lost 14 players to attrition. Running back Nyheim Hines and offensive lineman Will Richardson left for the NFL, receiver Daeshawn Stephens transferred to North Carolina Central, quarterback Jalan McClendon left as a grad transfer to Baylor, cornerback Bryce Banks transferred to South Dakota State and offensive linemen Harrison Gee and Aaron Wiltz took a medical hardship.
Linebacker Raven Saunders and cornerback Markel Valdez were dismissed from the team over the summer. Valdez ended up at Hampton and Saunders at Fort Scott (Kan.) Community College. Running back Erin Collins also announced he was leaving the team in June and ended up at Hutchinson (Kan.) Community College. Collins recently picked up an offer from East Carolina.
McClendon and Richardson would have been fifth-year seniors; Hines a true senior, Wiltz a redshirt junior; Stephens, Gee, Valdez and Banks redshirt sophomores; Saunders a sophomore and Collins a redshirt freshman had they stayed.
During the season, redshirt freshmen Damien Darden, a tight end, and Nakia Robinson Jr., a running back, both announced that they would be transferring. Redshirt sophomore defensive tackle Shug Frazier and freshman offensive tackle Kahric Belle also left the team.
Speaking of attrition, we went back and calculated how many players from head coach Dave Doeren’s first four full recruiting classes (not including transfers) that are either still around or completed their full eligibility at NC State (unofficial rule of thumb is keeping somewhere between 3/5 or 2/3 of the class intact throughout is probably pretty good):
2014: 20 of 31 (64.5 percent)
- Offensive lineman Will Richardson turned pro after his redshirt junior season. If you adjusted the numbers to include those who played their entire football at NC State before either graduating or turning pro, the retention rate would rise to 67.7 percent.
- Quarterback Jalan McClendon (Baylor) corner Troy Vincent (walked on at Iowa State), safety Kalen McCain (JC and then North Carolina Central), receiver Bo Hines (Yale) and defensive tackle Daeshaywn Middleton (Norfolk State) transferred to other schools.
- Running back Marcelias Sutton did not qualify and signed with Oklahoma out of junior college.
- Corner Elliott Davis and tight end Micah Till were dismissed from the team. Till ended up playing basketball at Division II Slippery Rock where he was named third-team All-American last March.
- Offensive lineman Eric Shute and linebacker/defensive tackle/offensive guard Coult Culler gave up football, the latter for health reasons.
2015: 12 of 22 (54.5 percent)
- Running back Nyheim Hines turned pro after his junior season. If you adjusted the numbers to include those who played their entire football at NC State before either graduating or turning pro, the retention rate would rise to 59.1 percent.
- Running back Johnny Frasier, receiver Brian Sessoms, defensive tackle Quentez Johnson and offensive lineman Daris Workman left the team for undisclosed reasons.
- Offensive lineman T.J. McCoy transferred to Florida where he started nine games in 2017 at center before suffering an injury. He played just three games this year.
- Defensive end Emmanuel Olenga and receiver Freddie Simmons were dismissed. Olenga has matriculated at Campbell, where he had 8.5 sacks in 2017. He was not on their roster this fall however.
Simmons had been expected to end up at Akron but never made it on their roster.
- Offensive lineman Aaron Wiltz and linebacker Riley Nicholson took medical hardships.
2016: 13 of 24 (54.2 percent)
- Corner Bryce Banks (South Dakota State), corner J.J. Givens (Norfolk State), tight end Thaddeus Moss (LSU) and receiver Daeshawn Stephens (NCCU) transferred to other schools.
- Tight end Bryce Dixon and cornerback Markel Valdez were dismissed from the team. Valdez has matriculated to Hampton.
- Linebacker Garrett Hooker and offensive lineman Bryce Folsom left the team for undisclosed reasons. Offensive lineman Harrison Gee left for health reasons.
- Nickel Trae Meadows left the team for personal reasons and is now at Garden City (Kan.) Community College.
2017: 14 of 20 (70.0 percent)
- Receiver Antoine Thompson, defensive end Kevince Brown and linebacker Raven Saunders were dismissed from the team. Saunders is at Fort Scott (Kan.) Community College. Thompson is at Highland (Kan.) Community College. Brown is at Lake Erie College.
- Running back Erin Collins announced his intention to transfer in June and ended up at Hutchinson (Kan.) Junior college.
- Tight end Damien Darden and running back Nakia Robinson Jr., left the team during the season.
2018: 23 of 24 (95.8 percent)
- Offensive tackle Kahric Belle left the team during his freshman season.
• As for scholarships for next year’s class, there are currently 14 scholarship seniors on the roster scheduled to leave, so that is the base number. However, here is an example of how much attrition through the year can add to the number.
- In the fall of 2017, there were 14 scholarship seniors, and the Pack signed 25 players.
- In the fall of 2016, there were 10 scholarship (non redshirting) seniors, and the Pack signed 20 players.
- In the fall of 2015, there were 10 scholarship seniors, and the Pack signed 24 players.
- In the fall of 2014, there were 15 scholarship seniors, and the Pack signed 22 players.
- In the fall of 2013, there were 14 scholarship (non redshirting) seniors, and the Pack signed 31 players.
So as you can see through the numbers, the Pack will likely end up in a position to take close to a full class of 25 in the 2019 class. The average number of players signed over the number of leaving scholarship seniors was 11.8.
The number could actually be 83 however. Redshirt junior offensive lineman Philip Walton Jr. walked with the seniors on senior day Nov. 8.
The scholarship roster breaks down as follows:
Seniors (15)
Fifth-year seniors (9): QB Ryan Finley, WR Stephen Louis, CB Maurice Trowell, OL Garrett Bradbury, OL Tyler Jones, OL Terronne Prescod, DE Deonte Holden*, LB Germaine Pratt, S Dexter Wright
True seniors (6): RB Reggie Gallaspy, DE Darian Roseboro, DT Eurndraus Bryant, K Kyle Bambard, P A.J. Cole, LS Tyler Griffiths
* - Note: Holden has been approved for a sixth season by the NCAA and will return next year.
Juniors (15)
Redshirt juniors (10): WR Jakobi Meyers, OT Emanuel McGirt, OT Tyrone Riley, OT Philip Walton*, DE James Smith-Williams, DT Larrell Murchison, NIC Freddie Phillips, CB Vernon Grier, S Stephen Griffin, S Jarius Morehead
True juniors (5): WR Kelvin Harmon, DE Joe Babros*, CB Nick McCloud, CB Kishawn Miller, S Tim Kidd-Glass
* - Note: Babros appears to be redshirting this season, and Walton walked with the seniors Nov. 8 against Wake Forest.
Sophomores (16)
Redshirt sophomores (11): WR C.J. Riley, TE Cary Angeline, TE Dylan Autenrieth, TE Dylan Parham, OT Kendall Brown, OT Justin Chase, OG/C Joe Sculthorpe, OT Justin Witt, DT Val Martin, LB Brock Miller, S Isaiah Stallings
True sophomores (4): WR Emeka Emezie, OG Joshua Fedd-Jackson, LB Louis Acceus, CB Chris Ingram
Freshmen (32)
Redshirt freshmen (11): QB Matt McKay, WR Max Fisher, WR Thayer Thomas*, TE Adam Boselli, OL Kollin Byers, OL Bryson Speas, DE Ibrahim Kante, DE Xavier Lyas, DT Grant Gibson, DT Dante Johnson, LB Isaiah Moore
True freshmen (21): QB Devin Leary, RB Trent Pennix, RB Ricky Person, WR Devin Carter, WR Jasiah Provillon, OL Gabriel Gonzalez, OL Jalynn Strickland, DE Joseph Boletepeli, DE Derrick Eason, DT Alim McNeill, DT Davontae McCrae, LB Calvin Hart, LB Payton Wilson, NIC Tanner Ingle, NIC/S Tyler Baker-Williams, CB De’Von Graves, CB Taiyon Palmer, CB Teshaun Smith, S Malik Dunlap, K Christopher Dunn, P Mackenzie Morgan
* - Note redshirt freshman walk-on receiver Thayer Thomas has been put on scholarship for this season and is perhaps a safe bet to continue to be on one.
• Since the end of last season NC State has lost 14 players to attrition. Running back Nyheim Hines and offensive lineman Will Richardson left for the NFL, receiver Daeshawn Stephens transferred to North Carolina Central, quarterback Jalan McClendon left as a grad transfer to Baylor, cornerback Bryce Banks transferred to South Dakota State and offensive linemen Harrison Gee and Aaron Wiltz took a medical hardship.
Linebacker Raven Saunders and cornerback Markel Valdez were dismissed from the team over the summer. Valdez ended up at Hampton and Saunders at Fort Scott (Kan.) Community College. Running back Erin Collins also announced he was leaving the team in June and ended up at Hutchinson (Kan.) Community College. Collins recently picked up an offer from East Carolina.
McClendon and Richardson would have been fifth-year seniors; Hines a true senior, Wiltz a redshirt junior; Stephens, Gee, Valdez and Banks redshirt sophomores; Saunders a sophomore and Collins a redshirt freshman had they stayed.
During the season, redshirt freshmen Damien Darden, a tight end, and Nakia Robinson Jr., a running back, both announced that they would be transferring. Redshirt sophomore defensive tackle Shug Frazier and freshman offensive tackle Kahric Belle also left the team.
Speaking of attrition, we went back and calculated how many players from head coach Dave Doeren’s first four full recruiting classes (not including transfers) that are either still around or completed their full eligibility at NC State (unofficial rule of thumb is keeping somewhere between 3/5 or 2/3 of the class intact throughout is probably pretty good):
2014: 20 of 31 (64.5 percent)
- Offensive lineman Will Richardson turned pro after his redshirt junior season. If you adjusted the numbers to include those who played their entire football at NC State before either graduating or turning pro, the retention rate would rise to 67.7 percent.
- Quarterback Jalan McClendon (Baylor) corner Troy Vincent (walked on at Iowa State), safety Kalen McCain (JC and then North Carolina Central), receiver Bo Hines (Yale) and defensive tackle Daeshaywn Middleton (Norfolk State) transferred to other schools.
- Running back Marcelias Sutton did not qualify and signed with Oklahoma out of junior college.
- Corner Elliott Davis and tight end Micah Till were dismissed from the team. Till ended up playing basketball at Division II Slippery Rock where he was named third-team All-American last March.
- Offensive lineman Eric Shute and linebacker/defensive tackle/offensive guard Coult Culler gave up football, the latter for health reasons.
2015: 12 of 22 (54.5 percent)
- Running back Nyheim Hines turned pro after his junior season. If you adjusted the numbers to include those who played their entire football at NC State before either graduating or turning pro, the retention rate would rise to 59.1 percent.
- Running back Johnny Frasier, receiver Brian Sessoms, defensive tackle Quentez Johnson and offensive lineman Daris Workman left the team for undisclosed reasons.
- Offensive lineman T.J. McCoy transferred to Florida where he started nine games in 2017 at center before suffering an injury. He played just three games this year.
- Defensive end Emmanuel Olenga and receiver Freddie Simmons were dismissed. Olenga has matriculated at Campbell, where he had 8.5 sacks in 2017. He was not on their roster this fall however.
Simmons had been expected to end up at Akron but never made it on their roster.
- Offensive lineman Aaron Wiltz and linebacker Riley Nicholson took medical hardships.
2016: 13 of 24 (54.2 percent)
- Corner Bryce Banks (South Dakota State), corner J.J. Givens (Norfolk State), tight end Thaddeus Moss (LSU) and receiver Daeshawn Stephens (NCCU) transferred to other schools.
- Tight end Bryce Dixon and cornerback Markel Valdez were dismissed from the team. Valdez has matriculated to Hampton.
- Linebacker Garrett Hooker and offensive lineman Bryce Folsom left the team for undisclosed reasons. Offensive lineman Harrison Gee left for health reasons.
- Nickel Trae Meadows left the team for personal reasons and is now at Garden City (Kan.) Community College.
2017: 14 of 20 (70.0 percent)
- Receiver Antoine Thompson, defensive end Kevince Brown and linebacker Raven Saunders were dismissed from the team. Saunders is at Fort Scott (Kan.) Community College. Thompson is at Highland (Kan.) Community College. Brown is at Lake Erie College.
- Running back Erin Collins announced his intention to transfer in June and ended up at Hutchinson (Kan.) Junior college.
- Tight end Damien Darden and running back Nakia Robinson Jr., left the team during the season.
2018: 23 of 24 (95.8 percent)
- Offensive tackle Kahric Belle left the team during his freshman season.
• As for scholarships for next year’s class, there are currently 14 scholarship seniors on the roster scheduled to leave, so that is the base number. However, here is an example of how much attrition through the year can add to the number.
- In the fall of 2017, there were 14 scholarship seniors, and the Pack signed 25 players.
- In the fall of 2016, there were 10 scholarship (non redshirting) seniors, and the Pack signed 20 players.
- In the fall of 2015, there were 10 scholarship seniors, and the Pack signed 24 players.
- In the fall of 2014, there were 15 scholarship seniors, and the Pack signed 22 players.
- In the fall of 2013, there were 14 scholarship (non redshirting) seniors, and the Pack signed 31 players.
So as you can see through the numbers, the Pack will likely end up in a position to take close to a full class of 25 in the 2019 class. The average number of players signed over the number of leaving scholarship seniors was 11.8.
