With the season over and most of the recruiting class signed, it’s a good time to take a look at the roster breakdown. As of right now, 81 scholarships are committed to next year, counting unsigned commitment four-star running back Jamious Griffin.
This breakdown confirms that a pair of fifth-year seniors — offensive lineman Phillip Walton Jr. and corner Vernon Grier — are not expected back. It also continues to count former walk-on receiver Thayer Thomas as a scholarship player.
The scholarship roster breaks down as follows:
Seniors (11)
Fifth-year seniors (8): OT Emanuel McGirt, OT Tyrone Riley, DE Deonte Holden, DE James Smith-Williams, DT Larrell Murchison, NIC Freddie Phillips, S Stephen Griffin, S Jarius Morehead
True seniors (3): CB Nick McCloud, CB Kishawn Miller, S Tim Kidd-Glass
Juniors (16)
Redshirt juniors (12): 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, DE Joe Babros, DT Val Martin, LB Brock Miller, S Isaiah Stallings
True juniors (4): WR Emeka Emezie, OG Joshua Fedd-Jackson, LB Louis Acceus, CB Chris Ingram
Sophomores (18)
Redshirt sophomores (11): QB Bailey Hockman, QB Matt McKay, WR Max Fisher, WR Thayer Thomas*, TE Adam Boselli, OL Kollin Byers, OL Grant Gibson, OL Bryson Speas, DE Ibrahim Kante, DE Xavier Lyas, DT Dante Johnson, LB Isaiah Moore
True sophomores (7): RB Ricky Person Jr., DT Alim McNeill, NIC Tanner Ingle, S Tyler Baker-Williams, CB De’Von Graves, CB Teshaun Smith, K Christopher Dunn
* - Note redshirt freshman walk-on receiver Thayer Thomas was put on scholarship for last season and this operates under the assumption he remains on scholarship.
Freshmen (35)
Redshirt freshmen (15): QB Devin Leary, RB Trent Pennix, WR Devin Carter, WR Jasiah Provillon, OL Gabriel Gonzalez, OL Jalynn Strickland, DE Joseph Boletepeli, DE Derrick Eason, DT Davontae McCrae, LB Calvin Hart, LB Payton Wilson, CB Taiyon Palmer, S Malik Dunlap, P Mackenzie Morgan
True freshmen (20): QB Ty Evans, RB Zonovan Knight, WR Keyon Lesane, WR Chris Toudle, TE Kam Walker, OL Ikem Ekwonu, OL Zovon Lindsay, OL Timothy McKay, OL Dylan McMahon, DE Terrell Dawkins, DE Savion Jackson, DT C.J. Clark, DT Joshua Harris, LB Jaylon Scott, LB Drake Thomas, NIC Jakeen Harris, CB Shyheim Battle, CB Jalen Frazier, S Khalid Martin, LS Joe Shimko
• Since the end of the season, four players have left the team — receivers Kelvin Harmon and Jakobi Meyers have turned pro. Both would have been seniors this upcoming season (Meyers a fifth-year senior).
Offensive tackle Phillip Walton’s name was entered into the transfer portal as a graduate transfer. Cornerback Vernon Grier is also no longer on the roster. Both would have been fifth-year seniors.
Between the end of the 2017 season and the end of the 2018 campaign, 14 players left the program.
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 in 2017-18.
- Offensive lineman Eric Shute and linebacker/defensive tackle/offensive guard Coult Culler gave up football, the latter for health reasons.
2015: 9 of 22 (40.9 percent)
- Running back Nyheim Hines and receiver Jakobi Meyers turned pro after their junior seasons. 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 52.4 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.
- Offensive lineman Phillip Walton Jr. and cornerback Vernon Grier are believed to be exploring graduate transfer opportunities.
2016: 12 of 24 (50.0 percent)
- Receiver Kelvin Harmon 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 54.2 percent.
- Corner Bryce Banks (South Dakota State), defensive tackle Shug Frazier (Hampton), 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. He signed with Western Kentucky in December.
2017: 14 of 20 (70.0 percent)
- Receiver Antoine Thompson, defensive end Kevince Brown and linebacker Raven Saunders were dismissed from the team. Saunders went Fort Scott (Kan.) Community College. Brown went to Lake Erie College. Neither were listed on their respective colleges’ roster however.
Thompson is at Highland (Kan.) Community College. He caught 14 passes for 165 yards last year.
- Running back Erin Collins announced his intention to transfer and ended up at Hutchinson (Kan.) Junior College. He ran 43 times for 233 yards and four touchdowns in three games last season.
- Tight end Damien Darden and running back Nakia Robinson Jr., left the team during the season. Both were on the transfer portal in December.
2018: 23 of 24 (95.8 percent)
- Offensive tackle Kahric Belle left the team during his freshman season and is on the transfer portal.
• As for scholarships for next year’s class, there are currently 11 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 2018, there were 14 scholarship seniors leaving, and the Pack thus far has signed 21 players and aim to sign up to 25.
- 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.
The average number of players signed over the number of leaving scholarship seniors was 11.2. However, if NC State were to sign 25 by the end of February that average swells to 11.8.
Thus NC State is likely to be signing somewhere between 20-25 in 2020, but there is a chance it will not be a full class.
• To help identify potential needs in the 2020 class, here are the breakdown of players currently scheduled to come back after the 2019 season (thus are juniors, sophomores or freshmen for the upcoming season). Currently there are 70 scholarships committed to the 2020 season). The limit is 85.
- Quarterbacks: 4 (Hockman, McKay, Leary, Evans)
One commit for 2020: Ben Finley
- Running backs: 3 (Person, Pennix, Knight)
One commit for 2019: Jamious Griffin
- Wide receivers: 8 (Riley, Emezie, Fisher, Thomas, Carter, Provillon, Lesane, Toudle)
- Tight ends: 5 (Angeline, Autenrieth, Parham, Boselli, Walker)
- Offensive linemen: 14 (Brown, Chase, Fedd-Jackson, Sculthorpe, Witt, Byers, Gibson, Speas, Gonzalez, Strickland, Ekwonu, Lindsay, McMahon, McKay)
- Defensive ends: 7 (Kante, Lyas, Babros, Boletepeli, Eason, Dawkins, Jackson)
- Defensive tackles: 6 (Martin, Johnson, McCrae, McNeill, Clark, Harris)
- Linebackers: 7 (Miller, Acceus, Moore, Hart, Wilson, Scott, Thomas)
- Nickels: 2 (Ingle, Harris)
- Cornerbacks: 6 (Ingram, Graves, Palmer, Smith, Battle, Frazier)
- Safeties: 4 (Stallings, Baker-Williams, Dunlap)
- Special teams specialists: 3 (Dunn, Morgan, Shimko)
This breakdown confirms that a pair of fifth-year seniors — offensive lineman Phillip Walton Jr. and corner Vernon Grier — are not expected back. It also continues to count former walk-on receiver Thayer Thomas as a scholarship player.
The scholarship roster breaks down as follows:
Seniors (11)
Fifth-year seniors (8): OT Emanuel McGirt, OT Tyrone Riley, DE Deonte Holden, DE James Smith-Williams, DT Larrell Murchison, NIC Freddie Phillips, S Stephen Griffin, S Jarius Morehead
True seniors (3): CB Nick McCloud, CB Kishawn Miller, S Tim Kidd-Glass
Juniors (16)
Redshirt juniors (12): 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, DE Joe Babros, DT Val Martin, LB Brock Miller, S Isaiah Stallings
True juniors (4): WR Emeka Emezie, OG Joshua Fedd-Jackson, LB Louis Acceus, CB Chris Ingram
Sophomores (18)
Redshirt sophomores (11): QB Bailey Hockman, QB Matt McKay, WR Max Fisher, WR Thayer Thomas*, TE Adam Boselli, OL Kollin Byers, OL Grant Gibson, OL Bryson Speas, DE Ibrahim Kante, DE Xavier Lyas, DT Dante Johnson, LB Isaiah Moore
True sophomores (7): RB Ricky Person Jr., DT Alim McNeill, NIC Tanner Ingle, S Tyler Baker-Williams, CB De’Von Graves, CB Teshaun Smith, K Christopher Dunn
* - Note redshirt freshman walk-on receiver Thayer Thomas was put on scholarship for last season and this operates under the assumption he remains on scholarship.
Freshmen (35)
Redshirt freshmen (15): QB Devin Leary, RB Trent Pennix, WR Devin Carter, WR Jasiah Provillon, OL Gabriel Gonzalez, OL Jalynn Strickland, DE Joseph Boletepeli, DE Derrick Eason, DT Davontae McCrae, LB Calvin Hart, LB Payton Wilson, CB Taiyon Palmer, S Malik Dunlap, P Mackenzie Morgan
True freshmen (20): QB Ty Evans, RB Zonovan Knight, WR Keyon Lesane, WR Chris Toudle, TE Kam Walker, OL Ikem Ekwonu, OL Zovon Lindsay, OL Timothy McKay, OL Dylan McMahon, DE Terrell Dawkins, DE Savion Jackson, DT C.J. Clark, DT Joshua Harris, LB Jaylon Scott, LB Drake Thomas, NIC Jakeen Harris, CB Shyheim Battle, CB Jalen Frazier, S Khalid Martin, LS Joe Shimko
• Since the end of the season, four players have left the team — receivers Kelvin Harmon and Jakobi Meyers have turned pro. Both would have been seniors this upcoming season (Meyers a fifth-year senior).
Offensive tackle Phillip Walton’s name was entered into the transfer portal as a graduate transfer. Cornerback Vernon Grier is also no longer on the roster. Both would have been fifth-year seniors.
Between the end of the 2017 season and the end of the 2018 campaign, 14 players left the program.
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 in 2017-18.
- Offensive lineman Eric Shute and linebacker/defensive tackle/offensive guard Coult Culler gave up football, the latter for health reasons.
2015: 9 of 22 (40.9 percent)
- Running back Nyheim Hines and receiver Jakobi Meyers turned pro after their junior seasons. 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 52.4 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.
- Offensive lineman Phillip Walton Jr. and cornerback Vernon Grier are believed to be exploring graduate transfer opportunities.
2016: 12 of 24 (50.0 percent)
- Receiver Kelvin Harmon 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 54.2 percent.
- Corner Bryce Banks (South Dakota State), defensive tackle Shug Frazier (Hampton), 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. He signed with Western Kentucky in December.
2017: 14 of 20 (70.0 percent)
- Receiver Antoine Thompson, defensive end Kevince Brown and linebacker Raven Saunders were dismissed from the team. Saunders went Fort Scott (Kan.) Community College. Brown went to Lake Erie College. Neither were listed on their respective colleges’ roster however.
Thompson is at Highland (Kan.) Community College. He caught 14 passes for 165 yards last year.
- Running back Erin Collins announced his intention to transfer and ended up at Hutchinson (Kan.) Junior College. He ran 43 times for 233 yards and four touchdowns in three games last season.
- Tight end Damien Darden and running back Nakia Robinson Jr., left the team during the season. Both were on the transfer portal in December.
2018: 23 of 24 (95.8 percent)
- Offensive tackle Kahric Belle left the team during his freshman season and is on the transfer portal.
• As for scholarships for next year’s class, there are currently 11 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 2018, there were 14 scholarship seniors leaving, and the Pack thus far has signed 21 players and aim to sign up to 25.
- 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.
The average number of players signed over the number of leaving scholarship seniors was 11.2. However, if NC State were to sign 25 by the end of February that average swells to 11.8.
Thus NC State is likely to be signing somewhere between 20-25 in 2020, but there is a chance it will not be a full class.
• To help identify potential needs in the 2020 class, here are the breakdown of players currently scheduled to come back after the 2019 season (thus are juniors, sophomores or freshmen for the upcoming season). Currently there are 70 scholarships committed to the 2020 season). The limit is 85.
- Quarterbacks: 4 (Hockman, McKay, Leary, Evans)
One commit for 2020: Ben Finley
- Running backs: 3 (Person, Pennix, Knight)
One commit for 2019: Jamious Griffin
- Wide receivers: 8 (Riley, Emezie, Fisher, Thomas, Carter, Provillon, Lesane, Toudle)
- Tight ends: 5 (Angeline, Autenrieth, Parham, Boselli, Walker)
- Offensive linemen: 14 (Brown, Chase, Fedd-Jackson, Sculthorpe, Witt, Byers, Gibson, Speas, Gonzalez, Strickland, Ekwonu, Lindsay, McMahon, McKay)
- Defensive ends: 7 (Kante, Lyas, Babros, Boletepeli, Eason, Dawkins, Jackson)
- Defensive tackles: 6 (Martin, Johnson, McCrae, McNeill, Clark, Harris)
- Linebackers: 7 (Miller, Acceus, Moore, Hart, Wilson, Scott, Thomas)
- Nickels: 2 (Ingle, Harris)
- Cornerbacks: 6 (Ingram, Graves, Palmer, Smith, Battle, Frazier)
- Safeties: 4 (Stallings, Baker-Williams, Dunlap)
- Special teams specialists: 3 (Dunn, Morgan, Shimko)
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