The first day of football practice was held at the indoor facility due to the weather, and as the first hour ended, which was open for the media, the rain started coming down heavy. Being in the indoor made the space a little bit tight and harder to evaluate, but here are some general observations:
• The running back group was at full strength and senior Reggie Gallaspy II was leading the way. He clearly is the thickest I have seen him at NC State and will give the Pack a power dimension in the passing attack.
• The wide receiver group may be the best-looking of them all physically. Continue to be impressed with true freshmen Devin Carter and Jasiah Provillon. In a normal year I’d say to watch them closely for potential early playing time, but with the roster NCSU has at receiver that may not be the case.
• Tight ends group is not far behind the receivers when it comes to the eyeball test.
• Starting offensive line appears to be as it was when spring ended, with redshirt sophomore Justin Witt still at right tackle. Fifth-year seniors Garrett Bradbury, Tyler Jones and Terronne Prescod are in the best shapes of their lives. True freshman tackle Kharic Belle, who was in a boot at the Lift for Life, was practicing. I think the first step for Belle will be to hit the conditioning program hard.
• I paid careful attention to the defensive line. Redshirt freshman Grant Gibson was lining up with the first string ahead of redshirt sophomore Shug Frazier, but Frazier was also in the yellow jersey (limited). It appears that redshirt freshman Ibrahim Kante has moved to defensive tackle. The second string defensive line was junior Joe Babros and freshman Joseph Boletepeli at end and Frazier and redshirt sophomore junior college transfer Val Martin. Martin intrigued me going through the drills.
• There is a definite battle going on at middle linebacker as redshirt freshman Isaiah Moore was lining up with the first string ahead of sophomore Louis Acceus. Redshirt sophomore Brock Miller was backing up fifth-year senior Germaine Pratt at weakside.
• It looks like sophomore Chris Ingram is first in line to start opposite junior Nick McCloud at corner. Fifth-year senior Maurice Trowell and redshirt junior Vernon Grier were running second team, but I pick up a sense that freshman Taiyon Palmer may be one to watch.
• Another position battle is at safety between fifth-year senior Dexter Wright and junior Tim Kidd-Glass. On this day, it appeared that Wright was running alongside redshirt junior Jarius Morehead on the first string. It also seemed to me that freshman Tyler Baker-Williams was lining up with the safeties rather than nickels.
• Did not see redshirt junior Stephen Griffin out at practice today, but did see redshirt junior Freddie Phillips Jr., and Phillips was leading the way with the nickel group.
• Did not get a long look at the quarterbacks, but not a whole lot to report there as it's sixth-year senior Ryan Finley's group.
• The running back group was at full strength and senior Reggie Gallaspy II was leading the way. He clearly is the thickest I have seen him at NC State and will give the Pack a power dimension in the passing attack.
• The wide receiver group may be the best-looking of them all physically. Continue to be impressed with true freshmen Devin Carter and Jasiah Provillon. In a normal year I’d say to watch them closely for potential early playing time, but with the roster NCSU has at receiver that may not be the case.
• Tight ends group is not far behind the receivers when it comes to the eyeball test.
• Starting offensive line appears to be as it was when spring ended, with redshirt sophomore Justin Witt still at right tackle. Fifth-year seniors Garrett Bradbury, Tyler Jones and Terronne Prescod are in the best shapes of their lives. True freshman tackle Kharic Belle, who was in a boot at the Lift for Life, was practicing. I think the first step for Belle will be to hit the conditioning program hard.
• I paid careful attention to the defensive line. Redshirt freshman Grant Gibson was lining up with the first string ahead of redshirt sophomore Shug Frazier, but Frazier was also in the yellow jersey (limited). It appears that redshirt freshman Ibrahim Kante has moved to defensive tackle. The second string defensive line was junior Joe Babros and freshman Joseph Boletepeli at end and Frazier and redshirt sophomore junior college transfer Val Martin. Martin intrigued me going through the drills.
• There is a definite battle going on at middle linebacker as redshirt freshman Isaiah Moore was lining up with the first string ahead of sophomore Louis Acceus. Redshirt sophomore Brock Miller was backing up fifth-year senior Germaine Pratt at weakside.
• It looks like sophomore Chris Ingram is first in line to start opposite junior Nick McCloud at corner. Fifth-year senior Maurice Trowell and redshirt junior Vernon Grier were running second team, but I pick up a sense that freshman Taiyon Palmer may be one to watch.
• Another position battle is at safety between fifth-year senior Dexter Wright and junior Tim Kidd-Glass. On this day, it appeared that Wright was running alongside redshirt junior Jarius Morehead on the first string. It also seemed to me that freshman Tyler Baker-Williams was lining up with the safeties rather than nickels.
• Did not see redshirt junior Stephen Griffin out at practice today, but did see redshirt junior Freddie Phillips Jr., and Phillips was leading the way with the nickel group.
• Did not get a long look at the quarterbacks, but not a whole lot to report there as it's sixth-year senior Ryan Finley's group.
