NC State’s James Smith-Williams is the #27 FREAK Heading into 2018

For the past 15 years, Bruce Feldman of the The Athletic has tried to spotlight the biggest “freaks” in college football that display “the type of rare physical abilities that wow even those folks who are used to observing gifted athletes every day.”

Feldman has released his Top-50 “freaks” heading into the 2018 college football season, and NC State defensive end James Smith-Williams is #27.

There is no denying the fact that NC State graduated all 4 of their starting defensive linemen, and all 4 of them happened to be drafted in the first 4 rounds of the 2018 NFL Draft. Despite the losses, NC State returns athleticism and talent on the defensive line. You’re more accustomed to hearing the names Darian Roseboro and Eurndraus Bryant, and rightfully so, but get ready to hear a lot more of James Smith-Williams’ name.