NC State 2018 Football Position Preview: Linebackers

Thus far we’ve previewed NC State Offense: Quarterbacks, Running Backs, Wide Receivers, Tight Ends, and the Offensive Line.

We’ve also knocked out the Defensive Ends and the Defensive Tackles. Next up is the Linebackers.

The Starters

Redshirt Graduate Senior Strong Side (“Mike”) Linebacker Germaine Pratt (6’3″/240) is primed for an All-ACC caliber Senior campaign. Pratt bided his time, playing behind Jerod Fernandez and Airius Moore last year. Even in a reserve role, Pratt showed his star power. According to ProFootballFocus, Pratt had the second highest grade for the 2017 season on the Wolfpack defense. You guessed it, Bradley Chubb was #1. That means that Pratt graded out better than 3 other Wolfpack defensive players that were drafted in the first 4 rounds (BJ Hill, Justin Jones, and Kentavius Street). He also graded out better than three other Wolfpack defenders that are still currently on NFL rosters in Week 4 of the preseason (Jerod Fernandez, Airius Moore and Johnathan Alston).

Pratt is the total package, being one of the best linebackers against the run and the pass in the ACC, and for that matter, the country. His Run-Stop Percentage was 12%, which was the 3rd highest among ACC Inside Linebackers last year. Quarterbacks passer rating when throwing against him was a dismal 45.4, which was the 4th lowest among Power 5 linebackers. Remember, Pratt came to NC State as a Safety, and spent his Freshman and Sophomore season in the secondary. He’s put on the weight of a linebacker, but still has the instincts of a Safety, which makes him effective in coverage.

Despite not starting a single game last season, he ranked 4th on the team in tackles (63), and 2nd on the team in interceptions (2).

Pratt is a complete linebacker. Expect him to have a special Senior Season.

Redshirt Freshman Weak Side (“Will”) Linebacker Isaiah Moore (6’2″/233) put on 20 pounds of muscle during his redshirt season. Moore’s redshirt year was not your customary redshirt season, being suspended for the entirety of it. He was part of a Title IX investigation last year involving 4 other NC State players that attended a party on campus. Two of them were dismissed from the team, and Moore along with Erin Collins and Xavier Lyas were suspended for the year. While the details of the investigation are private, none of the players were charged with sexual assault.

Sophomore Louis Acceus earned the 1st team nods in the Spring Game, but it was Moore who shined the brightest as a member of the 2nd team, tallying 10 tackles in the scrimmage. Doeren mentioned that it was a close battle throughout Fall Camp, but Moore was more consistent.

If you watch his high school tape, it’s crazy he didn’t have more schools recruiting him. Moore flies to the ball, and regularly lays out his opponent like a person hitting the hit stick on a video game. He looks like he has the skills to get after the quarterback and the running back in the backfield.

The 2’s

Redshirt Sophomore Strong Side Linebacker Brock Miller (6’3″/231) has always been a player the Wolfpack coaching staff has been excited about. After earning Defensive Scout Team Player of the Year in 2016 during his redshirt year, Miller injured his shoulder halfway through last year, and had to have surgery, leading him to miss the rest of the season. Miller is back, and impressed the coaches in Fall Camp. He ran a 4.6 40-yard dash in high school, and played stand-up defensive end, and knows how to shed blockers. I don’t foresee Pratt leaving the field much this season, being a 3-down linebacker, but Miller is bound to get some experience this season that will help him in the future.

Sophomore Weak Side Linebacker Louis Acceus (5’11″220) was the starter through the Spring and Summer, after playing special teams in 2017. Despite that, his good buddy Isaiah Moore walked him down, and took his job. Considering the position battle was so tight, expect Acceus to rotate to some degree with Moore, and take his job if he falters.