Vaughan Johnson, one of the best players to ever play the Linebacker position at NC State, sadly passed away on Thursday at the age of 57.
Johnson is 1 of 24 Wolfpack players in school history to earn 1st Team All-American honors (1983).
The native of Morehead City, North Carolina, played in Raleigh from 1980-83, starting his final two years, leading NC State in tackles as a Junior (167) and as a Senior (144).
The 6’3″, 230 pound linebacker was a scary sight for offensive players.
Johnson’s 384 career tackles rank 6th all-time in school history, and his 167 tackles in 1982 are tied for the 4th most in a single-season.
He went on to be one of the best NFL players in NC State history, earning a trip to the Pro Bowl in 4 consecutive seasons from 1989-92 with the New Orleans Saints. Johnson earned 2nd Team All-Pro honors in 1989.
Vaughan’s 669 career tackles in the NFL rank 4th by a former Wolfpacker.
He was inducted to the Saints Hall of Fame in 2000.
Matthew is Co-Owner of Pack Insider. He writes for all sports, with a focus on football and recruiting, and is in charge of business strategy. He is an NC State alum who majored in business. Matthew is also the lead pastor of The Point Church in Cary, NC.
Redshirt Freshman Hollywood Smothers seemingly was the 3rd string Running Back in NC State’s 2024 Spring Game a few weeks back, but at the end of the game, he had more rushing yards than any other back.
Smothers rushed the ball 8 times for 75 yards. He possesses explosive speed, as well as excellent vision.
Check out Pack Insider’s Tape of Smothers from the Spring Game.
Titialii spent his first three seasons at Portland State, which competes in the FCS. This year, he was the starting Center for the Vikings, and the year before he was their starting Left Guard. Over three seasons, Titialii started in 28 of the 32 games he played in.
He also has picked up offers from Baylor and Temple.
Noel III played last year at Texas Southern, which is in the FCS. As a Junior, he had 52 tackles, 7.5 tackles for loss and 3.5 sacks in 10 games.
Prior to Texas Southern, Noel III spent his first two seasons at Nicholls State, where he recorded a total of 53 tackles.
247Sports ranked him as a 3-Star prospect in the 2021 recruiting class out of New Orleans (LA).
Noel III has 1 year of eligibility remaining.
With Nick Campbell entering the Transfer Portal, NC State is in the hunt for some depth at Nose Tackle. Even if the staff were to feel confident with what they have in JR Brandon Cleveland and RS-SODJ Jackson, the Wolfpack is in need of depth at the position.
It was evident NC State Tight End Justin Joly (6’3″/235) is going to be a problem for opposing defenses after his performance in the 2024 Spring Game a few weeks back. He is an extremely athletic Tight End, but he’s also bigger and more physical than I expected.
According to my calculations, Joly had 3 receptions for 56 yards and a touchdown. He started things off with a 3-yard touchdown in the corner of the end zone. He followed that up with a 16 yard catch across the middle through contact. Finally, Joly was the recipient of a double-reverse flea flicker, from RB Demarcus Jones II to WR Kevin Concepcion to QB Grayson McCall to him, for a 37-yard gain.
Joly transferred to NC State this offseason from UCONN, and he was the #2 Tight End in the Transfer Portal according to ON3. He had an incredible Sophomore campaign this past year, catching 56 passes for 578 yards and 2 touchdowns. Joly had 4 receptions for 38 yards in the season opener against the Wolfpack.