NC State will be without a couple of significant veterans on the Defensive Line in 2020, with James Smith-Williams and Larrell Murchison both now on NFL Rosters now. In all reality, these two were the Wolfpack’s starters at the End positions in 2019.
Picking up Graduate Transfer Daniel Joseph (6’3″/265) this offseason was an attempt to help fill some of that void. Joseph spent 4 years at Penn State, recording 29 tackles in 32 games over 3 seasons.
Joseph was a 4-star prospect in the 2016 recruiting class out of Lake Forest, Illinois, and would have easily been the highest ranked recruit in the Wolfpack’s 2016 recruiting class, and currently is the 10th highest rated recruit on NC State’s roster according to 247Sports.
The buzz in Fall Camp surrounding Joseph has been nothing but positive, and I would be shocked if he wasn’t starting Week 1, despite some young talent waiting in the wings.
Joseph met with the media on Wednesday. Here’s a look at what he had to say .
NC State was a decision for me after my Redshirt Junior year at Penn State. Being there 3.5 years, and not yielding the results that I wanted personally coming in as a Freshman. I felt like a change was necessary for my own growth and development in terms of the places I want to be and the places I want to get to. I figured a change was needed in some shape or form. You can’t do the same thing over and over again and expect a different result.
When I entered the Transfer Portal, the Defensive Coordinator at Penn State, had personal connections with either Coach Wiles (D-Line) or Coach Gibson (D-Coordinator). Because of that I got an opportunity here at NC State, and I took it and ran with it. (GoPack)
When asked which young Wolfpackers were standing out to him, he had the following to say.
Nate Booker at first glance doesn’t look like he could do the things he can do, but that kid is an athlete. He’s a ball player.
Claude Larkins is definitely a kid who is going to be really good in the near future.
C.J. Clark isn’t necessarily a young guy, but he’s a very talented guy that can do a lot of big things this upcoming year. (GoPack)
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