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NC State DT, Alim McNeill, Drafted in 3rd Round by Detroit Lions

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3 years ago

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Friday afternoon, former Wolfpack standout Alim McNeill heard his name. Selected 72nd overall in the third round, McNeill was drafted by the Detroit Lions. It won’t take long for him to make a difference.

The Lion entered last year as some experts pick to be a dark horse Super Bowl contender. Yet by midseason, they sat at the bottom of the NFC North with their Head Coach and GM fired. When all was said and done, they finished at 5-11 with the 28th ranked rush defense.

That’s where McNeill comes in. The 6’2″ 320 pounder from Raleigh will bring much needed support to the defensive interior of the Lions. Through 30 games with the Wolfpack, McNeill had 17.5 tackles for loss with 10 sacks. An athletic stud that has both power and speed, McNeill caught the eye of Mel Kiper Jr. early.

“A big body. He could be a throwback to what we were used to seeing in the 80s and 90s.” – Mel Kiper Jr.

With Detroit’s 2nd rounder DT Levi Onwuzurike (Washington), there’s no doubt come Sunday’s in fall, the Lions will be in a much better spot defensively, albeit young.

NC State now has 20 NFL draft picks since 2016. Nearly half of those in the third round or better with 7 being part of the D-Line crew. So while we talk about being QBU, maybe we should also start putting more emphasis on the big boys in the trenches.

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NC State Football

WATCH: Hollywood Smothers Leads NC State in Rushing at the Spring Game

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18 hours ago

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April 18, 2024

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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.





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NC State Football

NC State Offers FCS Interior Offensive Lineman D’Angalo Titialii

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1 day ago

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April 17, 2024

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NC State offered Interior Offensive Lineman D’Angalo Titialii (6’2″/320) today. After entering the Portal, the Wolfpack were the first to offer him.

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.

Titialii is an intriguing prospect, considering he can play numerous positions on the Offensive Line.

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NC State Offers FCS DT Elinus Noel III

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2 days ago

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April 17, 2024

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After Elinus Noel III (6’2″/230) entered the Transfer Portal yesterday, it didn’t take long for NC State to extend an offer.

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.

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NC State Football

WATCH: In NC State’s Spring Game, Tight End Justin Joly Showed He is Going to Be Trouble for Opposing Defenses in ’24

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2 days ago

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April 17, 2024

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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.

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