NC State has released their Depth Chart for their matchup against Louisville this Friday night.

Notes

• Starting Center Dylan McMahon isn’t listed on the Depth Chart. Wolfpack head coach Dave Doeren said that McMahon is still “day-to-day.”
  • As a result, Lyndon Cooper will be starting at Center once again.
• Starting Strong Safety Devan Boykin had to leave the game almost immediately last Friday night up at UVA. He is not listed on the Depth Chart, but thankfully, it doesn’t seem like something major. According to Doeren, it’s not very likely that Boykin will be able to play Friday, but it hasn’t been completely ruled out.
  • As a result, Bishop Fitzgerald will be starting at Strong Safety.
• The Depth Chart for the Running Backs is a hoot. While Michael Allen is listed at the top, there is an “or” in between everyone’s name, treating everyone as if they are starters.
• Last week, Cecil Powell was listed as the third string Nickel, but Doeren said after the UVA game that he had been serving as Boykin’s backup at Strong Safety that week in practice. Both went out of the game due to injuries.
  • This weeks depth chart reflects the fact that he’d been getting run at Strong Safety last week. He’s listed as Bishop Fitzgerald’s backup at SS.
• Last week Rakeim Ashford was listed as the backup at Strong Safety, and now he is listed as the backup at Free Safety.

NC State True Freshman Kevin Concepcion earned Week 4 ACC Rookie of the Week honors for his performance against UVA.

ROOKIE – Kevin Concepcion, NC State, WR, Charlotte, N.C.
Concepcion totaled 116 receiving yards on six catches in NC State’s 24-21 road victory over Virginia in the two teams’ ACC opener. The true freshman wideout averaged 19.3 yards per catch and scored two touchdowns, including a 48-yard catch and run. The first true freshman receiver to start the first four games of the season for the Wolfpack since 2014 (Bo Hines), Concepcion has accounted for 27 percent of the Wolfpack’s receptions this season. (TheACC)

NC State is currently a 3-point underdog heading into their Friday night matchup against Louisville, and the Total is sitting at 55.

• Louisville is 2-2 Against the Spread
  • NC State is 0-4 Against the Spread
• The Total has gone Over in 3 of Louisville’s 4 games.
  • The Total has gone Under in 3 of NC State’s 4 games.
• The Total has gone Under in 4 of the last 5 games between these two teams.
• The Cardinals have won 6 of the last 10 straight Up against the Wolfpack.
  • In those 10 matchups, NC State has beat the Spread 5 times.
• Louisville is 6-1 Straight Up in their last 7 games against ACC opponents.
  • NC State is 2-8 Against the Spread against ACC opponents in their last 10 games.
• NC State has been the underdog against Louisville in 3 of the last 5 games.

Here’s a look at which NC State Defensive players graded out the best and worst according to ProFootballFocus against UVA last night.

Top 5

LB Payton Wilson – 83.4
DE Davin Vann – 74.7
S Bishop Fitzgerald – 73.7
DE Savion Jackson – 73.5
LB Caden Fordham – 63.1

Bottom 5

DE Noah Potter – 45.7
CB Shyheim Battle – 48.0
LB Jaylon Scott – 55.2
DE Red Hibbler – 56.3
S Cecil Powell – 56.7

Notes

• Payton Wilson has now graded out at 80+ for 2 straight games, which he has never done in his career.
  • He has been in the Top 5 in 3 of the first 4 games.
  • He had the highest run defense grade: 90.4.
  • He also had the highest grade in pass rush: 72.8.
• Davin Vann has been in the Top 5 in all 4 games in 2023.
• Bishop Fitzgerald has been in the Top 5 in 2 of the first 4 games.
  • He had the highest grade in pass coverage: 77.5.
• Caden Fordham has been in the Top 5 in 2 of the first 4 games.
• Noah Potter has been in the Bottom 5 in 3 of the first 4 games.
  • It’s his 2nd time posting the worst grade.
• Shyheim Battle has been in the Bottom 5 in 2 of the first 4 games.
  • He did have the highest tackling grade: 81.1.
• Jaylon Scott has been in the Bottom 5 in 2 of the first 4 games.
• Red Hibbler has been in the Bottom 5 in 2 of the first 4 games.
• Safety Sean Brown had the lowest grader in coverage: 41.9.
• Noah Potter, Davin Vann and CJ Clark had the worst tackling grades: 18.4, 23.1, 26.3.