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What the Players Had to Say During Week 1 of NC State’s Fall Camp

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Here’s a rundown of what Quarterback Brennan Armstrong, Defensive End Savion Jackson, Wide Receiver Bradley Rozner, Quarterback MJ Morris, Defensive End Davin Vann and Wide Receiver Julian Gray had to say to the media after practice during Week 1 of Fall Camp.

Brennan Armstrong

“We’re both competing. That’s what’s going to bring the best out of us everyday. I’ve always tried to be an open door for him. He’s picked up on the offense really quickly.

“Bradley Rozner is living with me now until he finds a place here in Raleigh. He’s a really good dude. Super chill. It was good to see him out there today. I saw him making a good amount of plays. Great hands from what I saw. I’m happy for him being here and the opportunity he’s got.”

“In general, I think the guys like Coach Anae. He’s a funny older guy. Guys are gluing on to him. Just his personality. Guys like being around him.”

(Link)

Savion Jackson

“I’m the type of player that likes to prove people wrong. It makes me work that much harder. Every team, when they aren’t at the rating they think they are supposed to be, they work harder, and have a chip on their shoulder.

“I feel like we are going to be really dangerous. You can see our stats. The things we’ve done in the past. I feel like we are just going to stack on that. I feel like if we can keep everyone healthy, the sky is the limit.”

(Link)

Bradley Rozner

“New system. New program. Of course, there is going to be some ups and downs, but overall I thought it was a productive day. The main goal I had today was alignment assignment. I just want to go out there and play as fast as I can.”

“Having a veteran Quarterback, who’s played in the ACC, he’s got a lot of experience. Being able to learn from him at this level is pretty huge.”

“I entered the transfer portal in early July. I took some time talking to teams and coaches trying to find the best fit for me. This is the last year I have. It took about two weeks to narrow that down. I just felt like NC State was the obvious choice for me.”

“I talked to around 20 schools. I was on the phone from 9am to 7pm everyday.”

“Having Coach Joker Phillips in the room. Veteran guy. Been to a lot of places with a lot of years of experience. He’s coached a lot of talent. We joke around a lot. Everyday in the room he says I graduated with him. He’s a great dude.”

“I can stretch the field vertically. Coach Anae likes doing that kind of thing.”

“I’m 25 years old. It’s been a journey. I couldn’t have predicted any of it. It’s taught me a lot about perseverance and believing in yourself. I’m grateful for everyone who has helped me get to this point.”

MJ Morris

“I’ve had to learn it quick, because I want to be able to produce on the field. Every night, going home learning. Brennan’s here, and he helps me every time I don’t know a play. I’m learning from him and Coach Anae, since they’ve been in this offense, and had a lot of success in this offense. Taking it day by day, little by little.”

“In the summer, I would ask Brennan when he was watching film, and let me come and watch film with you, to see what you see, because you’ve ran these plays, and know how they are supposed to look. On the field, I’ll come off and ask him, ‘what would you do in that situation?’ He helps me everyday. He’s a really good guy.”

“This offense really lets the players play. It’s not really a whole lot of robotic stuff. It really just lets us go out there and play. There are a lot of options to throw the ball to. A lot of options to run the ball too. I love it. It’s not really rule based. I get to decide where I want to go with the ball.”

“Last year was really just a learning season. Getting some college football under my belt. I went from high school to ACC ball. It’s a big difference.”

“The wide receivers are always competing, but always helping each other out.”

“The Transfer Portal was never really in my head. Of course, I love to compete, but at the end of the day, I committed here for a reason. I said I want to be here for the next three to four years of my life. At the end of the day, when I committed, I said I wanted to have my name up there in that stadium one day. That thought was never in my mind in the first place.”

“Everyone wants to do their thing and have their time to shine, but my parents taught me well how to stay patient. Everything is going to come into play at the right time, as long as you trust God and in His plan, it’s all going to come into play.”

“3 weeks ago I turned on the Wake Forest game from last year and just watched it.”

“When asked if he thought there was NFL talent on the O-Line…”Dylan McMahon and Anthony Belton compete everyday. They are dudes. Whenever I’m in there, I feel protected. I feel like they are definitely going to make it up there for sure.”

(Link)

Davin Vann

“Our defense is doing things that other defenses in the conference haven’t done. I, and the team, feel like we have a really tough defense. We have a certain standard we want to uphold.”

“A lot of things I did last year were primarily because of my athletic ability. I wanted to get back to the basics, and really get the fundamentals and techniques down.”

“I like lifting weights. It’s a great environment to be in. Guys hanging out and having fun. When you’re grinding with your friends, it really doesn’t feel like a grind.”

(Link)

Julian Gray 

“A lot of the offense I’ve picked up pretty easily. Some things have taken a little bit longer than others. It kind of reminds me of high school a little bit, because a lot of that was fit to my specific skill set. It reminds me a lot of that. Coach Anae is a real big skill set kind of guy.”

“I’m a fast guy. I’m pretty big on my speed. Breaking tackles. I consider myself elusive.”

“It was pretty exciting to see preseason honors for kick returning.”

“I’m in contention for the punt returning duties. Me and a couple of other guys are competing to get the punt return spot.”

“I think I’m going to be able to show that I can do it all. I feel like I can play the inside and the outside. I feel like I can be in the backfield if needed.”

“How Brennan understood the offense. His maturity in the offense. It helped a lot. It helped me so much.”

“Besides seeing myself as a breakout player at receiver, I see Keyon Lesane and Anthony Smith.”

(Link)

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.

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NC State Football

Payton Wilson is the 7th Highest Drafted Linebacker in NC State History

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Last night NC State Linebacker Payton Wilson was drafted in the 3rd round by the Pittsburgh Steelers, with the 98th overall pick.

Wilson is the 16th Wolfpack Linebacker to be selected in the NFL Draft, and the 7th highest drafted.

Levar Fisher – 2nd round – 49th overall (2002)
Nate Irving – 3rd round – 67th overall (2011)
Germaine Pratt – 3rd round – 72nd overall (2019)
Bobby Houston – 3rd round – 75th overall (1990)
Robert Abraham – 3rd round – 77th overall (1982)
Damien Covington – 3rd round – 96th overall (1995)
Payton Wilson – 3rd round – 98th overall (2024)
Stephen Tulloch – 4th round – 116th overall (2006)
Frank Bush – 5th round – 133rd overall (1985)
Terrell Manning – 5th round – 163rd overall (2012)
David Merritt – 7th round – 191st overall (1993)
Pat Thomas – 6th round – 194th overall (2005)
Audie Cole – 7th round – 210th overall (2012)
Bill Gentry – 12th round – 293rd overall (1967)
Scott Adell – 12th round – 330th overall (1992)
Henry Hipps – 16th round – 411th (1969)

Honestly, in looking at the list above, the best NFL Linebacker of the bunch wasn’t in the Top-5 highest drafted. The man right behind Wilson, Stephen Tulloch, easily had the best career of any Wolfpack Linebacker to be drafted, and he was taken in the 4th round.

It’s not where you start, but where you finish.

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The Pittsburgh Steelers Select NC State’s Payton Wilson with the 98th Pick in the 2024 NFL Draft

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The Pittsburgh Steelers have selected NC State Linebacker Payton Wilson in the 3rd Round of the 2024 NFL Draft, with the 98th overall pick.

How on earth Wilson was the 98th player drafted is beyond me. Winner of the ACC Defensive Player of the Year. Winner of the Butkus Award, given to the best Linebacker in College Football. Winner of the Bednarik Award, given to the best Defensive player in College football. Unanimous All-American. 3rd best PFF Grade by a Linebacker in 2023. Fastest 40-time by a LB at the NFL Combine.

Yet, he was the 7th Linebacker taken in the 2024 NFL Draft. Absurd.

With that being said, I can’t think of a more fitting place for Wilson to play. He was born to play in the Black and Gold. The Steelers are a blue collar club, who carry a long history of defensive greatness. Wilson plays with reckless abandon, and with his hair on fire, and that’s exactly what you expect out of a Pittsburgh Linebacker.

Maybe I’m showing my cards here…I’m a Pittsburgh Steelers fan…and I can’t believe Payton Wilson will be wearing the Black and Gold this Fall.

Congrats Payton!

 

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Details of Dave Doeren’s New Contract at NC State

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NC State has signed Dave Doeren to a 2-year extension, but the extension comes with a raise. Doeren’s base salary in 2023 was $5.02 million.

According to Brian Murphy of WRALSports Fan, Doeren’s salary in 2024 will be $5.5 million, and it will increase by $125,000 each year of the contract. He can earn $1.325 million in academic and athletic performance bonuses on an annual basis.

Below is a breakdown of the bonus structure.

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The bonus structure is the same as it was in his previous contract (see above), but the section entitled “Playoff” has been updated as follows:

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Former NC State Wide Receiver Julian Gray Commits to Liberty

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Former NC State Wide Receiver Julian Gray has committed to play for Liberty next year.

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This past season, Gray had career highs in receptions (16) and receiving yards (170). He ranked 4th on the team in receptions, and 7th on the team in receiving yards.

Gray has served as NC State’s primary Kickoff Returner the past two seasons, averaging 24.9 yards per return. This past year, he averaged 26.0 yards per carry, which ranked 3rd in the ACC, and 11th nationally. It stands as the 5th best single-season average in school history.

Back in 2021, ON3 ranked Gray as a 4-star prospect, the #197 overall player nationally, and the #13 player in the state of North Carolina.

Gray has 2 more years of eligibility remaining.

NC State has had 23 players enter the Transfer Portal

DT Nick Campbell
WR Julian Gray – Liberty
RB Delbert Mimms III – Eastern Michigan
TE Fred Seabrough
Nickel Cecil Powell – Troy
WR Christopher Scott – Austin Peay
OL Jaleel Davis – Florida International
WR Josh Crabtree – Murray St. 
OL Lyndon Cooper – Pitt
WR Terrell Timmons – Colorado
LB Torren Wright – Temple
NT C.J. Clark – Miami
QB MJ Morris – Maryland
S Jakeen Harris – UNC
TE Cedd Seabrough – West Georgia
WR Porter Rooks – Eastern Michigan
DB Nate Evans – Delaware
LB Daejuan Thompson
RB Jordan Houston – Marshall
RB Michael Allen – UNLV
DB Darius Edmundson – UNC-Pembroke
WR Anthony Smith – East Carolina
TE Christopher Toudle – Western Michigan 

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