ESPN’s David Hale Ranks NC State’s RB’s 9th in the ACC

ESPN’s David Hale is rolling out his Preseason ACC Position Rankings, and he ranks NC State’s Running Backs 9th in the ACC.

Notes from Hale’s Thread:

-ACC returns 7 RBs w/1000+ scrimmage yards last year. Also fun: ACC RBs on 2-deep who previously played at another ACC school: Kobe Pace (Clem->UVA), Jaylan Knighton (Mia->SMU), Don Chaney (Mia-Lou), Treshaun Ward (FSU->KSt->BC), Jordan Waters (Duke->NCSU), Trey Cooley (Lou->GT)

-PFF’s highest graded returning ACC RBs Desmond Reid, Pitt Omarion Hampton, UNC Mark Fletcher, Mia Damien Martinez, Mia Phil Mafah, Clemson Jamal Haynes, GT Kyle Robichaux, BC Treshaun Ward, BC Jordan Waters, NCSU LeQuint Allen, Cuse Roydell Williams, FSU Bhayshul Tuten, VT

-% of non-sack rush yards that came from non-QBs in 2023: Stanford, 63.5 NC State, 46.0 BC, 43.6 VT, 40.1 Cuse, 36.5 Stanford, BC and Syracuse each got more than half their rush TDs from non-running backs. (GT, VT & NC State had 40%+)

-Only P5 teams that failed to get 1,000 total rush yards from RBs last year: Stanford, Wash St, Vandy, Colo S. Carolina, NC State, Houston

-NC State RBs the past two years: 547 carries, 14 TDs Jordan Waters the past two years: 276 carries, 20 TDs

-NC State’s RBs ran for 930 yards. Louisville’s RBs ran for 963 yards… after Nov. 1.

-PFF’s top-graded pass blocking RBs, returning ACC: Kobe Pace Mark Fletcher Kyle Robichaux Jordan Waters Lawrance Toafili

-13 ACC players had at least 300 rush yards and 100 receiving yards last season: KC Concepcion, Bhayshul Tuten, Omarion Hampton, LeQuint Allen, Lawrance Toafili, Kobe Pace, Jaydn Ott, Jamal Haynes, Jordan Waters, Treshaun Ward, Damian Martinez, Phil Mafah, Kye Robichaux.

Here’s Hale’s rankings of the Linebackers and the Wide Receivers/Tight Ends.