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Camp Q’s: Is there a competition at Linebacker at NC State?

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7 years ago

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NC State has the luxury of returning two 3-year starters at linebacker in Jerod Fernandez (MLB) and Airius Moore (WLB). Fernandez was second on the team in tackles behind Josh Jones last season with 88, and Moore is the second highest graded returning linebacker in the ACC according to ProFootballFocus.

You would think that NC State head coach Dave Doeren would be singing the praises of his Senior linebacker duo, but that hasn’t been the case. It’s not that he has said anything negative about either of them, but he just hasn’t been able to stop talking about their ‘backups’ Riley Nicholson and Germaine Pratt.

Doeren has made it clear in Fall Camp that the competition at linebacker between these four is legit. He has said that there has never been competition like this at linebacker since he’s been in Raleigh. Doeren has stated that they view all four of these linebackers as their ‘4 starting linebackers.’

Pratt (6’3″/237) has put on 39 pounds of muscle since last summer, and has officially moved from Safety to Linebacker. At the end of Spring practice, Doeren said that Pratt probably had the best Spring of anyone on the team. I listened to Ryan Tice’s excellent podcast with Dantonio Burnette, NC State Football’s Director of Strength and Conditioning, Thunder Dan said that he expects Pratt to make a huge impact this year. He said he has one of the best Football IQ’s on the team, and he is instinctual in ways that remind of him of Wolfpack greats Nate Irving and Stephen Tulloch. Nicholson has been a player has ‘flashed’ since his freshman season, in which he started three games. Like Pratt, he is explosive, bursts through the line, and doesn’t think…he just reacts. Both Nicholson and Pratt wold be starters at linebacker on a majority of the teams in the ACC.

I’m pretty confident that Moore and Fernandez will enter the season as the starters, but I wouldn’t be surprised to see Pratt and Nicholson make a move at some point during the season. At minimum, I doubt that Moore and Fernandez see the same snap counts they saw as Juniors, which should keep all four of these fellas fresh and explosive on every down.

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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.

NC State Football

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

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3 hours ago

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April 26, 2024

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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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NC State Football

Details of Dave Doeren’s New Contract at NC State

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12 hours ago

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April 26, 2024

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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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NC State Football

Former NC State Wide Receiver Julian Gray Commits to Liberty

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13 hours ago

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April 26, 2024

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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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NC State Football

NC State Gives Dave Doeren a 2-Year Extension

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13 hours ago

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April 26, 2024

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NC State and Head Football Coach Dave Doeren have agreed to a 2-year extension, keeping him under contract through the 2029 season.

There is something to be said with consistency and stability. Dave Doeren is entering his 12th season at NC State, which ties him for the 6th longest tenure in College Football.

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The details of the contract have not been released, and I will break them down when they are revealed, but his annual salary before was $5.02 million.

Here’s what the bonus structure was for Doeren and his assistants prior to today’s extension.

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