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NC State NFL Players Kickoff 2017-18 TODAY!

Published

7 years ago

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The 2017-18 NFL season is HERE! NINE former NC State football players are set to be starters in Week 1 on their respective teams, and 4 others are set to play as reserves.

Philip Rivers is entering his 12th season as the starting Quarterback of the Chargers. Since taking over the role in 2006, he has yet to miss a single start. He ranks 12th in NFL history in passing yards (45,833), 10th in completions (3,811) and 8th in touchdown passes (314).

Last season Rivers threw the ball for 4,386 yards (60.4%), with
33 touchdowns and 21 interceptions.

Rivers and the Chargers will face the Broncos tomorrow night at 10:20 on Monday Night Football.

Russell Wilson is entering his 6th season as the starting Quarterback of the Seattle Seahawks. Over this span, Wilson has not missed a single start. Through 5 seasons, Wilson has 64 wins, which is more than any other Quarterback has won in their first 5 seasons in the NFL.

Last season, while playing most of the season hurt, Wilson threw for 4,219 yards (64.7%), with 21 touchdowns and 11 receptions.

Wilson and the Seahawks will kickoff today against the Packers at 4:25.

Willie Young is entering his 8th season in the NFL, and he started 12 out of the 16 games that he played Outside Linebacker for the Chicago Bears last season. He has started 38 games for the Bears in the three years that he has been with them.

Last season Young posted 38 tackles, 7.5 sacks, 2 pass deflections and 1 forced fumble.

Young and the Bears will kickoff against the Falcons at 1pm today.

The Redskins dropped Cornerback David Amerson early in 2015, and the Raiders scooped him up fast, and he has pretty much been one of their starters ever since. Amerson is one of 4 Cornerbacks in the whole NFL to have double digit pass breakups in each of the past two seasons.

Amerson and the Raiders will kickoff against the Titans at 1pm today.

As a rookie last season, Joe Thuney started every single game of the season at Offensive Guard for the New England Patriots. Thuney is 1 of 16 former NC State players to go on to win a Super Bowl.

Thuney and the Pats fell to the Chiefs on Thursday night 27-42.

After starting 18 games for the Bucs in his first two seasons, Quarterback Mike Glennon didn’t start a single game over the past two seasons, seeing action in only two games as a reserve. The Chicago Bears signed him this offseason to a 3-year $45 million deal, and he enters Week 1 as their starting signal caller.

In his NFL career, Glennon has completed 59.4 of his passes, and has thrown 30 touchdowns and 15 interceptions.

Glennon and the Bears kickoff against the Falcons at 1pm today.

Cornerback Dontae Johnson is entering his 4th season, and has played in 47 out of 48 possible regular season games for the 49ers. Johnson started 6 games over his first two seasons, but played all 16 games last year as a reserve. After one of San Francisco’s starters left after last season, Johnson seized the opportunity, and one the starting job heading into Week 1 of the 2017 season.

Johnson and the 49ers kickoff against the Panthers at 4:25 today.

Right Guard J.R. Sweezy missed his first season with the Bucs last year due to a back injury, but he is back and the buzz around him this preseason is that he brings “nastiness” to the Tampa Bay Offensive Line. Sweezy was a starter on the Seahawks offensive line from 2013-15. He was signed by the Bucs to play on the Left Side of the ball, but after sitting out a year due to injury, Sweezy will be starting at Right Guard.

Sweezy and the Bucs’ game against the Dolphins was postponed due to Hurricane Irma.

After being the place kicker for the Seahawks for the past 6 seasons, Steven Hauschka signed a 4-year deal with the Bills in the offseason to handle their kicking duties. Hauschka has quickly developed a rapport with his teammates in Buffalo, earning the honor of being one of the Bills captains in 2017.

Last season Hauschka made 33 field goals (89%), which tied a career high.

Hauschka and the Bills kickoff today against the Jets at 1pm.

Cornerback Juston Burris is entering his second season, and he will be backing up Buster Skrine for the New York Jets. In his rookie season, Burris played in all 16 games (starting 1), picking up 13 tackles, 5 pass deflections an 1 interception.

Burris and the Jets kickoff against the Bills today at 1pm.

Quarterback Jacoby Brissett spent his rookie season with the New England Patriots, but was traded a few weeks back to the Indianapolis Colts. Andrew Luck will not be starting week 1 for the Colts, and Scott Tolzien will get the start, but depending on how he plays, don’t be shocked to see Brissett see action in the Colts first game of the season today.

Last season Brissett played in 3 games (starting 2) for the Pats, throwing for 400 yards, while completing 62% of his passes. He also rushed for 83 yards and a touchdown.

Brissett and the Colts kickoff today against the Rams at 4:05 pm.

Running Back Matt Dayes made the final 53 man roster for the Cleveland Browns after being selected with the second-to-last pick in the NFL Draft this summer. He enters the 2017 season 3rd on the Depth Chart behind Isiaiah Crowell and Duke Johnson Jr.

Dayes and the Browns kickoff today against the Steelers at 1pm today.

Safety Josh Jones was selected by the Packers in the second round of the NFL Draft this summer after blowing up the NFL Combine. He is second on the depth chart at Strong Safety behind Mark Burnett. The Packers will use him in flex position that will have him at Strong Safety at times, and Inside Linebacker at other times.

Jones and the Packers kickoff against the Seahawks at 4:25 today.

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Matthew is Publisher and Co-Owner of Pack Insider. He is also the Lead Pastor of The Point Church in Cary, NC.

Pack in the Pros

Mike Tomlin’s Thoughts on the Steelers Drafting NC State’s Payton Wilson

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1 week ago

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April 29, 2024

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Steelers Head Coach Mike Tomlin was ecstatic that NC State Linebacker Payton Wilson was available for Pittsburgh to pick up with the 98th overall pick of the 2024 NFL Draft.

“We had to get comfortable with his medical and we brought him in on a pre draft visit. We allowed our medical experts to really get a good evaluation of him. We talked to him about his injury history. We were at a place of comfort. And so from that perspective, man, we’re really excited about having him.” (Link)

“Man, we’re really excited about Peyton. When we turn his tape on, we see him making all the type of plays you need linebackers to make. He’s a volume tackle player. He makes plays in the passing game from a coverage perspective via interception and pass breakup. He gets after the quarterback in the blitz game. He’s got a very well-rounded skillset. He’s a fluid mover. He can run. Had an opportunity to lay some real up close eyes on him down there in Mobile at the Senior Bowl, we’re thankful we had an opportunity to get him. He’s got all the hardware that comes with some of those things that I described being a Butkus Award winner and so forth. We had to get comfortable with his medical and we brought him in on a pre draft visit. We allowed Our medical experts to really get a good evaluation of him. We talked to him about his injury history. We were at a place of comfort. And so from that perspective, man, we’re really excited about having him.” (Link)

“I think you could characterize it as surprised. I mean, he is an award-winning linebacker, Butkus Award winner. Had an opportunity to get really familiar with him down in Mobile as well. But the linebackers themselves weren’t coming off the board at that juncture. So sometimes they make runs on positions at different times and it hadn’t been a lot of linebackers to that point. I think what he was number five or so.” (Link)

“We’re really excited about Payton. When we turn his tape on, we see him making all the types of plays you need linebackers to make. He’s a volume tackle player. He makes plays in the passing game from a coverage perspective via interception and pass breakup. He gets after the quarterback in the blitz game. He’s got a very well-rounded skill set. He’s a fluid mover. We had to get comfortable with his medical, and we were. We brought him in on a pre-draft visit to allow our medical experts to really get a good evaluation of him. We talked to him about his injury history. We were at a place of comfort, and so from that perspective, we’re really excited about having him.” (Link)

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Pack in the Pros

Payton Wilson will Wear #41 for the Pittsburgh Steelers

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1 week ago

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April 28, 2024

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Former NC State Linebacker Payton Wilson, who was drafted by Pittsburgh in 3rd round on Friday night, will wear the #41 for the Steelers.

Wilson spent his entire collegiate career at NC State wearing the #11. He wore the #11 at Orange High School.

It will take some getting used to recognize him in the #41 jersey. Currently, Steelers Wide Receiver Van Jefferson is wearing the #11.

Here’s a look at other Pittsburgh players who have worn the #41.

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NC State Football

NC State CB Shyheim Battle Receives Invitation to Jets Rookie Mini Camp

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1 week ago

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April 28, 2024

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NC State Cornerback Shyheim Battle has received an invitation from the New York Jets to participate in their Rookie Mini Camp.

Battle had 1 year of eligibility remaining, but declared for the NFL Draft on January 3rd.

He finished this past year as the most experienced player on the Wolfpack’s defense, starting in 41 of the 51 games he has played in dating back to 2019. In a rarity in this day-and-age, Battle was a 4-year starter at the Cornerback position for NC State. He graduated with a degree in Communications.

In his final season in Red and White, Battle had 46 tackles, 2 tackles for loss, 2 interceptions, 4 pass breakups and 1 fumble recovery. His PFF Grade of 70.6 was the 7th best on the Wolfpack defense.

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NC State Football

NC State PK Brayden Narveson Signs Undrafted Free Agent Deal with the Titans

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1 week ago

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April 27, 2024

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NC State Place Kicker Brayden Narveson has signed an Undrafted Free Agent Deal with the Tennessee Titans.

In his one season in Raleigh, Narveson made 18 of his 23 Field Goal attempts for the Wolfpack, and made all 38 Extra Point attempts. Narveson made some history in his one season at NC State, kicking a 57-yard Field Goal against Duke, breaking the school record for the longest Field Goal.

Narveson ranked 4th in the ACC in Field Goals attempted (23), and 5th in Field Goals made (18) this season. He ranked 9th in conference in scoring (7.1 points per game).

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