You might remember Joe Sculthorpe as an All-ACC Offensive Guard (2020). That was the past. What is the present?
Learn his new name…Hank Walker…Professional Wrestler with the WWE.
Wrestling isn’t foreign to Sculthorpe. He was a North Carolina High School Heavyweight Champion out of Topsail High School (Hampstead, NC).
In March of this year, the WWE announced that 14 hopefuls had reported to the WWE Performance Center in Orlando, Florida, and Sculthorpe was 1 of the 14.
On June 8th, WWE trademarked the name “Hank Walker.”
He [Walker] made his in-ring debut with a loss to Von Wagner at the June 11 NXT live event in Largo, then came up short against Channing “Stacks” Lorenzo on the July 1 NXT Level Up episode, took a loss to Giovanni Vinci at the July 9 live event in Orlando, was defeated by Duke Hudson on the July 22 NXT Level Up episode, then failed to defeat Carmelo Hayes at the August 29 live event in Venice. (Link)
Sculthorpe’s (Walker) television debut was against Lorenzo on July 1st.
His next televised match was against Duke Hudson.
Sculthorpe lost his first two televised matches.
For the past couple of weeks, the WWE has had Walker (Sculthorpe) portray a member of the NXT Security Team, building out his story line, in which this security guard develops a beef with Javier Bernal.
All the beef led to a match between Hank Walker the Security Guard and Big Body Javy last night.
The WWE NXT fans have learned to hate Javy over the past 12 months, so the crowd was chanting “We Want Hank” as Bernal entered the ring. Sculthorpe’s persona Walker, walks out to no entrance music, in everyday clothes, to the crowd chanting “Hank…Hank…Hank!”
The commentators describe Walker as a developmental prospect within NXT, where many end up paying their dues serving as security. Walker was supposedly out of his depth against a NXT superstar like Bernal. But to the shock of the announcers, “security guy” Hank Walker (Joe Sculthorpe) won the match.
What followed after the match was legendary wrestler Shawn Michaels, who is now Senior Vice President of Talent Development Creative, found Sculthorpe’s persona Walker, and offered him an NXT contract.
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)
NC State Cornerback Shyheim Battle has received an invitation from the New York Jets to participate in their Rookie Mini Camp.
NC State’s Shyheim Battle has been invited to rookie mini camp with the Jets with the opportunity to earn a priority free agent contract. #ncstate#NFLDraft#wpn
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.
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).