NC State football post-camp projected depth chart: Defense

The NC State football team officially ended preseason camp over the weekend. This week marked the first for the Wolfpack in game preparations mode. Traditionally, the first official depth chart is released the Monday before the season opener.

How does the depth chart shape up for NC State post-camp?

Here’s how we see it playing out on the defensive two-deep.

Click here to view our projected depth chart for the NC State offense.

NC State Football Defense Depth Chart

Defensive End

No.	Name	Class	Ht., Wt.	Hometown
9	Savion Jackson	Jr.	6-2, 290	Clayton, N.C.
58	Travali Price	R-Fr.	6-4, 265	Lincolnton, N.C.

There are no changes here from the pre-camp mock depth chart released.

NC State defensive coaches describe Jackson’s contributions in terms greater than his stats of 23 tackles, including 1.5 for loss, and 5 quarterback hurries in nine games last season may suggest. Hence why Jackson ended up with the coveted No. 9 jersey this fall. Jackson is ideally suited for the Wolfpack’s three-man front.

We suspected that there might be a battle between third-year redshirt freshman Claude Larkins and Price for the second-string spot, but we are sticking with our preseason pick. Price was the co-Defensive Scout Team MVP a season ago, and the NC State football coaches have expressed high hopes for him.

Nose Tackle

No.	Name	Class	Ht., Wt.	Hometown
48	Cory Durden	R-Sr.	6-4, 305	Newberry, Fla.
0	Joshua Harris	R-So.	6-4, 325	Roxboro, N.C.

This is another position where there were no changes from our pre-camp projection.

Durden filled in for an injured C.J. Clark (see below) after three games into the season and was named first-team All-ACC.

Harris has impressed with his new-look frame after losing in the neighborhood of 40 pounds. The former touted prospect may have played himself into shape to contribute more at the nose tackle position beyond short-yardage defense. NC State football strength and conditioning coordinator Dantonio “Thunder” Burnette named Harris one of the top athletic freaks on the team.

Defensive End

No.	Name	Class	Ht., Wt.	Hometown
45	Davin Vann	So.	6-2, 295	Cary, N.C.
5	C.J. Clark	R-So.	6-3, 300	New London, N.C.

This is an interesting position battle to watch.

Leaving Vann out of the starting lineup is too difficult to do, especially after he earned praise from NC State players and coaches alike during camp. His 4 sacks last season in reserve action were second-most among defensive linemen behind Daniel Joseph, who exhausted his eligibility. Vann also led all linemen with 9 quarterback hurries, and an expanded role for him could help ease concerns about the pass rush after losing Joseph.

Clark, who may have been playing as well as any defensive lineman in the first three games last season, could be a player who moves between nose and end, but his healthy return and Harris’ development at nose boosts the depth chart at end.

SAM Linebacker

No.	Name	Class	Ht., Wt.	Hometown
32	Drake Thomas	Jr.	6-0, 230	Wake Forest, N.C.
27	Jayland Parker	R-Fr.	6-1, 215	Macon, Ga.

Thomas is a no-brainer after his All-ACC campaign last season. He led the Wolfpack in tackles (100), tackles for loss (13.5) and interceptions (3) while tying for team-high in sacks (6). Thomas’ goal in 2022 is to be healthy and productive enough to launch his NFL career.

The question is on second string. Redshirt freshman Caden Fordham originally had the edge here in our pre-camp depth chart, but NC State football coach Dave Doeren noted that Fordham has been limited this month. That led us to make the change to Parker, who had a productive spring and reports indicate has picked up where he left off.

MIKE Linebacker

No.	Name	Class	Ht., Wt.	Hometown
1	Isaiah Moore	R-Sr.	6-2, 232	Chester, Va.
26	Devon Betty	So.	6-1, 225	Carver Ranches, Fla.

A midseason knee injury is the only reason why Moore did not hear his name called in the NFL Draft in April. In six-plus games, Moore had 42 tackles, including 5 for loss and 1 sack, and added an interception, 3 pass breakups and 7 QB hurries.

A healthy Moore using his super senior season slots immediately back into the middle of the Wolfpack’s defense.

The injuries at linebacker last fall presented Betty with an opportunity to be a pleasant revelation. He had 39 tackles, including 7.5 for loss and 1 sack, while playing 10 games, including starting the last four games at WILL linebacker. Betty, though, is being groomed to be Moore’s likely heir apparent in the middle. Doeren has praised Betty’s improvement during camp.

WILL Linebacker

No.	Name	Class	Ht., Wt.	Hometown
11	Payton Wilson	R-Jr.	6-4, 230	Hillsborough, N.C.
2	Jaylon Scott	Jr.	6-1, 225	Shelby, N.C.

When healthy, Wilson is one of the top linebackers in the ACC and perhaps the country. He led the conference in tackles in 2020, but Wilson missed most of last season with a shoulder injury, delaying his likely NFL plans by a year.

The steady veteran Scott started six games in Wilson’s absence before giving way to the more productive Betty late in the season. Scott finished the year with 30 tackles, including 4 for loss and 2 sacks.

Like Betty, Scott earned praise for his improvement in camp.

Cornerback

No.	Name	Class	Ht., Wt.	Hometown
24	Derrek Pitts Jr.	R-Sr.	6-1, 193	Dunbar, W.Va.
22	Teshaun Smith	R-Jr.	6-3, 190	Fort Lauderdale, Fla.

Pitts fit in quickly at NC State after transferring from Marshall and started most of last season at corner. He finished with 43 tackles, 6 pass breakups (tying for the team high) and a pair of interceptions. The most notable of his picks came to seal the thrilling win over North Carolina in the regular-season finale.

There was a time when Smith was considered an up-and-comer, but his promising true freshman season was followed by two shoulder injuries and a strategic decision to redshirt him this past fall. Smith appears healthy now and potentially could significantly boost the depth for NC State at the position.

Cornerback

No.	Name	Class	Ht., Wt.	Hometown
25	Shyheim Battle	R-So.	6-2, 195	Rocky Mount, N.C.
3	Aydan White	So.	6-0, 185	Asheville, N.C.

Battle is set to begin his third season as a starter at corner (eligibility was frozen when he ran first string as a redshirt freshman in 2020). Last fall, Battle matched Pitts for the most pass breakups on the team with 6 and added a pair of picks to go with 28 tackles.

NC State football coaches have raved about White’s potential and even inserted him into the starting lineup, first for Pitts in a win at Boston College and then for Battle in the close loss at Miami. White went through some growing pains after that, but the hope is that he will continue to progress to reach the potential the Pack sees in him.

White finished last year with 11 tackles, a pass breakup and an interception.

Nickel

No.	Name	Class	Ht., Wt.	Hometown
13	Tyler Baker-Williams	Sr.	6-0, 205	Raleigh, N.C.
19	Joshua Pierre-Louis	So.	5-10, 175	Riviera Beach, Fla.

The nickel position may be the easiest to fill out for the NC State defensive coaches.

Baker-Williams represents the present. He was an honorable-mention All-ACC selection last season after having 32 tackles (including 3 for loss), 8 quarterback hurries, 4 pass breakups and 2 interceptions in 10 games, missing a pair of contests.

Pierre-Louis is the future for NC State football at nickel, having ably filled in when Baker-Williams could not play. The speedy Pierre-Louis had 17 tackles, 2 breakups, 2 hurries and an interception in 11 games.

Free Safety

No.	Name	Class	Ht., Wt.	Hometown
10	Tanner Ingle	Sr.	5-10, 186	Orlando, Fla.
6	Jakeen Harris	Jr.	5-10, 190	Savannah, Ga.

Ingle is going to start at safety provided he is healthy. The NC State defense has proven to be noticeably different between when Ingle is on the field and when he is not during the past three years. Fortunately for the Pack, Ingle played all 12 games a year ago. He was named first-team All-ACC after having 82 tackles, an interception and 4 pass breakups.

In the preseason depth chart, we had Devan Boykin (see strong safety) backing up Ingle, but we have switched former strong safety starter Harris to backup free safety based on limited practice observations afforded the media.

Strong Safety

No.	Name	Class	Ht., Wt.	Hometown
4	Cyrus Fagan	R-Sr.	6-1, 197	Daytona Beach, Fla.
12	Devan Boykin	So	5-10, 187	Greensboro, N.C.

Fagan and Harris were locked into a battle for starting strong safety for NC State football in 2021. Harris, the returning starter and leader in snaps played on the NC State defense in 2020, earned the nod in opening week. Fagan took over in Week 2 but was lost for the season with an injury.

Harris then started six consecutive weeks, highlighted by making the game-clinching interception in the end zone to secure the victory over Louisiana Tech on his birthday. Boykin took over for four weeks after that before Harris replaced an injured Boykin in the finale.

Many presumed this would be another Harris-Fagan battle, but as noted above, Harris looks like he has moved to free safety.

Fagan, the former highly touted high school prospect who transferred to NC State from Florida State, brings energy and swagger to the backfield.