NC State depth chart for Connecticut: Defense/special teams

The NC State football team has officially released the depth chart for the primetime home game against Connecticut. The defense depth chart can be seen below.

Click here to view the NC State depth chart on offense.

NC State Football Defense Depth Chart

Left End

No.	Name	Year	Ht., Wt.	Hometown
45	Davin Vann	Jr.	6-2, 280	Cary, N.C.
47	Jykeveous “Red” Hibbler	R-Jr.	6-2, 264	Louisville, Miss.
OR 97	Noah Potter	R-Jr.	6-6, 272	Mentor, Ohio

NC State has developed some depth on the ends of the defensive line after adding Potter and Hibbler.

That coincides with the return of Vann, who had eight tackles for loss and 4.5 sacks, leading Pack defensive linemen in both categories. He had an impressive fumble strip and recovery in the spring game.

NC State football defensive coordinator Tony Gibson noted in an exclusive interview with TheWolfpacker.com that Hibbler reminded him of former successful Wolfpack pass rusher Daniel Joseph. Potter is a former touted recruit who started his career in 2019 at Ohio State but various injuries sidelined him until his transfer to Cincinnati, when he had four tackles for loss and 2.5 sacks to go with five quarterback hurries last year.

Nose Tackle

No.	Name	Year	Ht., Wt.	Hometown
5	C.J. Clark	R-Jr.	6-3, 305	New London, N.C.
44	Brandon Cleveland	So.	6-4, 300	Tampa, Fla.
46	Nick Campbell	R-Fr.	6-4, 300	Minneola, Fla.

Clark started at nose tackle in games during the 2020 and 2021 seasons to good reviews. He played last year mostly on the edge before sliding back to the interior in the spring.

Cleveland, who had impressive flashes as a true freshman at end, has also moved inside. Campbell played limited action against Connecticut last year for NC State while redshirting.

Right End

No.	Name	Year	Ht., Wt.	Hometown
9	Savion Jackson	Sr.	6-2, 290	Clayton, N.C.
13	Travali Price	R-So.	6-4, 270	Lincolnton, N.C.
88	Isaiah Shirley	Fr.	6-3, 273	Boone, N.C.

Before injuring his knee during the loss at Syracuse, Jackson was one of the most consistent defensive line performers for NC State. He has 20 career sacks to his credit.

Price played every game and had a pair of tackles for loss and 1.5 sacks while also registering seven quarterback hurries. Shirley was an early enrollee who has made a good impression.

SAM linebacker

No.	Name	Year	Ht., Wt.	Hometown
2	Jaylon Scott	Sr.	6-1, 225	Shelby, N.C.
10	Caden Fordham	R-So.	6-1, 228	Ponte Vedra, Fla.

Scott has patiently waited his turn to be a full-time starter at NC State. He had 20 tackles this past season.

Fordham’s impressive performance in the spring game showed why the athletic performer that has had NC State defensive coaches excited since he arrived. Fordham had five tackles in limited action in relief and mainly on special teams in 2022.

MIKE Linebacker

No.	Name	Year	Ht., Wt.	Hometown
26	Devon Betty	Jr.	6-1, 232	Carver Ranches, Fla.
27	Jayland Parker	R-So.	6-1, 221	Macon, Ga.
42	Torren Wright	R-Fr.	6-2, 217	Kannapolis, N.C.

Replacing Isaiah Moore in the middle will not be easy, but Betty has been well-groomed for this role. He had 12 tackles, including one for loss, last season. Betty actually earned a strong Pro Football Focus (PFF) grade of 73.0 in his limited action.

The big question is who fills in behind Betty. Parker and Wright each have limited action in their career.

WILL Linebacker

No.	Name	Year	Ht., Wt.	Hometown
11	Payton Wilson	R-Sr.	6-4, 238	Hillsborough, N.C.
34	Kamal Bonner	Fr.	6-2, 195	Moultrie, Ga.
33	Jordan Poole	R-So.	6-0, 230	Oakboro, N.C.

Wilson’s return is a huge boost to the NC State defense. Now the key will be keeping Wilson healthy. His size, athleticism and physicality makes Wilson an All-ACC caliber performer, just like he was in 2020 when he led the conference in tackles.

Poole may have some of the best speed among the linebackers and now gets his chance to get onto the two-deep. Bonner is an early enrollee that NC State flipped from Georgia Tech and quickly left a positive impression in the spring game that carried through preseason camp.

Left Cornerback

No.	Name	Year	Ht., Wt.	Hometown
3	Aydan White	Jr.	6-0, 189	Asheville, N.C.
14	Rente Hinton	R-So.	6-3, 205	Saraland, Ala.
26	Jackson Vick	R-Fr.	5-11, 182	Bailey, N.C.

White’s breakout season in 2022 earned him all-conference honors, and a similar effort this season could very well put him on the NFL radar. He led all corners in the ACC in picks last year with four.

Hinton was an addition that made sense given the questionable depth for NC State at depth chart. The junior college addition may be the most physically impressive corner on the roster.

Right Cornerback

No.	Name	Year	Ht., Wt.	Hometown
7	Shyheim Battle	R-Jr.	6-2, 195	Rocky Mount, N.C.
25	Brandon Cisse	Fr.	6-0, 182	Sumter, S.C.
21	Nate Evans	R-So.	6-0, 185	Virginia Beach, Va.

Battle’s decision to return for another season gives NC State potentially one of the better cornerback duos in the ACC, provided each he and white are healthy. He had a pick six in the spring game and looks poised for a big season. Over the past three seasons, Battle has started 28 games and made 21 pass breakups and five interceptions.

Cisse is an early enrollee that has earned strong reviews.

Strong Safety

No.	Name	Year	Ht., Wt.	Hometown
12	Devan Boykin	Jr.	5-10, 192	Greensboro, N.C.
19 OR	Bishop Fitzgerald	Jr.	6-0, 195	Woodbridge, Va.
16	Rakeim Ashford	Sr.	6-1, 195	Ackerman, Miss.

NC State coaches have long shown confidence in Boykin, a versatile performer who can also line up at nickel. Boykin has nine career starts to his credit, tallying 63 tackles, six pass breakups and one pick thus far.

Fitzgerald is a wildcard in the mix. The On3 Industry Ranking had Fitzgerald rated the best safety at the junior college level in the 2023 class.

Ashford did not play much last year, but PFF gave him a sterling grade when logged 35 snaps against Maryland in the bowl, registering a 91.3 score. With some safeties sitting out the spring game, Ashford was lining up with the ones.

Free Safety

No.	Name	Year	Ht., Wt.	Hometown
6	Jakeen Harris	Sr.	5-10, 200	Savannah, Ga.
0 OR	Sean Brown	R-So.	6-0, 207	Charlotte, N.C.
16	Rakeim Ashford	Sr.	6-1, 195	Ackerman, Miss.

Harris has a ton of experience over the years and intercepted a pair of passes in 2022. NC State football coaches have raved about the hard-hitting Brown since he arrived in Raleigh, calling Brown the Pack’s best special teams player last year.

Nickel

No.	Name	Year	Ht., Wt.	Hometown
8	Robert Kennedy III	R-Sr.	5-10, 188	Jeannette, Pa.
24 OR	Darius Edmundson	R-Sr.	6-0, 187	Middlesex, N.C.
4	Cecil Powell	R-Jr.	6-0, 205	Fort Lauderdale, Fla.

Kennedy chose to transfer from Old Dominion to NC State over Boston College and was recruited to play nickel. Kennedy played well in the spring game and appears to have been a good take by the Wolfpack from the portal.

The reality is that outside Kennedy, Boykin may be the Pack’s best option at nickel, but Boykin is playing safety for now. However, the healthy return of Powell after missing two seasons with an injury may bolster the depth at the position.

Edmundson was one of the surprise performers from spring and preseason camp.

Special Teams

Kicker

No.	Name	Class	Ht., Wt.	Hometown
44	Brayden Narveson	Sr.	6-0, 210	Scottsdale, Ariz.
90	Collin Smith	R-Jr.	5-9, 189	Gibsonville, N.C.

Doeren confirmed on his radio show that Narveson had won the kicking job. The Western Kentucky transfer is 51 for 64 in his career on field goals with three makes longer than 50 yards, including two from 53 for his career long.

Smith is expected to handle kickoffs. He attempted two field goals last year, making a 40-yarder and missing from 47.

Punter

No.	Name	Class	Ht., Wt.	Hometown
98	Caden Noonkester	R-So.	6-6, 215	Waxhaw, N.C.

Noonkester was a preferred walk-on addition to NC State who took over the punting responsibilities last for the final four games last year and finished with an average of 43.0 yards. He will also be the holder for kicks.

Punt Returner

No.	Name	Class	Ht., Wt.	Hometown
21	Jalen Coit	R-So.	5-11, 173	Cheraw, S.C.
8	Julian Gray	R-So.	5-11, 190	Charlotte, N.C.
10	Kevin Concepcion	Fr.	5-11, 187	Charlotte, N.C.

The sure-handed Thayer Thomas, a past all-conference performer returning punts, is being replaced after three years of handling punt returns by Coit.

Kickoff Returner

No.	Name	Class.	Ht., Wt.	Hometown
8	Julian Gray	R-Fr.	5-11, 190	Charlotte, N.C.
82	Terrell Timmons Jr.	So.	6-2, 195	Greensboro, N.C.
2	Michael Allen	So.	5-9, 205	Greenville, N.C.

Gray, a receiver, has returned 16 kickoffs for NC State last year for an average of 23.8 yards, third best in the ACC.