NC State football spring game superlatives and standouts

Who shined the most for NC State football in its annual spring game?

The Wolfpacker takes a look at some of the standouts.

Related link: Five observations from spring game

NC State Football Offensive MVP

This is an easy choice.

For a natural lefty who throws right-handed and does not always grip the football by the laces when he slings it, NC State fifth-year redshirt junior Devin Leary has impressive arm talent. He completed 26 of 34 passes for 355 yards and three touchdowns with just one interception during half of the spring game.

While his production came against an overmatched group of NC State reserves on defense, the type of throws that Leary made stood out. He threw one toward the sideline for fifth-year redshirt junior Devin Carter that redshirt freshman corner Nate Evans looked like he might have a read on, but Leary threw it at such an angle that a gambling Evans could not reach it. Carter made the catch on his outside shoulder and was able to turn it into a 27-yard gain.

Leary has reached the point where NC State football fans risk taking his throwing abilities for granted.

Defensive MVP

During the first half, there was no live tackling, which limited the opportunity for the NC State defensive players to shine.

Super senior Tanner Ingle is looking to build off his first-team All-ACC campaign in 2021, and he was all smiles during his post-spring game availability. Officially, Ingle finished with three tackles, including a sack, and he also snagged an interception off a pass that appeared to be broken up by third-year sophomore nickel Joshua Pierre-Louis (although Pierre-Louis was not officially credited with a PBU in the stats).

Ingle also had a nice read on a short crossing route that was caught by redshirt freshman receiver Julian Gray in which had it been an actual game, Ingle would have likely laid a crushing hit.

Surprising Performer On Offense

Admittedly, much of the focus on who will replace the all-time leader at NC State in receptions, Emeka Emezie, has been on Maryland transfer Darryl Jones, up-and-coming talent third-year sophomore Anthony Smith and perhaps moving one of the slot receivers, super senior Thayer Thomas or third-year sophomore Porter Rooks, to the outside.

After the NC State spring game, it is apparent that fourth-year junior Keyon Lesane also should be considered. Lesane earned praises last year from the coaches for his physicality while blocking and his impact when inserted on the special teams coverage units.

Lesane was sure-handed in the spring game, catching five of six passes thrown his way and leading all NC State wideouts in the scrimmage with 88 yards receiving. Lesane may not have the size (5-foot-11, 190 pounds) of other outside receivers, but he has the most experience of the options aside from potentially converting a slot receiver. He played an average of 13.5 snaps per game last season, and he has 24 career receptions for 196 yards.

Surprising Performer On Defense

NC State football coach Dave Doeren listed third-year redshirt freshman linebacker Jayland Parker as a player to watch in the spring game, and Parker indeed made the most of his opportunity.

Despite being an early enrollee in 2020, Parker did not play in a game that fall. Last season, Parker saw action in a pair of games on special teams and five snaps in a blowout win over Furman.

With several linebackers sitting out the NC State spring game, including projected starters super senior Isaiah Moore and fifth-year redshirt junior Payton Wilson plus redshirt freshman Caden Fordham, Parker had the chance to see more reps than he otherwise might have.

Parker was the first linebacker off the sideline for the Red Team, which was primarily the starters, and had three tackles, including two solo stops.

NC State Football Best Freshman Performer On Offense

This category was limited to players from the classes of 2021 and 2022. Technically, recruits signed in 2020, like Parker, can still be listed as a redshirt freshman due to the NCAA freezing eligibility that season.

Running back Demie Sumo-Karngbaye did not qualify since he burned his redshirt last season, but Sumo-Karngbaye deserves a mention after rushing six times for 25 yards and catching four passes for 21 yards while staking a claim for being in the backfield rotation.

Ultimately the tie goes to a pair of redshirt freshmen: Gray and tight end Fred Seabrough. The former had three catches for 53 yards, including a 45-yard touchdown when he got open downfield but had to adjust on the underthrown pass from third-year freshman quarterback Ben Finley, and still was able to get into the end zone by running away from and around defenders.

Seabrough, similarly to Parker, took advantage of players at his position missing the spring game. Without the one-two punch of fifth-year redshirt junior Trent Pennix and fourth-year redshirt sophomore Christopher Toudle at H-back, Seabrough filled in on the Red Team and had three catches for 38 yards.

Best Freshman Performer On Defense

Another tie for this category. Playing on the White Team, redshirt freshman safety Sean Brown was active. He did get beat once on a long pass, but Brown also had the lone interception against Leary and broke up another pass while finishing with six tackles.

Another promising effort from a NC State redshirt freshman was defensive lineman Travali Price, who played on the Red Team. Price was credited with a sack and assisted on a tackle for a loss.

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