NC State Football: Can the Wolfpack reload in 2018?
Defense
The NC State defense finished 2017 ranked 62nd defensively per the S&P+. The Wolfpack defense is ran by Dave Huxtable. Coach Hux, as he’s affectionately known, has an aura of “The Dude” from The Big Lebowski but is anything but calm as a coordinator.
Huxtable’s 4-2-5 defense was brought to the national attention with defensive end Bradley Chubb logging 10 sacks in 2017 and 25 sacks over his career in Raleigh. With first round draft pick Chubb in the NFL he’s joined by third round pick defensive tackles B.J. Hill and Justin Jones. Taken in the fourth round was defensive end Kentavius Street. The foursome logged 18 sacks and 42.5 tackles for loss in 2017 and will be sorely missed.
The linebackers lost Jerod Fernandez who made 99 tackles in 2017. Germaine Pratt returns at weakside linebacker. Pratt made 65 tackles and 5.5 of them were for a loss. He’ll be joined by sophomore linebacker Louis Acceus. A New Jersey native- Acceus played a major role in the kicking game a year ago and will be the starting middle linebacker this fall.
The back five
Jarius Morehead leads the returning defensive backfield in tackles as he posted 80 in 2017. Morehead is a junior strong safety that plays mostly in the run game for Coach Huxtable. Alongside Morehead will be cornerback Nick McCloud. McCloud logged 34 tackles and an interception in 2017.
At free safety, Tim Kidd-Glass made 35 tackles and intercepted one pass last season. Nickel will be filled by Chris Ingram who had seven tackles in 2017, and the other cornerback position is still to be determined. A possible choice at cornerback with the experience around him would be either four-star De’Von Graves or four-star freshman Taiyon Palmer.
Recruiting
The Wolfpack brought in some absolute studs in the 2018 recruiting class on the defensive side. Payton Wilson is a four-star linebacker that could grow into a defensive end at 6-foot-4, 225 pounds. He’s joined by Alim McNeil a four-star defensive tackle out of Sanderson High in Raleigh as well as three-star defensive ends Joe Babros, Derrick Eason, and Joseph Boletepeli. Boletepeli is from nearby Heritage High School.