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NC State Football: 3 Upperclassmen who need to step up in 2022

By Dante Pryor

Oct 30, 2021; Raleigh, North Carolina, USA; North Carolina State Wolfpack head coach Dave Doeren (in black) leads his team onto the field prior to a game against the Louisville Cardinals at Carter-Finley Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Rob Kinnan-USA TODAY Sports
Oct 30, 2021; Raleigh, North Carolina, USA; North Carolina State Wolfpack head coach Dave Doeren (in black) leads his team onto the field prior to a game against the Louisville Cardinals at Carter-Finley Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Rob Kinnan-USA TODAY Sports /
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October 2, 2021; Raleigh, North Carolina, USA; North Carolina State Wolfpack linebacker Drake Thomas (32) celebrates after a third-down stop against the Louisiana Tech Bulldogs during the first half at Carter-Finley Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Rob Kinnan-USA TODAY Sports
October 2, 2021; Raleigh, North Carolina, USA; North Carolina State Wolfpack linebacker Drake Thomas (32) celebrates after a third-down stop against the Louisiana Tech Bulldogs during the first half at Carter-Finley Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Rob Kinnan-USA TODAY Sports /

2. Drake Thomas: Linebacker

This could easily have been a middle linebacker, Isaiah Moore. An injury robbed Moore of his season after six games in 2021. It was a devastating loss for the Wolfpack, but Drake Thomas stepped up in his absence.

Thomas led the North Carolina State football in tackles, tackles for loss, and tied for the team lead in sacks. Thomas was the anchor for a defense that finished 21st in the country in total defense and 14th in scoring defense.

Moore’s return is a massive boost for the Wolfpack, but he’ll need Thomas to play at the level he did in 2021 for the defense to be as good or better than they were. Thomas brings versatility to Tony Gibson’s 3-3-5 defense.

Moore is the run-stuffing, tackling machine, while Thomas is the active blitzing linebacker. Gibson wants his defenses to cause havoc bringing pressure from many different places as many 3-3-5 defenses tend to do.

The strength of this defense is its linebackers without a dominant pass rusher like Mario Williams or Bradley Chubb. Moore and Thomas, alongside Payton Wilson, also coming off an injury, form one of the best — if not the best — linebacking corps in the ACC.

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