NCST Wolfpack Season Preview

With 14 returning starters--six on off ense and eight on defense--the Wolfpack should continue their improvement from a year ago...Brissett established himself as one of the best playmakers in the ACC last fall and should contend for national honors this time around...State will have to replace both tackles on the off ensive line, but four linemen return who saw starting time last year in Joe Th uney, Alex Barr, Tony Adams and C Quinton Schooley...Th uney and Adams emerged from spring at guard, while Barr and redshirt freshmen Tyler Jones are the leaders at tackle... TE David Grinnage (27 catches, 5 TDs) was on the Mackey Watch List last fall...He and WRs Bra’Lon Cherry (27 catches), Jonathan Alston (21 catches) and Jumichael Ramos lead a receiver corps that also includes Stephen Louis and TE/FB Jaylen Samuels...Th ornton leads a cadre of RBs that also includes the versatile Dayes, January enrollee Reggie Gallapsy II and Dakwa Nichols...Defensively, State doesn’t have as many holes to fi ll, but each of the three departing starters were key players... DE Mike Rose (15.0 TFLs) and DT B.J. Hill (7.5 TFLs) return to anchor the line, where they will be joined by DEs Bradley Chubb and Pharoah McKever as well as DTs Kentavius Street (23 tackles), Kenton Gibbs and Justin Jones...Fernandez leads a linebacker corps that includes Airius Moore (37 tackles), Ernie Robinson, III, Ford Howell, M.J. Salahuddin and January enrollee Riley Nicholson...CB Jack Tocho (40 tackles, 11 PBUs) leads a fi ve-man secondary that has all of its starters returning in CB Juston Burris (29 tackles), Ss Hakim Jones (80 tackles) and Josh Jones (56 tackles, 4 INTs) and hybrid S-LB Dravious Wright (57 tackles, 5 TFLs)... Th ere is also depth available here with eight other players who saw enough action in 2014 to earn letters.