NC State Football Position Preview: Offensive Line
With the NFL draft quickly approaching, NC State is set to see one of its star players walk across the stage as a first-round draft pick. Hearing Ikem Ekwonu’s name called by the Commissioner of the league was a given after watching his stellar 2021 season with the Wolfpack. The consensus All-American was the most dominant offensive lineman in the ACC last year, growing into a total force and nightmare for opposing secondaries when they saw him pulling for a run block. Losing Ekwonu will certainly be a loss for the offense, and while there isn't necessarily a future top-10 draft pick on the team to take over, O-Line Coach John Garrison and staff have depth and experience to lean on heading into the new campaign.
The anchor of the offensive line is the Center, and it is not any different for NC State, with Grad Student Grant Gibson. The third-team ALL-ACC player led the team in total snaps from scrimmage last year with 828 and has not missed a start for the Wolfpack in three seasons; coming a long way from joining the team as a defensive tackle in 2017. Undoubtedly the leader of the o-line, Gibson is also a team leader, being voted Captain for the second consecutive year in 2021 and will most likely receive that honor again this coming season. Electing to return to play for his sixth year was huge for the offense, as the rest of the line lacks experience of playing Center. The Mallard Creek product out of Charlotte will use his final year of eligibility to not only mentor the next player to anchor the line, but to also pursue the team goal of a conference championship.
Another Graduate Student, Bryson Speas also enters his sixth season with the Pack. The Greensboro native out of Dudley High started at Right Tackle for every game in the 2021 season. Which does not reflect on his career entirely, as he has been asked to move positions within the line multiple times due to injuries and inconsistencies. As the most experienced exterior lineman, do not be surprised if Speas is the one to be asked to fill Ekwonu’s shoes at Left Tackle.
Another player who has witnessed some maneuvering with positions firsthand, is Dylan McMahon. Beginning this past season at Right Guard, he was forced to Left Guard following a season-ending injury to fellow teammate Chandler Zavala. McMahon, a RS Sophomore out of Savannah, Georgia, is also the player to most likely fill-in at Center if something were to happen to Gibson. So, after basically having to learn every position within the offensive line, it is no wonder that McMahon struggled somewhat with consistency last season. Look for him to change that narrative as he enters his third season as a starter.
After Zavala’s injury, RS Junior Derrick Eason was called to step into the starting lineup, filling McMahon’s former spot at Right Guard. From Norfolk, Virginia and Norview High, Eason was one of the more penalized players on the Wolfpack offense. While he did show some flashes, Eason really struggled with run blocking and recognizing different blitz packages. If there is one player that needs to take a major leap of improvement into this coming year, Derrick Eason is a good choice.
The brother of former NC State Quarterback Matt McKay, Timothy McKay was the first player off the bench for the Wolfpack in 2021. The Wakefield High alumni appeared in all 12 games a season ago, however, has yet to notch a career start. That will change this season as McKay will likely take over Speas’ position from last year at Right Tackle, as Speas moves across the line to the other exterior spot. The glaring weakness for McKay has been his pass protection; when spelling Speas last season, he gave up a team-high five sacks, a fifth of the team’s total. However, the hometown kid will have plenty of reps and work thrown his way during spring and fall camps to help change that.
Players that have received a lot of praise from the coaching staff out of practice and scout-team reps are Anthony Belton and Anthony Carter Jr. Belton, a RS Sophomore has seen just 11 plays of offense, but he could very well be the first lineman off of the sidelines in the rotation as a Tackle. The Tallahassee, Florida native may even have a chance to earn a starting role depending on how much he progresses throughout the year in addition to the team’s success or lack thereof. Carter Jr., a Guard out of Butler High in Charlotte, came to State rehabbing a torn ACL and was medically redshirted last season as a freshman. Having yet to touch the field, he may have to wait his turn to play under the lights, but his time will certainly come.
Other Offensive Guards that have a chance to squeak into the rotation this season is RS Freshmen Thornton Gentry and Sean Hill. While neither of them has seen action on the field as of yet, both have made quite a name for themselves in the scout team. With the Snellville, Georgia talent Hill in particular, they could certainly fight for snaps especially if Eason struggles out of the gate.
Rounding out the Tackles are RS Freshmen Patrick Matan, Jaleel Davis, and incoming Freshman Jacarrius Peak. Out of Gonzaga College Prep in Chevy Chase, Maryland (yes, that is a real town), Matan has seen 11 snaps so far for the Wolfpack. Granted they came in garbage time, he has already recorded one pancake block, which always earns some recognition from Coach Garrison. Davis, born in Hamlet, was the second-highest rated o-line recruit in North Carolina two years ago. Having a year and some change to get used to the system that the offense runs, look for him to also try to carve out some playing time. Peak, the young talent out of Valdosta, Georgia, will join the team in May and looks to be the star Tackle of the future for this Wolfpack team. While he will most likely redshirt this upcoming season, keep an eye out for him on the scout team; and please credit me when you see him in the starting lineup next season.
And if something were to happen to both Gibson and McMahon at the Center position, reserve Center Lyndon Cooper out of Atlanta would be the most probable replacement. Also, a RS Freshman, he too has 11 snaps to his name in the red and white. He may not see any significant playing time this season, but he will certainly be in the running for a starting job within the next two years.
Projections:
LT
LG
C
RG
RT
Reserves: Soph. Brendan Lawson, RS Fresh. Matt McCabe, And Freshmen Jacarrius Peak and Jackson Gardner
This is certainly just a rough projection as of April. The Pack are heard to be shopping the revolving door of the transfer portal in search for another veteran Tackle to perhaps alleviate some of the growing pains of McKay. They are also appealing a decision handed down by the NCAA that did not grant Graduate Chandler Zavala an extra medical year after his season ended during the fifth game of the season in 2021. Whether they bring in some new additions and are able to secure a final year for Zavala or not, the depth of the offensive line should have the strength to withstand the loss of a star.
