by When most people talk about the biggest winners of the offseason in the ACC, a lot of fingers point to Louisville and Florida State, and reasonably so. The two top teams in the conference this past season made big splashes over the past two months and finished in the top 10 of the transfer portal rankings to become early ACC front runners in 2024.
But if you look down the list, there’s another ACC school lurking — one who also made a lot of noise in the portal despite not receiving nearly as much glitz and glamour as the Cardinal or Seminoles.
NC State capped its offseason by boasting the 10th-best transfer portal class in the nation behind four 4-star signees and eight other key additions.
Prior to their portal haul, the Wolfpack suffered a handful of departures and needed to plug some holes in their depth chart, especially on the offensive side of the ball. The most notable transfers/graduates included:
QB MJ Morris (highly-touted dual threat)
QB Brennan Armstrong (graduation)
RB Michael Allen/Jordan Houston
WR Terrell Timmons (AVG 19.6 YPC; Colorado commit)
DE CJ Clark (Miami commit)
LB Payton Wilson (NFL Draft; Dick Butkus Award winner)
Not bad, not great.
However, head coach Dave Doeren and company made WAVES with their aggressiveness in the recruiting process. NC State had an emphatic turnaround and addressed these key departures by signing 12 players — all of whom instantly add depth and pedigree to this Wolfpack depth chart.
Heading the portal class is former Coastal Carolina quarterback Grayson McCall, who was a three-time Sun Belt Player of the Year after throwing for over 10,000 yards and 88 touchdowns in his legendary career in Conway. Replacing Devin Leary this past season with Armstrong did not go as planned for NC State as the the offense took a step back through the air, but McCall’s veteran presence and overall athleticism adds an instant boost to OC Robert Anae’s system.
In terms of talent and upside, former Ohio State wide receiver Noah Rogers, a former four-star recruit, steals the show. He will be complimented by former Wake Forest wide receiver and fellow four-star high school recruit Wesley Grimes to help provide McCall with a plethora of weapons on the perimeter.
Other notable portal signees include four-star running back Jordan Waters (Duke), running back Hollywood Smothers (Oklahoma), offensive guard Zeke Correll (Notre Dame), offensive tackle Valen Erickson (Missouri), four-star tight end Justin Holy (Uconn), cornerback Corey Coley Jr. (Maryland), and safety Donovan Kaufman (Auburn).
NC State also recently got third-team All-ACC cornerback Aydan White to return after he withdrew from the portal.
This has to get Wolfpack fans on their feet, especially after NC State had a successful high school recruiting cycle and finished with the 27th-ranked class in the country at the conclusion of National Signing Day.
In short, what Doeren pulled off this offseason should not and cannot go unnoticed. NC State stacked its depth chart to instantly become an ACC sleeper and a team that could be knocking on the door as a playoff contender in 2024. If the talent can translate to on-field production, then the Wolfpack are certainly a team to keep an eye on this fall.