NC State lost two starters off its defensive front, with Savion Jackson graduating and CJ Clark transferring to Miami, but the outlook here is still good, and that’s thanks in large part to the return of Davin Vann. Perhaps the most significant development for the defense this offseason was Vann’s decision to return, and he has a big final season in front of him.
Jackson had an excellent 2023, excelling in the sort of hybrid role that is necessary from a defensive end in the 3-3-5 system. Arguably he’s more difficult to replace than Clark, though NC State has options. These two guys depart with a wealth of experience—a combined 90 games played and 55 starts.
Davin Vann set career-highs in tackles and sacks last season and could well improve on both numbers in 2024, though he’ll get plenty of attention from opposing offenses. His ability to play inside as well as the edge could be extra important this season.
That’s because there is uncertainty behind Brandon Cleveland in the middle, as NC State did not add much experience there through the portal. And Cleveland has made only one start to this point, but he figures to be the least of State’s concerns up front.
Adding quality defensive tackles through the portal is a challenge, since they’re in high demand and thus expensive. Colorado transfer Chazz Wallace brings three years of limited experience to the table, but it’s not clear what sort of impact he can have at the power-conference level.
Red Hibbler was a bright spot as a pass rusher last season, his team-leading sack total all the more impressive for his modest snap count. He’ll need to be a more well-rounded every-down player in 2024, but has the tools to do it. The same goes for Travali Price, who should have every opportunity for a breakthrough campaign after biding his time for two years. The time is now for the former four-star recruit.
Cincinnati transfer Noah Potter was limited by injuries in 2023 but should be a solid depth piece at defensive end.
All of the aforementioned players are upperclassmen, and with the exception of Wallace, all of them have been at NC State for at least one season. That familiarity helps a lot and is another reason to feel confident about this group as a whole. There might actually be more upside here than there was in 2023, but maybe that’s just the offseason talking. We’ll see soon enough.