Last year at this time, we were looking forward to a re-vamped receiver room that featured a much-needed talent infusion. Adding that talent around KC Concepcion seemed like a promising recipe for improvement. NC State definitely was better, but suffered another major injury at quarterback, and Robert Anae’s confusing whatever it was he was doing also proved unhelpful.
The visions we all had of KC roaming free and putting up even bigger numbers thanks to more support around him sadly never came to be.
KC led the team with six touchdown grabs in 2024, but half of them came in the opener against Western Carolina, and that also happened to be his only 100-yard performance of the season. Concepcion didn’t have more than 53 yards receiving in any other game. It’s astounding to think about. Starting over at quarterback with a true freshman didn’t help, nor likely did KC being halfway out the door down the stretch, but still.
I wish KC had stuck around to get right in Raleigh, but he’ll be doing that in College Station. Dacari Collins also opted to leave, depriving State of a veteran secondary option.
Fortunately, the Pack’s top two receivers in terms of yards are back.
Justin Joly gives NC State a bona fide all-conference player who may be in line for a big year after a full offseason of work with CJ Bailey. If NC State can actually get through a full season with one quarterback, that alone could work wonders not just for Joly but for the passing game generally.
Noah Rogers made the play of the 2024 season for NC State but his overall progress was slow—it was his first season playing full time—and continued growth from him is important. If he can become a guy State can count on for four or five grabs every week, it’s going to raise the offense’s ceiling.
I’ll be interested in how Wesley Grimes’ season goes—I thought he’d make more of an impact last season, but he was absent for large stretches, and went several games without a catch. He’s got an opportunity in camp to carve out a larger role for himself with KC and Collins out of the way.
As do Terrell Anderson and Keenan Jackson, who both had their moments as true freshmen—and certainly both look the part. NC State needed young players to step up last fall and that’s still true—this is still an overwhelmingly young position group.
The Pack is hoping that the trio of Rogers, Anderson, and Jackson realize more of their potential as sophomores. Add Jonathan Paylor and four-star freshman Je’Rel Bolder and the possibilities here are explosive (plays). Paylor was the one blue chip prospect who didn’t crack the rotation as a freshman, but with a little more creativity that could change. Paylor also will be handling kick returns.
While a lot remains unproven within the group, there’s plenty to be encouraged about. NC State’s passing offense was good in some key ways last year: it finished in the 75th percentile or better in explosive play rate, yards per dropback, and success rate. Just take a look at how that compared to 2023.
The talent makeover definitely made a difference, as it was the pass offense that was primarily responsible for the offense’s overall improvement from plain bad to average. Can they spearhead another jump in 2025?