NC State Wolfpack held their Spring Game on Saturday, April 6 in Raleigh. Team Red came away with the win after curb-stomping Team White with a final score of 51-7*. This year’s spring game was put on by the One Pack NIL Collective. Here are some quick takeaways from the inter-squad clash.
*It was first-team offense vs. third-team defense.
Spring Game Showcases New Faces on Offense
Along with a multitude of teams this offseason, NC State has been busy overhauling its skill positions. And there is no more important position than quarterback. Coastal Carolina transfer, Grayson McCall looked sharp in his first outing wearing the Red & White. He missed a few throws, but overall, he looked sharp and like the guy to lead this Wolfpack offense.
With his ability to throw a catchable ball and his “courage under fire” attitude, Grayson is set to make an impressive splash in the ACC this fall. Grayson completed 16-of-20 passes for 205 yards with two touchdowns in the first half of the Spring Game.
Another newcomer also made his debut behind center in early enrollee CJ Bailey. Hailing from Hollywood, Florida, this guy can ball. He finished his high school career with 9,005 passing yards, good for 116 touchdowns. He averaged 204.7 yards per game and finished with a career quarterback rating of 132.8.
As is expected for an early enrollee, Bailey made some mistakes with open receivers; but he also made some pretty spectacular plays. His most memorable plays of the day came with a 23-yard bullet to Welsey Grimes for a touchdown and a 67-yard dash. His early arrival on campus has done nothing but excel in his progress and as long as he stays on track, CJ looks to be a very, very good player.
Par for the course this spring, running back Jordan Waters showed up and showed out for the Spring Game. His day ended with seven carries for 69 yards and a touchdown. While NC State has a stable of really good running backs (Kendrick Raphael, Hollywood Smothers, and Jayden Scott), Waters is a horse of an entirely different color. He is built differently and when he runs, you can see an impressive combination of speed, quickness, and power. Seeing as the Wolfpack have a plethora of options on the outside, that should bode well for State’s run game this fall. This can only mean one thing: Waters is going to be a handful for defenses.
Wide Receivers Receiving Praise
As mentioned above, the Wolfpack wide receivers are stout and looking to pick up where they left off. Noah Rogers’ Spring Game numbers were six receptions and 120 yards, plus a touchdown. The secondaries in the ACC better not sleep on Rogers, his dynamic and explosive play-making skills are the things of dreams for his offensive coordinator and nightmares for opposing defensive coordinators.
Add in Dacari Collins and Wesley Grimes, plus Justin Joly and you’re looking at wide receiving talent levels not seen on a Wolfpack squad in quite some time. Let’s not forget All-ACC slot receiver Kevin Concepcion. On Saturday, he grabbed two catches for 16 yards and a 34-yard run.
After Saturday’s Spring Game, it’s clear the Wolfpack are poised to make a strong run in the ACC this fall and with their powerful weapons on both sides of the ball, that run looks to be pretty deep.
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