The trust in NC State sophomore left tackle Anthony Belton seemingly has grown in each passing month.
Belton started in the spring game April 9, and he’s squarely in the mix to start the season opener Sept. 3 against East Carolina. He knows there is still plenty of time before the opener, but his progression has been impressive.
NCSU quarterback Devin Leary was effusive in his praise for the 6-foot-6 and 335-pounder from Tallahassee, Fla.
“Anthony Belton is having an awesome camp, both as a player and as a person,” Leary said. “He is always joking around and having a smile on his face. His personality isn’t the same as he is as a player. On the field, he is completely locked in. He has big shoes to fill.”
Belton does indeed have big shoes to fill. He is trying to replace Ikem Ekwonu, who was the No. 6 overall pick to the Carolina Panthers. Because of the presence of Ekwonu, it has caused more attention toward Belton. He made sure to get any kind of advice he could from Ekwonu.
“[Ekwonu would] say to be a dominant player every play and give it my all every play,” Belton said. “If you mess up, don’t focus on the last play and keep going to the next play. It is really a next play mentality.”
NC State has veterans returning throughout the offensive line, including senior center Grant Gibson, senior left guard Chandler Zavala and senior lineman Bryson Speas, who can play guard and tackle. Belton would help the line fall in place.
“It has helped me a lot because sometimes you just mess up on things,” Belton said. “They will remind you and how to do it next.
“Nothing is guaranteed right now. We still have a good group of guys playing tackle with Tim [McKay] and Speas, they both can play left. Every day is a battle.”
Belton played in in 11 snaps last year in two games for the Wolfpack. The last time he started was in 2019 at Georgia Military College. The squad practiced some but didn’t play in 2020 due to COVID, and then he transferred to NC State and has three years of eligibility remaining.
Belton admitted he was an out of shape 342 pounds when he showed up at NC State, but has repositioned his large frame and feels good at 335.
“I lost a lot of fat just building up my body composition,” Belton said. “I have gotten toned up.”
To that end, Belton has picked up the nickname “Escalade” from strength and conditioning coach Dantonio Burnette.
“I’m big and smooth like an Escalade he would say,” Belton said.
The speed of the game was one of the big changes from arriving from an abbreviated junior college stint. Going against the NC State defensive lineman have definitely helped Belton get better.
“The competition is definitely amped up a lot,” Belton said.
Belton isn’t afraid to zig when others zag. For instance, he grew up a Florida fan and joked there were only a few of those that he knew at Florida State University High School. He’s worked hard to get to this point, and owes his prime motivation in helping his mother.
“I know I have people at home that are depending on me,” Belton said. “That is my drive and my push right now.
“It is definitely my mom. Just growing up, she was always providing and doing everything she could to put me and my siblings in position to be successful.”
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