NC State fifth-year senior defensive end Deonte Holden could finish his Wolfpack career with his undergraduate degree and three master’s degrees.
Holden earned his undergraduate degree in business marketing within three years. He then was accepted into graduate school in global, luxury and management, which is a dual master’s program. Holden just finished his grant certificate in textile management and brand marketing.
Holden also hopes to have another tag next to his name — rotational defensive end. The 6-foot-4, 247-pounder has had terrible luck on the football field, accumulating three tackles in five games the last four years. He traces it back to one sequence his redshirt freshman year.
“I redshirted my freshman year after I weighed in at 209 coming in,” Holden said. “I was too small and redshirted. The next year, the first day of training camp, I broke my [left] foot trying to make a sack. As soon as I turned to make a sack, it just broke.”
Holden didn’t have any injury history while in high school, but the foot injury has proven to alter his college career. He needed two surgeries to take care of his foot, essentially having certain things put into his foot and then eventually taken out. It led to not playing football for about 18 months, which then affected his redshirt sophomore season.
“I had to wait and be humble, and I had to wait my turn with it being Bradley Chubb’s time and Kentavius Street’s time,” Holden said.
The difficult series of injuries makes Holden appreciative of playing in Saturday’s season opener against James Madison. He also could pursue a sixth year of eligibility, but that decision will come down the road.
“It has been a long time coming, that’s all I can say,” Holden said. “I have always wanted to play. I’ll never quit. My whole thing is that it isn’t where you are at, but where you are going.
“The quote that I always go buy is: ‘Just because you took longer than others doesn’t mean you failed.’”
Holden’s ability to transcend into different worlds has defined his NC State experience. Holden is a fashion guru or whisperer and hopes to one day own his own successful company or work for a brand apparel company such as adidas. He also has been a leader in helping out others in the Raleigh community.
“It started as a kid where I wish I had my own business,” said Holden, who has organized can-food drives in Raleigh in the past. “I like to incorporate service as well as fashion.”
Holden’s dream is to work with Italian leather one day.
“A lot of bags and hand bags, and some fragrances,” Holden said. “Also, a lot of hand-crafted garments.”
Holden picked out fifth-year senior cornerback Maurice Trowell, redshirt sophomore defensive tackle Shug Frazier and junior cornerback Nick McCloud as among the most stylish players on the Wolfpack. Redshirt freshman defensive end Xavier Lyas would represent the younger players on the team.
“Maurice Trowell has that Durham swag, so I like his style,” said Holden, who would enjoy decking out former teammate Chubb of the Denver Broncos.
Holden’s path at NC State hasn’t been easy but the love of the game is still strong for the former Hyattsville (Md.) DeMatha Catholic standout, who Rivals.com ranked as the No. 31 defensive end in the country in the class of 2014.
Holden admits this year is definitely different without some of his recruiting classmates such as Chubb, Street (San Francisco 49ers) and defensive tackles Justin Jones (Los Angeles Chargers) and B.J. Hill (New York Giants). All four were drafted within the first four rounds of the NFL Draft. Those players have told him it’s now his turn.
“Thank God for them because we were able to incorporate everything we’ve learned,” Holden said. “I talk to Justin Jones all the time on things that I can improve or what I should do.”
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