Earl Wolff drafted by Eagles
Cross another goal off the list. Former NC State safety Earl Wolff has previously said that he was able to put a check mark on his list of goals when he earned first-team All-ACC honors as a fifth-year senior.
Now, he has heard his name called in the NFL Draft. The Philadelphia Eagles selected the 5-foot-11, 209-pound strong safety with the third pick in the fifth round, 136th overall. He is the 13th safety taken in the event.
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Wolff was the fifth player in NC State history, and first defensive back, to reach 400 career tackles. He was a two-time All-ACC selection and tallied at least 91 stops in each of his last three campaigns.
The Raeford, N.C., native started 43 games during his career and appeared in 51 contests with 400 tackles, including eight for loss, two sacks, seven interceptions, 12 pass breakups, eight forced fumbles and two fumble recoveries.
Wolff, an under-the-radar recruit in high school that earned his offer at an NC State football camp, was a star at the NFL Combine in Indianapolis and also stood out at the East-West Shrine Game, where he recorded an interception.
At the combine, recorded the second-best 40-yard dash time among safeties (4.44 seconds), tied for third in the 20-yard shuttle (4.07) and stood fourth in vertical jump (39 inches).
Former coach Tom O'Brien called him the, "heart and soul" of the Wolfpack defense, and he was ranked as the 11th best safety going into the draft by Mel Kiper, Jr.
Wolff is the third NC State player taken in the 2013 NFL Draft, following second round pick David Amerson (Washington Redskins) and third round pick Mike Glennon (Tampa Bay Buccaneers).