5/3/2021 football Edit

NC State DE Daniel Joseph projected to be the No. 1 pick of CFL Draft

Justin H. Williams • TheWolfpackCentral

Staff Writer

When the 2021 Canadian Football League (CFL) Draft kicks off Tuesday night, it shouldn't take long for Wolfpack fans to hear a familiar name called.

NC State fifth-year senior defensive end Daniel Joseph, a native of Toronto, Ontario, is projected to be the No. 1 overall pick of the CFL Draft according to Marshall Ferguson of CFL.ca.

But Pack fans shouldn't be alarmed when Joseph hears his name called. Players from the NCAA selected in the CFL Draft will still be able to return to school, a decision the veteran edge rusher already made several months ago.

Nc State Wolfpack football Daniel Joseph — Fifth-year senior defensive end Daniel Joseph finished tied for eight in the ACC with 6.5 sacks in 2020. (Ethan Hyman, The News and Observer)

"The brother of former top pick Faith Ekakite and cousin of Wilfrid Laurier drafted pass rusher Ese Mrabure-Ajufo, Daniel Joseph has the combination of size, speed and raw pass rush ability you expect in a player worthy of landing near the top of draft boards," Ferguson said in his latest mock draft. "Joseph spent 2020 at NC State after transferring from Penn State and started eight of the eleven games he played in 2020 while leading the Wolfpack with 6.5 sacks on the year.

"Here the Ticats solidify depth behind 2020 CFL first round draft pick Mason Bennett, while adding ratio flexibility, make no mistake. The play here is for pure talent to place opposite Ja’Gared Davis."

Joseph, a former Penn State transfer and the lone senior defensive starter last fall, played a big role in NC State's 8-4 2020 campaign. The 6-3, 265-pound pass-rusher led the Pack and finished the season tied for eighth in the ACC with 6.5 sacks.

Starting in eight of his 11 appearances during his debut season in Raleigh, Joseph produced 37 tackles, 10 for loss and three quarterback hurries.

The graduate transfer led the defensive line in tackles and finished second on the team in tackles for loss behind only redshirt sophomore linebacker Payton Wilson, who became the first Pack player to lead the ACC in tackles since Levar Fisher in 2000.