NC State redshirt sophomore Isaiah Moore won’t be replacing Germaine Pratt, but he’ll be trying to fill the lost void of production.
Pratt played weakside linebacker for the Wolfpack last year and become a third-round pick of the Cincinnati Bengals. He had 105 tackles, 10.5 tackles for loss, six sacks and two forced fumbles in 11 games played.
Moore was right next to Pratt at middle linebacker. The 6-foot-2, 240-pounder from Chester, Va., will have more opportunities to make some plays, with whoever he ends up lined next to — perhaps redshirt junior Brock Miller or junior Louis Acceus.
“I wouldn’t say pressure, but us as a group, that slack [from Pratt] will be picked up by one man,” Moore said. “I feel we are extremely strong as a group and extremely deep as a group. We will all contribute together.”
Moore was third on the squad last year with 69 tackles, which included 7.5 tackles for loss and 2.5 sacks, and added six quarterback pressures despite missing one game with an injury.
Moore’s comfort level should be higher, which could lead to more big plays.
“I have a better understanding of the defense right now,” Moore said. “I’ve been around the system more. I have the utmost faith in my teammates, and they have the utmost faith in me. I’m pretty confident.”
Moore and Acceus battled for the middle linebacker position last year, but now he’s backed up by true freshman Drake Thomas. Moore has tried to become a leader for the various freshmen linebackers.
“This year I have gotten the job and I’m trying to do whatever I can to be the best teammate I can and leader I can,” Moore said. “These young guys are eager to learn and they take criticism very well. They are hard-working guys.”
Moore said the linebackers are always competing over something. He claimed to be the strongest of the group in the bench, and right there with Acceus on squats. When asked if he was the fastest linebacker, he added the caveat that he hasn’t raced Acceus head-to-head in a while.
However, the stopwatch might tell a different story.
“Of course it’s me,” said Moore on being the fastest. “[Acceus] might shoot the fastest one down. The 40 times might tell a different story from what I said.”
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