NC State has at least nine former players set to chase NFL dreams
NC State expected to have more than one player drafted — left guard Chandler Zavala went in the fourth round to the Carolina Panthers — but at least eight former players were signed as undrafted free agents.
Ex-NC State middle linebacker Isaiah Moore was signed as an underrated free agent with the Super Bowl champion Kansas City Chiefs.
Moore was invited to the NFL Combine on Feb. 28-March 6 in Indianapolis, Ind. Moore measured in at 6-foot-2, 233-pounds at the combine and did 26 reps on the bench press there. He also played in the East-West Shrine Bowl.
Moore was credited with 341 tackles, 42.5 tackles for loss, 11.5 sacks, 27 quarterback hurries and one interception in his 56-game career at NC State. He proved his endurance by playing in all 13 games this past fall, accumulating 82 tackles, 15 tackles for loss and three sacks en route to honorable mention All-ACC honors. He had suffered an ACL injury against Miami (Fla.) on Oct. 23, 2021, and that altered his career path.
Brothers Thayer Thomas and Drake Thomas are used to overcoming the odds and thriving. The Wake Forest (N.C.) Heritage High products have their biggest challenge yet, and will be playing apart from each other. Thayer signed to play wide receiver with the Minnesota Vikings and Drake is headed to the Las Vegas Raiders at linebacker.
Thayer Thomas played in both the Hula Bowl and East-West Shrine Bowl. He earned honorable mention All-ACC after catching 57 passes for 642 yards and four touchdowns.
Thomas finished his six-year NC State career with 215 catches for 2,484 yards and 24 touchdowns, and he also had 70 punt returns for 681 yards and a touchdown. He even threw for 194 yards and four touchdowns on 13 trick plays (completing seven).
The second-team All-ACC performer had 101 tackles, 19 tackles for loss and 7.5 sacks his junior year. He finished third in the ACC defensive player of the year voting by the ACC media. The Associated Press voted him first-team All-ACC at linebacker. Thomas was also named first-team All-ACC in 2021.
Drake Thomas finished with 293 tackles in 47 games played, with 46.5 tackles for loss, 19.5 sacks, four interceptions and 40 quarterback hurries. The 6-foot, 230-pounder wasn’t invited to the NFL Combine, but used his NC State Pro Day to show his worth. He did play in the East-West Shrine Bowl.
Former NC State senior kicker Christopher Dunn and safety Tanner Ingle were both picked up by the Los Angeles Rams.
Dunn went 28 of 29 on field goals with a long of 53, and he made all 30 extra points for 114 points scored. He also excelled at the NFL Combine in Indianapolis, making every field-goal attempt.
Dunn won the Lou Groza Award for being the top kicker in the country, and rewrote the NC State record book due in part to being the starting kicker for five years.
Dunn finished with 491 career points career points, which is the most in ACC history. Dunn took advantage of his extra COVID year and went gone 97 of 115 on field goals and made all 200 extra points. He’s only missed six field goals under 39 yards. The 97 field goals also is the ACC and NC State record.
Ingle earned second-team All-ACC after he had 83 tackles, eight tackles for loss, two interceptions and two breakups.
The 5-10, 186-pound Ingle finished his NC State career with 311 tackles, 23 tackles for loss, 2.5 sacks, three interceptions and 13 passes defended in 54 career games.
Ingle was a first-team All-ACC performer in 2021 for both the league squad and The Associated Press. He had 82 tackles that season, which was second on the team.
NCSU nickel Tyler Baker-Williams was signed by the Los Angeles Chargers across town. The 6-0, 209-pound Raleigh native battled injuries his senior year, getting 17 tackles in six games. He finished his Wolfpack career with 150 tackles, 11.5 tackles for loss, five interceptions, 17 passes defended and 2.5 sacks in 41 games. He was honorable mention All-ACC in 2021.
A pair of transfers solidified NC State’s defense and are aiming to continue their playing deals. Defensive tackle Cory Durden transferred in from Florida State for 2021 will head to the Detroit Lions, and cornerback Derrek Pitts played for West Virginia and Marshall, and is slotted for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
The 6-4, 310-pound Durden had 27 tackles and 2.5 tackles for loss this season. He tallied 126 tackles, 20 tackles for loss and 11 sacks in 50 career games.
Pitts also arrived in 2021 and he had 51 tackles and six passes defended this past season. The 6-1, 193-pounder, who filled in at nickel at the end of the season, played his first two years at West Virginia from 2017-18, and then two years at Marshall from 2019-20. He had 176 career tackles, three interceptions and 19 passes defended.
Former NC State center Grant Gibson, tackle Bryson Speas and safety Cyrus Fagan, among other departing seniors, are looking to latch on to NFL camp rosters.
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