NC State will soon be starting fall camp and gearing up for the season opener at Connecticut at 7:30 p.m. Aug. 31.
The Wolfpack Central will start taking a look at the position groups going into fall camp and summarize where NC State stands. Today, the special teams group is previewed.
Special teams
NC State had one of the best special teams units in the country last year, highlighted by kicker Christopher Dunn won the Lou Groza Award.
Former Iowa State and Western Kentucky kicker Brayden Narveson has transferred to NC State to try and replace Dunn, who went 28 of 29 on field goals last year.
The fifth-year senior Narveson has been impressive in his own right in his college kicking career. The Scottsdale, Ariz., native has made 53 of 68 field goals and all 158 extra points. Narveson has gone 3-of-8 on field goals of 50-plus yards with a long of 53.
This past season at WKU, he went 15 of 21 on field goals. Narveson led all kickers in 2021 with 141 points thanks to going 23-of-29 on field goals and he made all 72 extra points.
Narveson will be competing with redshirt junior Collin Smith during fall camp for the field goal job. Smith will be the kickoff specialist, and had 40 touchbacks on 71 kickoff attempts and went 1 of 2 on field goals, making a 40-yarder.
Projected starters: Senior kicker Brayden Narveson; redshirt junior kickoff specialist Collin Smith; redshirt sophomore punter Caden Noonkester; redshirt sophomore kick returner and punt returner Julian Gray.
Comments: It appeared NC State was going to need to find a punter for 2023, but walk-on Caden Noonkester proved down the stretch that he was going to carry on the recent punting tradition at NC State. The Wolfpack have produced both A.J. Cole (Las Vegas Raiders) and Trenton Gill (Chicago Bears).
Noonkester averaged 43.0 yards on 29 punts with a long of 67. He landed seven inside the 20-yard line, had 17 fair caught and two went for touchbacks.
NC State has also lost Thayer Thomas on punt returns, but returns redshirt sophomore Julian Gray at kick returner. Gray averaged 23.8 yards on 16 kick returns, with a long of 44.
Gray and perhaps freshman wide receiver Kevin Concepcion or redshirt sophomore Jalen Coit could be options at punt returner.
NC State also returns senior long snapper Joe Shimko, who has been universally praised for his efforts the last four four years.
Opposing teams averaged 20.6 yards on kick returns and 8.2 yards on punt returns.
Positional previews
Quarterbacks | Running backs | Wide receivers | Tight ends | Offensive line
Defensive line | Linebackers | Cornerbacks | Safeties/nickel | Special teams
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