Over the past few months we have gone through each NC State football position group, using analytics provided by PFF to help explain what went right and wrong during the 2019 season.
Now it's time to rank the Wolfpack by position group heading into next season in our positional power rankings. Earlier we did the top five. Here are 6-10:
10. Defensive Line
Related link: The Wolfpacker 3-2-1 on the defensive line
The good news is that junior Alim McNeill returns. McNeill had the top grade (79.4) of all defensive players, according to PFF, regardless of position or snap totals for NC State in 2019. He was equally effective against the run (77.1 grade) and as a pass rusher (80.8).
The question marks are elsewhere. Larrell Murchison was NC State's other well-graded line performer a year ago, and he is set to hear his name in the NFL Draft next week. Its most physically gifted d-lineman was James Smith-Williams, and despite an injury-dampened 2019 season he too could be drafted.
Furthermore, three players transferred: Joseph Boletepeli, Xavier Lyas and Jeffrey Gunter. Lyas was a pass-rushing specialist who had four sacks before leaving in November and ending up at Northern Arizona. Boletepeli had 11 tackles including 2.5 for loss and 1.5 sacks.
Gunter sat out after transferring in from Coastal Carolina where he was an all-conference performer.
That leaves NC State very inexperienced along the line and was perhaps a motivating factor in signing Daniel Joseph from Penn State as a grad transfer. PFF gave Joseph a 67.2 grade against Maryland and 62.8 mark versus Rutgers in his two most extensive action of last season, playing 21 snaps in both contests.
Fifth-year senior defensive tackle Val Martin showed promise in the final three games of the season when he received a 79.6 mark against Louisville, a 65.0 at Georgia Tech and 68.8 versus UNC.
The key for new defensive line coach Charley Wiles is can he make the young players like sophomore defensive end Savion Jackson, redshirt freshman end Terrell Dawkins and redshirt freshman tackles C.J. Clark and Joshua Harris live up to their considerable high school reps.
And also can he get redshirt junior Ibrahim Kante, who had three tackles for a loss and assisted on a sack in 2019, take a big step forward.
