The Wolfpacker projected post-spring depth chart: Offense

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With the spring game in the books, here is an updated look at our projected depth chart for the offense.

Related link: Pre-spring projected depth chart on offense

In our pre-spring projections, we listed the quarterbacks in alphabetical order. Heading into the summer, we ranked them in our best guess pecking order. However, the reality is that the top three will continue to see equal reps with the first string, and a firm decision on a starter won't likely be made until the final days of preseason camp going into the first game week preparations. Don’t count on a starter being named until the opener against East Carolina Aug. 31.

McKay earned praise in the spring for his comfort zone in the offense, and it showed during the spring game when he overcame a slow start (three passes knocked down at the line of scrimmage) to complete 14 of 24 passes for 182 yards with a touchdown while also rushing four times for 28 yards and a score.

Leary may offer the most upside with his arm strength. He completed 12 of 23 passes for 104 yards with a touchdown and led the first scoring drive of the spring game. Yet Leary showed that sometimes he trusts his arm strength too much, forcing some passes and having the scrimmage's lone turnover when he threw an interception.

If there is one thing seventh-year NC State head coach Dave Doeren preaches above all else for quarterbacks it is to manage the game. If Leary can cut down on mistakes, he could become a favorite for the job.

Hockman, a transfer from Florida State, has an important summer ahead. He performed well overall, also completing 12 of 23 passes for 135 yards, highlighted by a 61-yard scoring pass to redshirt sophomore wide receiver Max Fisher. He still appears to be trying to find his comfort zone in the offense after arriving in January.

The big story emerging offensively from spring was the debut of Knight, a four-star early enrollee from Southern Nash High in Bailey, N.C. Knight ran 17 times for 139 yards and had a 73-yard touchdown run in the spring game. That, coupled with the comments from coaches throughout the spring, was enough to move Knight onto our projected two deep at the end of spring.

It is not out of the question that Knight could end even challenging a healthy Person, who sat out the spring, for a starting job. But doing well in practices and games are two different things, and Person proved himself last year in actual action. He ran 112 times for 471 yards and two touchdowns as a rookie despite missing four games with injuries, and played injured in several other contests. That included a 100-yard rushing effort against Virginia.

There are no changes here. Emezie is the accomplished veteran, having caught 53 passes for 616 yards and five touchdowns last year. Riley also has considerable experience, and hauled in 28 receptions for 315 yards and two scores in 2018.

The hope is for more consistency from Riley while he gets his chance to move into a primary receiver role, and he provided optimism for that by making six receptions for 113 yards in the spring game.

Backing up on the outside will likely be the rookie duo of Carter and Provillon. Carter, in particular, had an active spring game with six receptions for 60 yards and may be in position to be the top reserve.

The battle this fall will likely come in the slot. Thomas had a great rookie season with 34 receptions for 383 yards and three scores while backing up NFL-bound Jakobi Meyers. He was a popular target for the quarterbacks operating the first string in the spring game, catching five passes for 39 yards with a three-yard touchdown from Leary.

However, Hines was one of the ACC’s best slot receivers while at Wake Forest, catching 53 passes for 683 yards and seven scores. He transferred after that year to Oregon, but was set behind by a knee injury and ended up redshirting. He will arrive this summer at NC State as a graduate transfer and if fully healthy should find his way onto the depth chart.

Freshman slot receiver Keyon Lesane did flash in the spring game with four receptions for 44 yards and could be a candidate for the depth chart if either Hines or Thomas cannot go for whatever reason.

To be fair, there are two sets of tight ends on the roster. Angeline is a “H” tight end, which is more of a receiver in the offense. If the spring game is an indication, Angeline could be more featured this fall, which is sure to make Wolfpack fans happy. The 6-7, 254-pound transfer from USC caught nine passes for 169 yards and a touchdown in 11 games last year, but in the spring game he had three grabs for 33 yards and a score.

If the spring game carries over to the regular season, Angeline could have a 40-catch type year. Backing him up at the “H” tight end will likely be redshirt junior Dylan Parham, a converted quarterback who caught two passes for 11 yards last year.

Autenrieth is the primary “X” tight end, which is essentially a fullback-type. He did catch a two-yard pass in the spring game. There will be games where Autenrieth starts, depending on what formation NC State opens up the game. Walk-on redshirt sophomore Thomas Ruocchio, who had an eight-yard catch in the scrimmage, is likely the second option there.

The one change we made on the offensive line was making Gibson the starting center, moving Sculthorpe to left guard and putting Speas on the second string, but that competition will likely continue into the fall. The certainty is that Sculthorpe will start. Speas did have the benefit of playing the entire spring while Gibson and Sculthorpe missed the scrimmage with an injury.

The other battle will be at left tackle. Riley, who started two games last year, is the favorite, but Riley joined the other likely starters who all missed the spring game with injuries. That opened the door for former ballyhooed recruit McGirt to play with the ones in the spring game. If McGirt is fully healthy and can build off the spring, he has the ability to challenge Riley, a converted defensive end, in the fall.

The rest of the two-deep remains to be sorted out as well, particularly the backups at center (if Gibson starts), right guard and right tackle. Early enrollee freshman Timothy McKay had a good spring, and the massive redshirt freshman Jalynn Strickland (6-6, 329 pounds) could get into the mix when he gets healthy.

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