NC State’s defense is heading into fall camp with a lot of moving parts, and one of the steadier pieces in the secondary is graduate nickel Jackson Vick. The Wolfpack have to replace their front six, but Vick and Brian Nelson II are back to help anchor the back end as NC State tries to build on last season’s 8-5 finish and bowl win over Memphis.
Vick’s path to this point started at Bailey (N.C.) Southern Nash, where he made noise on both sides of the ball. As a senior, he carried the ball 138 times for 1,211 yards and 16 touchdowns, added eight catches for 200 yards and four more scores, and chipped in 13 tackles on defense with one tackle for loss and an interception.
His recruitment was a steady drumbeat from the start. Cornerbacks coach Brian Mitchell and then-director of recruiting Merci Falaise stayed in contact with him multiple times a week for nearly nine months.
Duke and Wake Forest were the main challengers, and Vick took multiple visits to all three schools. By spring 2021, NC State had taken control, and after visits on June 7 and June 12, he committed two days later.
He arrived as a high-three-star recruit with an 88 rating, ranked No. 51 among cornerbacks and 18th in North Carolina.
Vick redshirted his first year in Raleigh after beginning his college career at cornerback. In 2023, he played in eight games mostly on special teams and logged 81 snaps.
The following season, he worked as a backup and played 145 defensive snaps. He had four tackles in the bowl game, a career high at the time, and finished 2024 with 16 tackles, including two for loss and a sack, plus two pass breakups.
The move to nickel came before the 2025 season, and Vick became a full-time starter right away. The 6-foot, 190-pound defensive back played in 10 games, all starts, and set a career high with 632 snaps. He finished with 45 tackles, 1.5 for loss and six pass breakups.
There were growing pains in that first season at nickel, and injuries were part of the story. NC State’s pass rush also struggled badly, which put more stress on the secondary.
Still, Vick’s athletic ability has never been in question, and versatility remains one of his biggest assets. He is expected to play nickel again, but he could also get work at cornerback during fall camp.
The bottom line for NC State is simple: Vick needs to be better in 2026. With a second year at nickel and defensive coordinator D.J. Eliot in place, the Wolfpack are hoping the next step comes quickly.
In Other News...
Dave Doeren Just Put NC State Fans On Alert For 2027
Dave Doeren has already given NC State fans a reason to start looking ahead to 2027, even if the calendar still has a few twists to work out. The Wolfpack coach said the season will open against Clemson, putting the Textile Bowl rivalry back in the spotlight as the ACC prepares to move to nine conference games in 2026 and reshuffle schedules across the league.
The wrinkle is that the matchup is not fully pinned down yet, with the date and location still unsettled as the conference adjustments ripple through future slates. NC State does have several home games lined up early in that season, but the Clemson detail is the one that stands out, especially for a program that knows how much the rivalry can shape an opening stretch and stir up the fan base before September even settles in. [Read more 🡒]
Why Carter-Finley Suddenly Matters So Much To NC State Athletics
Carter-Finley Stadium is about to become more than a football venue for a few days, as NC State stages two major concerts there this week. The lineup brings Guns N' Roses with Public Enemy and Noah Kahan with supporting acts to a place usually defined by fall Saturdays, and athletics director Boo Corrigan has been clear that the move is about more than entertainment. In a department facing real financial pressure, the stadium has become one of the few assets capable of generating meaningful new money.
The concerts come as NC State athletics works through a projected deficit and looks for ways to broaden its revenue base beyond the usual game-day model. Corrigan has pointed to Carter-Finley as part of that answer, and the university is also examining other possibilities such as naming rights and sponsorships tied to the stadium. For a department trying to stabilize its finances, the challenge is no longer just filling seats on football weekends, but figuring out how to make the building pay off all year long. [Read more 🡒]
NC States Youth Movement Will Define Dave Doerens 2026 Season
NC State heads into the 2026 football season with a roster that skews distinctly young, a reflection of how quickly the modern game is asking freshmen and sophomores to become real contributors. The Wolfpacks average age sits at 20.05 years, which places them among the youngest teams in the country and gives Dave Doeren a group that will be learning on the fly while trying to keep pace in a league where experience usually matters.
The ACC picture only sharpens the point, with NC State checking in as the conferences second-youngest roster and a cluster of national powers also leaning on early-career players. That kind of profile can be a sign of a program building toward something bigger, but it also means the Wolfpacks ceiling in 2026 may depend on how quickly that youth settles in, especially with so many of the sports elite teams already proving that young rosters can still win at a high level. [Read more 🡒]