NC State has a chance tonight to tap into the part of Davion Dozier’s game that made his transfer from Appalachian State so appealing in the first place: the ability to threaten defenses deep.
Dozier will see his former team when the Wolfpack hosts Appalachian State at Carter-Finley Stadium, but through three games at NC State, his role has looked nothing like the one he had in Boone. Instead of being deployed as a vertical weapon, he’s been used much closer to the line of scrimmage, and the numbers make that hard to ignore.
Last season at Appalachian State, Dozier caught 20 passes for 448 yards and five touchdowns. He ranked third on the team in receiving yards and second in touchdown receptions, even though he played only nine games and missed the first three before becoming one of the Mountaineers’ most dangerous options. He averaged 22.4 yards per reception, a number that tells the story on its own.
That production wasn’t built on short catches and yards after the catch. Dozier was consistently stretching the field and forcing defenses to respect the deep ball. That’s what stood out when he committed to NC State, and that’s why his first three games in Raleigh have been a little puzzling.
So far, he has four catches for 35 yards, which works out to 8.8 yards per reception. His Average Depth of Target has also dropped sharply, sitting at 9.3 yards compared with 18.2 last season at Appalachian State.
Season Receptions Yards Yards/Rec. aDOT
2025 at App State 20 448 22.4 18.2
2026 at NC State 4 35 8.8 9.3
The usage change is stark. NC State brought in a receiver who already showed he could make explosive plays down the field, but through three games the Wolfpack hasn’t really asked him to do that.
The snap counts raise even more questions. Dozier’s 66.6 Overall PFF Grade is tied for the second-best mark among NC State wide receivers, yet he ranks seventh in the room in snaps.
Keenan Jackson’s heavier workload makes sense, since he’s been playing like a true No. 1 receiver. Jojo Trader being near the top of the group also fits, given the expectations that came with his arrival from Miami.
After that, though, the picture gets murkier. Victor Snow, Chance Robinson, Tyran Warren and Ashton Locklear have all logged more snaps than Dozier, despite Dozier grading higher than all of them.
He also isn’t some unknown project. Before his season at Appalachian State, Dozier spent his first two college years at Arkansas.
Coming out of high school, both 247Sports and Rivals rated him as a 4-star prospect. Once he finally got meaningful playing time at Appalachian State, he showed why that profile mattered.
NC State doesn’t need him to take over the offense. Jackson has that role locked down. But the Wolfpack could use more players who can stress a defense vertically, and Dozier has already shown that he can do it.
Tonight gives NC State the chance to lean into that strength, with Dozier facing the program he just left and a familiar sideline across from him. It’s not about forcing a revenge-game angle. It’s about using a receiver in the way he’s already proven he can be dangerous.
In Other News...
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A long-running in-state series gets another chapter Saturday night when N.C. State hosts Appalachian State at Carter-Finley Stadium in Raleigh. The matchup is set for 7:30 p.m. ET and will air nationally on ESPNU, giving the Wolfpack a chance to play in front of a wider audience in a game that carries plenty of local interest.
N.C. State has controlled the series since it began in 1932, winning all six previous meetings, which adds a little extra weight to a meeting that already has pride-game feel. With App State coming to Raleigh and a national broadcast attached, it is the kind of late-September test that can sharpen attention inside the program and across the fan base alike. [Read more 🡒]
NC States Backcourt Could Change Fast If Darius Adams Breaks Through
Darius Adams arrived at NC State with the kind of rsum that makes people pay attention, but the more interesting part has been how quickly he has started to look comfortable in his new setting. The former five-star guard and McDonalds All-American transferred in from Maryland after Justin Gainey had spent time recruiting him, and the early buzz around him has centered on offseason growth in his ball-handling, shooting and physicality. Around the program, teammates have described a player with a clear edge, the sort of motivation that can travel well in a new backcourt.
For the Wolfpack, the timing matters because the guard rotation already has pieces in place, and Adams is expected to be part of that mix rather than a passenger. If his progress carries over when the games count, NC State could see its backcourt sort itself out faster than expected, with Adams pushing for a bigger role and giving the staff another option to lean on. The appeal is obvious: a talented newcomer with proven pedigree, a fresh start and something to prove. [Read more 🡒]