For NC State’s 2026 offense, the biggest swing factor isn’t C.J. Bailey, the running backs, or even the line. It’s the group trying to catch the ball.
That’s the spot where the Wolfpack can either unlock a dangerous attack or settle into something far more ordinary. Bailey is not the question.
Duke Scott is expected to lead a running back room that still has plenty of buzz. And on the line, Jimarion McCrimon at left tackle, Spike Sowells at center, and Teague Anderson at right tackle give the unit three solid anchors, even if the guard spots still carry some uncertainty.
The real pressure sits on the pass catchers, because NC State has to replace a massive chunk of last season’s production. The Wolfpack lost their top five receivers and tight ends by receptions and yards from a year ago, with that group exiting through graduation, the transfer portal, or suspension.
That includes Justin Joly, Wesley Grimes, Noah Rogers, Terrell Anderson, and Teddy Hoffmann. Smothers also counted among those top five in receptions, and that production is gone too.
Dave Doeren’s staff responded by bringing in a big wave of new faces: five transfer receivers, two transfer tight ends, and another crop of freshmen made up of four wideouts and two tight ends. It’s a numbers play, but it’s also a bet on upside. The problem is that upside takes time to show up, and the jump to the ACC doesn’t come with a soft landing.
The most likely path to real production runs through a handful of transfers who have something to prove. SR WR Davion Dozier from Appalachian State, JR WR Chance Robinson from Miami, SR WR Victor Snow from Buffalo, JR WR JoJo Trader from Miami, and SR WR Tyran Warren from Alcorn State all fit that description, along with SO TE Vander Ploog from Oregon and SR TE Hunter Provience from Montana State.
If at least two of that receiver group and one of the tight ends can translate their tools into dependable ACC production, the offense has a chance to become something more. If they can’t, the unit could become too easy to diagnose.
The freshmen are part of the picture too, but more as a bonus than a foundation. That group includes WR Amiri Acker, WR Tyreek Copper, WR Jai Richburg, WR Aiden Smalls, TE Stephen Brown, and TE Tex Vaughn.
Each of the key transfer additions comes with a different kind of appeal. Dozier brings size at 6-foot-3, 203 pounds and can win contested balls, though he still has to create separation more consistently against ACC man coverage.
Robinson has similar size and strength at 6-2, 209, and arrives as a former 4-star, top-200 recruit, but he never really got rolling at Miami. Snow is the smaller option at 5-8, 178, with speed and wiggle that can turn into big plays from the slot, but he’ll need to show that same burst against better nickelbacks than he faced in the MAC.
Trader, a former high school teammate of Bailey’s and a 5-star prospect, also comes from Miami after never fully carving out a major role there despite flashes. Warren’s Alcorn State tape has some serious Owen Spencer vibes, but the question is whether that game translates from the SWAC.
Ploog, another former 4-star, top-200 recruit, has size, speed, and athleticism, but he has not played a college game yet. Provience offers big frame and strong blocking traits, though he may have more receiving ability than he showed at Montana State, where the tight end wasn’t featured much in the passing game.
There is some returning production, but not much. Hoffmann is out for the season because of his suspension, while JR WR Keenan Jackson is back after posting 28 catches for 281 yards and two touchdowns.
Jackson was on the field for a team-high 864 snaps last year, and his role as a captain says plenty about the trust he has earned. That said, even with the leadership label and the flashes he has shown, he is still only one player, and only so much can be placed on a receiver with 405 career yards.
Ethan Dowdy also returns after appearing in just five games last season, but his 2024 line at D-III Hampden-Sydney College was much louder: 54 catches, 723 yards, and nine touchdowns. He stands 6-2, 192.
The tight end room is especially thin on experience. Preston Douglas, Ian Flynt, and Gus Ritchey combined for only 58 returning snaps, with Douglas logging 52 of them and finishing with one catch for 18 yards.
So while Jackson is the lone returnee likely to mix into the competition for major snaps this fall, the bigger truth is that NC State needs a group answer, not a single savior. The Wolfpack offense will go as far as this rebuilt pass-catching room can carry it in 2026.
In Other News...
NC State Fans Just Got An Injury Scare With Gunner Rivers
A fresh injury scare hit NC States future quarterback pipeline when Gunner Rivers went down in St. Michaels senior season opener. The 2027 Wolfpack commit hyperextended his right leg and had to be helped off the field, a tense moment for a prospect already carrying plenty of attention as the son of former NFL quarterback and current coach Philip Rivers.
There was at least some early relief afterward, with Philip Rivers and his son both indicating the injury did not appear to involve structural damage and expressing optimism about the recovery. Before leaving the game, Rivers had already shown why NC State fans are watching closely, completing 3 of 4 passes for 84 yards and a touchdown before the lower-body issue cut his night short. [Read more 🡒]
NC State Opens With A Virginia Game That Already Feels Personal
The 2026 opener between NC State and Virginia already has more layers than a typical September matchup, and plenty of them sit on the sidelines. Ruffin McNeill and Garret Tujague bring Virginia ties into the Wolfpack staff, while Virginia offensive coordinator Des Kitchings spent eight seasons coaching at NC State before heading back to Charlottesville. Even before the teams take the field, the familiarity runs deep enough to give the game a little extra edge.
Boo Corrigan adds another thread to the connection, with the NC State athletics director carrying long family ties to Virginia. So when these programs meet to start the season, it will not just be about a clean opening test or a nonconference measuring stick. It will also be a reunion of sorts, with enough shared history to make the buildup feel personal long before kickoff arrives. [Read more 🡒]
NC State Is Counting On Josiah Victor In A Crucial Defensive Transition
NC States defensive front is entering a transition, and Josiah Victor looks like the player positioned to anchor it. The sophomore nose guard is expected to step into the starting role in 2026 after spending last season building experience and using the offseason to prepare for a bigger workload. With Brandon Cleveland gone from the spot, Victors rise gives the Wolfpack a clearer picture of how they want to hold up inside as the season opener against Virginia approaches.
Victor sounds ready for the responsibility, and he has leaned into the chance to grow with both teammates and coaches around him. He spoke confidently about the role ahead and the motivation that comes with being counted on more heavily, which matters for a defense that will be asking him to help steady the middle from the start. For NC State, the question is no longer whether Victor can learn the job, but how quickly he can turn that preparation into production when the games begin. [Read more 🡒]