One game into the season, NC State still doesn’t have a clean answer at wide receiver. The opener against Virginia raised the same old question: can this group actually get open?
The tape showed some trouble separating, and the broadcast noticed it too. But it also showed quarterback CJ Bailey missing some throws when receivers did create space.
That’s the part worth remembering. The problem isn’t just on one side of the ball.
Even before kickoff, the Wolfpack knew this was a reset at the position. NC State lost its top five receivers from last season, with Terrell Anderson transferring to USC, Noah Rogers headed to Alabama and Wesley Grimes now on the San Francisco 49ers’ practice squad.
The staff went into the transfer portal and the high school ranks, but there wasn’t one obvious plug-and-play answer waiting to walk onto campus. This was a bet on upside.
Could former highly touted Miami recruits JoJo Trader and Chance Robinson take off with more opportunity in Raleigh? Could Victor Snow, Davion Dozier and Tyran Warren handle the jump to Power 4 football and make plays in ACC games? After one outing, that’s still an open question.
If NC State wants to keep exploring the room, tonight’s home opener against Richmond looks like the time to do it.
Tyreek Copper is the first name that jumps out. Rivals and 247Sports both rated him a 4-star prospect in NC State’s 2026 class, and Rivals had him as the No. 15 player in North Carolina.
His high school production at Kinston was outrageous: 105 catches, 2,242 receiving yards and 33 touchdowns. Those 33 scores were the most in the country, and his yardage total ranked second nationally.
He also broke NCHSAA single-season records for both receiving yards and touchdown receptions.
That kind of production doesn’t guarantee anything at the next level, of course. But if you want to find out what he can do against college defensive backs, the only way is to let him play.
Amiri Acker is another freshman who deserves a look. Rivals rated him a 4-star prospect, slotting him as the No. 197 player nationally, the No. 29 wide receiver and the No. 6 player in South Carolina.
His senior numbers - 55 receptions, 1,277 yards and 16 touchdowns - were strong enough on their own. What really makes Acker interesting is the speed.
He wasn’t just fast in pads; he was a standout sprinter in South Carolina.
Amiri Acker’s Track Numbers
100 meters: 10.52, 2025 State Champion
200 meters: 21.35, 2025 State Champion
4×100 relay: State Champion
40-yard dash: Back-to-back laser-timed 4.41s in March 2025
That’s the kind of burst that can stress a defense and create real separation. If NC State is still searching for someone who can threaten the field vertically, Acker is worth a closer look.
Then there’s Je’rel Bolder, who isn’t a freshman but still sits in the “what do we have here?” category.
He barely played as a rookie, logging just three snaps against Memphis in the bowl game. Bolder was a consensus 4-star recruit in NC State’s 2025 class, with Rivals ranking him No. 195 overall, No. 37 at wide receiver and No. 6 in North Carolina.
In high school, he put up 86 catches for 1,445 yards and 11 touchdowns. Now he’s had a full year in the program, and this feels like a natural spot to find out whether he’s ready for more.
The modern college game gives NC State a little more freedom here. With traditional redshirting no longer controlling how many games a first-year player can appear in, there’s less reason to keep promising young receivers on the shelf just to protect a season. If a player can help, play him.
That doesn’t mean tossing the current group aside. JoJo Trader, Victor Snow and Davion Dozier could still turn into real pieces for this offense, and Keenan Jackson is a captain. One game is a tiny sample.
Still, NC State is a 30.5-point favorite over Richmond, and if the Wolfpack takes care of business the way it’s expected to, Dave Doeren and his staff should have a chance to look deeper into the receiver room. The smart move is not waiting until the fourth quarter.
Put Copper out there. Give Acker some routes.
Get Bolder involved. See what happens.
NC State entered the year wondering who would rise from a rebuilt wide receiver room, and tonight offers a chance to start answering that question.
In Other News...
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NC States first home game of the 2026 season against Richmond comes with an immediate test of depth, and the biggest adjustment is on the defensive side after the loss of AJ Richardson for the season. Dave Doeren is expected to sort through the next-man-up options in the linebacking group, with Bailey Benson and DaKaari Nelson both in line for work at WILL, while Ondre Evans is slated to start at left cornerback.
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Doeren said he was then an assistant at the University of Montana, and he remembered the fear that settled over the family during the hours when they did not know whether Bill was safe. That kind of uncertainty gave added meaning to the programs tribute, turning what might have been a routine observance into something far more intimate for the head coach and, by extension, the team he now leads. [Read more 🡒]