NC State’s offensive line will look different in 2026, but one piece the Wolfpack badly needed to keep in place was Spike Sowells Jr.
With fall camp set to open in less than a week, NC State is trying to carry momentum from an 8-5 season and a convincing bowl win over Memphis into a roster that features plenty of new faces. The Pack brought back quarterback CJ Bailey, right tackle Teague Andersen, center Spike Sowells Jr. and running back Duke Scott, while also adding portal help such as Edge Harvey Dyson, safety King Mack, linebacker Popo Aguirre and left tackle Jimarion McCrimon. On defense, State has to replace its front six, even as Jackson Vick and Brian Nelson II return in the secondary.
Against that backdrop, Sowells stands out as one of the most important players on the roster.
NC State was among the first Power Four programs to offer him, doing so in the summer of 2023. Offensive line coach Garett Tujague quickly made him the staff’s top center target, and Sowells’ recruitment stayed tight to the Wolfpack from there.
He released a top five in May 2024 that included State, Wisconsin, Miami, South Carolina and Kentucky, then officially visited every school on that list except Wisconsin. By the time he wrapped up his trip to NC State - his final official visit - the Wolfpack were in a strong spot.
On July 11, he narrowed things to State, Kentucky and South Carolina, and a week later he committed to the Pack.
His senior year only raised the ceiling. Sowells earned an invite to the Navy All-American Bowl in January, then turned heads with a strong showing there.
The 6-foot-2, 312-pound lineman jumped nearly 500 spots in the Final 247Sports 2025 Rankings, with his rating climbing from 88 to 95. That vaulted him to No. 4 among interior offensive linemen nationally and made him the top player in Kentucky.
He enrolled at NC State days after the All-American game, and the buzz started almost immediately. From winter workouts through spring practice, Sowells kept building momentum behind the scenes, and it became clear he would factor in right away as a true freshman.
He did exactly that. Sowells played in 10 games last fall and took over the starting right guard job midway through the season, then held onto it. When the year ended, he was NC State’s second-highest graded offensive lineman and had picked up Freshman All-America recognition from multiple media outlets.
Now he’s moving back inside to center, where the Wolfpack expect him to be one of the ACC’s best at the position and likely one of the best in the country. NC State invested heavily to keep Bailey in place, and the center-quarterback connection is one of the most important on the field. Beyond Bailey, the center also carries a huge load in the offense.
That’s why Sowells matters so much. He may not be the flashiest name on the roster, but he’s set up to be one of the biggest reasons NC State can keep moving forward this season.