Each week, N.C. State football adopts a motivating word or phrase to rally the team. While there’s no official choice yet, players have repeatedly leaned on terms like “versatile” and “toughness” when talking about the 2025 defense. This fall, the Wolfpack debuts fresh faces, new leadership, and a different scheme on the opposite side of the ball. Gone is Tony Gibson’s trademark 3-3-5 formation and the familiar lineup fans have grown accustomed to. In its place is a unit that believes it can raise the standard, armed with depth and players whose skill sets cover a wide range.
“This defense, I think, is way more versatile,” cornerback Devon Marshall said. “We’re showing different looks, and we’re going to be able to do a lot of different things under Coach (DJ) Eliot. We’ve been getting after it, moving fast. I like the whole defensive line and the linebackers we’ve brought in. They’re fast, they’re physical.”
Northwestern transfer linebacker Kenny Soares described the Wolfpack defense as “hard knock, physical and gonna run through your face every single play,” adding that he aims to be a “headhunter” who delivers a hit on every snap. Soares has taken reps at both inside and outside linebacker, giving the unit added flexibility.
Former Wyoming defensive lineman Sabastian Harsh has also showcased versatility, lining up in different spots across various formations. “If Coach tells me to take on a double team, I’ll do it. If he wants me to cover someone on the perimeter, I’ll do that, too,” Harsh said. “Having a lot of guys who can do a lot of different things is really good for the team.”
Returning linebackers Caden Fordham and Sean Brown combined for 144 tackles, four sacks, and three pass deflections last season—numbers compiled despite Fordham missing the second half of the year. Soares said the linebacker room has enough depth to handle injuries or in-game substitutions without missing a beat.
That same confidence extends to the secondary, which is retooling after multiple departures. Cornerbacks Devon Marshall and Jackson Vick say the group remains dangerous. “I feel like we’re all ball hawks,” Marshall said. “We’re ball hungry. We’ve got a chip on our shoulder and a lot to prove. People are doubting us—and they shouldn’t. We’re gonna show that.”
The Wolfpack defense will have a very different look in 2025. Only 11 letter winners are back, and just three of them were starters a year ago. Thirteen letter winners are gone, including six from the secondary. Four of those defensive backs entered the transfer portal — among them Brandon Cisse, now at Clemson — while two others finished their eligibility.
Linebacker Sean Brown returns as the team’s top tackler from last season with 96 stops, but only two of the next nine leading tacklers — Caden Fordham and Travali Price — are back. In total, the 10 returning defenders combined for 318 tackles last year, according to the NCAA, which accounts for only about 38% of the Wolfpack’s total defensive production.
Cornerback Devon Marshall stands alone as the only returning Wolfpack defender who recorded both an interception and at least three pass deflections last season. In 2024, the senior posted seven pass breakups — second most on the team — along with two interceptions.
Help is on the way, though. Six members of N.C. State’s incoming defensive class combined last season for 257 tackles, four sacks, 19 pass breakups, seven interceptions, and two forced fumbles at their previous schools. Cornerback Brian Nelson started all 12 games for North Texas, notching three pass breakups and four interceptions. Safety Jamel Johnson and cornerback JJ Johnson each arrive in Raleigh with more than 100 career tackles, while defensive lineman Sabastian Harsh totaled 97 stops in three years in the Mountain West.
One of the Wolfpack’s toughest losses came with the graduation of defensive end Davin Vann, last year’s team leader in sacks (6.5) and the nation’s leader in forced fumbles (6). Filling his shoes will be a committee effort, with Travali Price, Sabastian Harsh, Tra Thomas, and Isaiah Shirley among the candidates to step up. But head coach Dave Doeren has made it clear: improvement is needed across the board.
N.C. State’s defensive legacy runs deep, boasting alumni like Mario Williams, Bradley Chubb, Vaughan Johnson, and Adrian Wilson, who combined for 15 Pro Bowl nods and 10 All-Pro honors. In the past decade, 12 Wolfpack defenders have been selected in the NFL Draft, and the program has finished in the national top 25 for scoring or total defense in half of those seasons — including both categories in 2016, 2021, and 2022. Last year, however, was the unit’s worst statistical finish since 2015, ranking No. 99 in scoring defense and No. 88 in total defense.
This year’s goals are clear: flip the turnover margin to the positive, generate more than last season’s 23 sacks, and improve coverage to limit explosive plays. The standard is high, and players insist they’re ready to meet it.
“Any time we go out on the field as an N.C. State defense, we expect to dominate,” linebacker Caden Fordham said at ACC Kickoff. “We expect to play physical and tough. This offseason was big for us — getting new guys in and showing them the way we do things here. Last year wasn’t up to the standard. This year is a new year, and we’re going to prove we’re back. We’re going to uphold that standard and play ball on defense.”
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