DC DJ Eliot’s strong track record of developing OLBs continues at NC State

When Cian Slone arrived at NC State for his official visit last spring, he sat down for a meeting with Wolfpack defensive coordinator D.J. Eliot, who had an idea of moving the Utah State defensive end to a new position: Outside linebacker. 

Even though spring practice already came and went, Slone was confident he could make the seamless transition to the new role within Eliot’s defense by learning the scheme over the summer and in fall camp. He put his full trust in his new position coach to have him prepared for Week 1. 

Sure enough, it worked out — and in a significant way, too. 

Slone, who hadn’t filled a coverage role at the collegiate level, turned into an all-around outside linebacker in his only season with the Wolfpack. He logged a career-best 61 total tackles, including 6.5 for a loss, with 1.5 sacks, a game-sealing interception against Virginia and one pass breakup under Eliot’s tutoring. 

For the Rocklin, Calif., native, it came down to listening to what Eliot wanted in the meeting room and deploying it on the practice field and eventually in a game. He learned the art of the new position rather quickly, starting all 13 games at the Pack’s JACK position, as a result.

“It’s definitely an NFL-style outside linebacker,” said Slone, a 6-foot-4, 252-pound defender. “I feel like with my size and my dimensions, it was a perfect spot for me. I don’t think anyone could have taught it better than Coach Eliot. I was really appreciative of that.”

Slone, who played his way into the Senior Bowl appearance and may hear his name called in next week’s NFL Draft, is just the latest example of what Eliot brought to NC State’s coaching staff in his first year of running his system in Raleigh. After all, the defensive coordinator boasts a deep track record of developing outside linebackers at the collegiate level with Slone being his latest addition.

Eliot developed Kentucky outside linebackers Bud Dupree and Josh Hines-Allen into a pair of first round picks by the Pittsburgh Steelers in 2015 and the Jacksonville Jaguars in 2019, respectively, while Za’Darius Smith was a fourth-round pick by the Baltimore Ravens in 2015.

It didn’t stop there, either. Eliot tutored Colorado’s Davion Taylor into a third-round selection by the Philadelphia Eagles in 2020, while Kansas’ Kyron Johnson was picked by the Eagles in the sixth round in the 2022 iteration of the event. 

Eliot’s body of work was a key reason why outside linebacker Tra Thomas played for him at both Temple as a sophomore and NC State as a senior this past fall. 

“Those are players that I used to watch and still watch to this day. That was big for me because my goal is to be where they’re at, make the type of money that they’re making,” Thomas said. “They can provide for their families because of the type of athlete they became and made a name for themselves. Learning from him was what led me to sign with him.”

The former junior college recruit arrived at the college level with professional aspirations, and after logging a career-best four sacks in a rotational role with the Pack, has a chance to earn a spot in an NFL camp in the coming months. 

Slone and Thomas both pointed to Eliot’s coaching style as to why they were able to find success in his scheme. The veteran coordinator has a unique way of connecting with his players, using a patient and effective approach in installing how he wants his outside linebackers to make a splash on the field.

“One thing I like about Coach Eliot is that he had my best interest in mind and wanted to develop me into the player I wanted to become,” Thomas said. “I knew I was going to be coached by a wise man, learn a lot from him, and it was going to help me in my career in the future.”

Slone seemed to follow a similar line of thinking, while the same can be said for the next in line at NC State: Tulane transfer Harvey Dyson. The standout pass rusher is obsessed with improving his level of play, and Eliot shared the same vision in the transfer portal, which set him apart from other coaches in the process.

“Coach Eliot, he made it short and simple, and just told me what I could work on,” said Dyson, who posted an American Athletic Conference-leading eight sacks with the Green Wave last fall. “That’s what I’m all about, just getting better.”

But going back to Slone’s experience, he knew NC State was the place for him to learn under Eliot after his official visit the weekend of the Pack’s 2025 spring game. A breakout final season of eligibility followed, and now he has the attention of all 32 NFL teams a year later. 

The one season under Eliot helped Slone unlock his full potential. He feels like he’s a “three-dimensional player” after playing in the Wolfpack’s system — one that can get after the quarterback, stop the run and drop into coverage. 

It was a complete 180-degree turn for Slone, but one that he calls a “phenomenal” coaching job by Eliot to have him prepared for the next step of his football career at the professional level.

“When I got there, in my mind, I was a pass rusher,” said Slone, who totaled 40 quarterback pressures in Eliot’s scheme. “I didn’t really think of the whole coverage aspect of it.

“But now, after the season and this whole process, understanding how important pass coverage is for NFL outside linebackers, I feel like I matured a ton and grew a lot as a player. NC State is definitely a special place, so I was super glad with my decision to come there.”