NC State up to 30 players drafted under coach Dave Doeren

NC State coach Dave Doeren has now produced 30 NFL Draft picks since taking over at NC State in 2013.

Doeren has had a player drafted every year but 2015. The two most recent were tight end Justin Joly, who went in the fifth round (No. 152 overall) to the Denver Broncos, and defensive lineman Brandon Cleveland, who went in the seventh round (No. 229) to the Las Vegas Raiders.

What is impressive is how many players who are still in the NFL out of the 30 draft picks — with at least 16 still on rosters.

Out of the 30, all but five were recruited by Doeren, with former coach Tom O’Brien getting the verbal commitments from Jack Tocho and Matthew Dayes, and signing and partially coaching Dontae Johnson, Joe Thuney and Juston Burris.

Doeren’s first NFL prospect was former Florida quarterback transfer Jacoby Brissett, who went in the 2016 draft. His first prep commitment who went on to get drafted was safety Josh Jones in 2017.

Ten of the 30 players were Rivals four-star prospects coming out of high school. Two of the players arrived from junior college, four were transfers from four-year colleges and punter Trenton Gill was a former walk-on.

The Wolfpack also signed and developed wide receivers Kevin Concepcion (Texas A&M) and Anthony Smith (East Carolina), along with cornerback Brandon Cisse (South Carolina), who were drafted during the Thursday-through-Saturday draft. Concepcion went in the first round to the Cleveland Browns, Cisse in the second round for the Green Bay Packers, and the Dallas Cowboys drafted Smith in the seventh round.

Past Dave Doeren draft picks

2014 NFL Draft

Dontae Johnson, CB, 3 stars: No. 129 overall in the fourth round to the San Francisco 49ers.

2016 NFL Draft

Joe Thuney, guard, 3 stars: No. 78 overall in the third round to the New England Patriots.

Jacoby Brissett, QB, 4 stars: No. 91 overall in the third round to the New England Patriots.

Juston Burris, CB, 3 stars: No. 118 overall in the fourth round to the New York Jets.

2017 NFL Draft

Josh Jones, S, 3 stars: No. 61 overall in the second round to the Green Bay Packers.

Jack Tocho, DB, 3 stars: No. 245 overall in the seventh round to the Minnesota Vikings.

Matthew Dayes, RB, 3 stars: No. 252 overall in the seventh round to the Cleveland Browns.

2018 NFL Draft

Bradley Chubb, DE, 3 stars: No. 5 overall in the first round of the Denver Broncos.

B.J. Hill, DT, 3 stars: No. 69 overall in the third round to the New York Giants.

Justin Jones, DT, 4 stars: No. 84 overall in the third round to the Los Angeles Chargers.

Nyheim Hines, RB, 4 stars: No. 104 overall in the fourth round to the Indianapolis Colts.

Kentavius Street, DE, 4 stars: No. 128 overall in the fourth round to the San. Francisco 49ers.

Will Richardson, OT, 3 stars: No. 129 overall in the fourth round to the Jacksonville Jaguars.

Jaylen Samuels, FB, 3 stars: No. 165 overall in the fifth round to the Pittsburgh Steelers.

2019 NFL Draft

Garrett Bradbury, C, 2 stars: No. 18 overall in the first round to the Minnesota Vikings.

Germaine Pratt, LB, 4 stars: No. 72 overall in the third round to the Cincinnati Bengals.

Ryan Finley, QB, 3 stars: No. 104 overall in the fourth round to the Cincinnati Bengals

Kelvin Harmon, WR, 4 stars: No. 206 overall in the sixth round to the Washington Redskins.

2020 NFL Draft

Larrell Murchison, DT, 3 stars: No. 174 overall in the fifth round to the Tennessee Titans.

James Smith-Williams, DE, 2 stars: No. 229 overall in the seventh round to the Washington Redskins.

2021 NFL Draft

Alim McNeill, DT, 4 stars: No. 72 overall in the third round to the Detroit Lions.

2022 NFL Draft

Ikem Ekwonu, OT, 3 stars: No. 6 overall in the first round to the Carolina Panthers.

Trenton Gill, P, unrated: No. 255 overall in the seventh round to the Chicago Bears. 

2023 NFL Draft

Chandler Zavala, OG, unrated: No. 114 overall in the fourth round to the Carolina Panthers.

2024 NFL Draft

Payton Wilson, OLB, 4 stars: No. 98 overall in the third round to the Pittsburgh Steelers.

Dylan McMahon, C, 3 stars: No. 190 overall in the sixth round to the Philadelphia Eagles.

Devin Leary, QB, 4 stars: No. 218 overall in the sixth round to the Baltimore Ravens.

2025 NFL Draft

Anthony Belton, OT, unrated: No. 54 overall in the second round to the Green Bay Packers.

2026 NFL Draft

Justin Joly, TE, 2 stars: No. 152 overall in the fifth round to the Denver Broncos.

Brandon Cleveland, DT/NT, 4 stars: No. 229 overall in the seven to the Las Vegas Raiders