Ronnie Royal is no stranger to being everywhere on a football field. In high school at Gulf Shores (Ala.), he starred as a do-everything athlete — running back, defensive back, return man — the kind of player who never came off the field and always had the ball in his hands. By the time he graduated, he had earned a reputation as one of the most dynamic two-way players in Alabama, piling up touchdowns on offense and interceptions on defense.
That versatility drew recruiting attention from across the country, but when Royal chose NC State, he knew his future would be defined by focus. “In high school I had fun, played a lot of sports growing up, and football was my main sport,” Royal said. “I just played everything. But making that transition to college, I knew I was going to play one thing, and I wanted it to be free safety. I enjoy it a lot more now because I get to really focus on my drills and my technique.”
Royal arrived in Raleigh with polish thanks to a strong high school coaching background. “My coaches back in high school, they helped me a lot,” he said. “At other schools I was just playing ball. But he came in, taught me a lot of things, actually gave me a head start when I got here in college.”
Still, his first season was about patience. Royal redshirted, a decision that wasn’t easy but ultimately fueled his hunger. “It made me a lot more hungry,” he admitted. “At first I didn’t know if I’d play or sit. So I stayed ready so I didn’t have to get ready. Once I knew I was going to redshirt, it made me hungrier.”
Now, as NC State prepares for a new season, Royal is part of a competitive safety room that has pushed him to grow. “Everybody’s competing. All we do is hold each other accountable and have fun with it,” Royal said. “It’s a brotherhood. You argue back and forth, but at the end of the day, it’s been great.”
That room has its share of voices, and Royal is becoming one of them. “Tristan, JJ, myself included, Jackson Vick, Brody Barnhardt,” he said, naming the leaders. “We’ve all got a voice.”
Learning under NC State’s defensive staff has helped sharpen his game further. He credits Coach Warren especially for raising his football IQ. “Coach Warren, he’s a great coach,” Royal said. “He’s really taught me a lot about technique, concepts of the game. Just listening to him every day makes me understand football a lot more and makes the game funner.”
Physically, Royal has embraced the identity of a safety who thrives on contact. “I’d say aggressive, very physical. Love to hit. I’m not scared to hit,” he said. “I’ll come down when I need to, I’ll box when I need to. Physicality is no problem.”
That physicality has been paired with a new emphasis on communication, something he admits wasn’t a strength in high school. “Back in high school, I communicated off and on the field, but not as well,” Royal said. “In college, they drilled that on me. Calling our checks and adjustments in the secondary — that’s been huge. I’d say communication and technique are the biggest things I’ve improved on.”
Royal still has the instincts of the player who loved making people miss with the ball in his hands, but his perspective has shifted. “I used to have fun just running anywhere, making people miss,” he said. “But now it’s more focusing on tackling. My big goal is to tackle and get the ball back so I can have the ball in my hands again.”
From Gulf Shores standout to redshirt freshman fighting for a role in the Wolfpack defense, Royal’s journey has been defined by versatility, patience, and growth. Now, with a year of development behind him and a voice emerging in the safety room, he looks ready to add both depth and dynamism to NC State’s secondary.
