COACH TALK: Faulkner Breaks Down NC State's Tight End Situation
NC State tight ends coach Eddie Faulkner knows he has to replace multi-year starter Cole Cook and All-ACC standout Jaylen Samuels, but he is pleased with the remaining talent in his room.
"I’m excited about them," Faulkner said about the tight ends at the conclusion of fall camp. "Believe it or not, we’re as deep as we’ve ever been. Those guys have developed and gotten better every practice.
"We haven’t had a practice where we’ve taken a dip so that’s good to see. Young guys are going to be around for a long time, doing some good things, getting better everyday."
Samuels was a target magnet while lining up at slot receiver or H-Back, and his production will be difficult to replicate. However, Faulkner has multiple options. Redshirt sophomore Dylan Parham, a converted quarterback, flashed his upside last year with plays like this catch at Florida State, and Faulkner has seen growth from Parham.
"Athletically, he’s freaky in what he can do," Faulkner said of Parham. "He runs well, can catch the ball... he's tough, physical. All those things. He’s gotten a lot better so I’m pleased with where he’s at."
The other Dylan, Dylan Autenrieth, also returns. Autenrieth played in every game last season, and his job was primarily a blocker in short-yardage situations. Faulkner wants to see even more from Autenrieth.
"I wanted to see him improve his usage of his hands on blocks," Faulkner said. "He really coordinated. One thing about that kid is he’s exhausted every resource from film to things he can do extra before and after practice. He’s always working to get better. I’m excited about him because he’s all in."
Two redshirt freshmen will also be competing for playing time: Damien Darden and Adam Boselli. Darden has completely transformed his body while on campus, and he now checks in at 6-foot-3 and 255 pounds. Faulkner raved about the redshirt freshman from Pikeville, North Carolina, who is listed as the starter entering the James Madison contest.
"Damien’s made huge strides," he said. "He’s got all the measurables you want from a player. As he continues to mature, physically and mentally, he’s made the decision this offseason to continue to get better every day.
"He’s playing good football, and he has very high upside. We haven’t seen the end of what he can do; this is just the tip of the iceberg. I’m pleased with where he’s at."
Boselli, the son of Pro Football Hall of Famer Tony Boselli, has battled injuries while on campus, but with those behind him he has started to really make strides.
"Adam was nicked up last fall camp so he missed a lot of development time," Faulkner added. "He’s where he should have been last year. He’s continued to get better every day because he’s been out there which was a huge motive.
"His attitude is exactly where you want it. He’s looking to contribute however he can. Those guys are getting better every day and they’ll continue to do so."
Faulkner definitely has a full room, but we've yet to break down the player expected to have the biggest impact at the position this year: Cary Angeline. A Southern Cal transfer, Angeline must sit out the first three games due to NCAA rules, but Faulkner lit up while talking about the redshirt sophomore.
"He’s going to be good," Faulkner said. "He’s a big, long kid who can run and bend, and he’s sneaky strong. For somebody who’s 6-foot-7, he can bend as well as anybody I’ve been around at any position.
"The challenge will be keeping him engaged because he’ll be working with the scout team, which I think he needs to keep the speed of the game, so he’s keeping the routine so when he does start playing he feels like he’s been doing it. Then the only difference is he’s doing it on Saturday.
"I’m very encouraged, he’s going to be a good football player and has three seasons to play. I’m excited."
Faulkner had recruited Angeline, who held over 40 offers as a four-star recruit in the 2016 class, out of high school. Once Angeline announced he was transferring from Southern Cal he sent practice film to the schools he was considering. Angeline was Southern Cal's Scout Team Player of the Year in 2016, so Faulkner already had a glimpse of what the tight end could do.
Was Faulkner surprised by his overall game once Angeline arrived at NC State?
"I wouldn’t say surprising, but it was better than I thought it would be," he said. "He can do more things off the ball than you would think a guy that tall can do. He’s a very talented kid and continues to adjust to the offense.
"Once he's playing fast like that, because he knows exactly what he’s doing, he’s going to be as good as anybody in our league."
Angeline will likely benefit the most from the "Samuels role" in the offense, given his expected role. With his height he's going to be a huge target for Ryan Finley down the seams or across the middle of the field, which is much different than Samuels, who checked in at just 5-foot-11.
"Jaylen’s skill set was different than Cary’s, and Cary’s is different than Jaylen’s," Faulkner said. "You play to what they do well. Cary is a big target, big hands, long arms, really good hands and runs well. You put the ball around him and he’s going to catch it.
"That creates different things we can do in the passing game and in the running game, to be honest. With him as a blocker, we can play to his strengths. Like I said, I’m encouraged. Like everybody else, I wish we had him the first couple games, but it is what it is."
NC State was predominently a rushing team in the redzone in 2017, scoring 26 rushing touchdowns and just nine passing touchdowns in that area. Could the addition of Angeline and the other tight ends impact in that area?
"What Coach Drink decides to do during a game depends on what the defense gives us and the game plan," Faulkner said. "Those guys are the bodies you want if you want to use them down there, running and catching. They can do all those things."