IPS NC State Fantasy Football Draft: Final Two Rounds And Rosters
Inside Pack Sports staff members James Henderson, Jon Stout, Ethan Barry, and Andrew Schnittker recently conducted an all-time NC State Fantasy Football Draft.
The six-round snake draft consisted of each team selecting a quarterback, running back, a wide receiver, two defensive players, and a flex position.
The draft order was random-generated with James receiving the first pick followed by Jon, Ethan, and Andrew.
Here is a look at the write-ups for the first two rounds of the draft: LINK
Here is a look at the write-ups for the 3rd and 4th rounds of the draft: LINK
NOTE: We will post two rounds of each draft. Following the three stories we will also post the podcast of the actual draft.
ROUND 5
5.01 James Henderson – DT Dennis Byrd
With the other three drafters already having quarterbacks I knew I could delay that decision until my final pick (which was my strategy), so it allowed me to go ahead and take my second defensive player.
Dennis Byrd is a no-brainer.
The first two-time All-America in the history of NC State football and the only Wolfpack defensive player to have his jersey retired, Byrd is also in the National Football Foundation's College Football Hall of Fame. He was a first-team All-ACC player all three seasons he played varsity football, and Byrd was a consensus two-time All-American.
Frankly, he’s probably the most accomplished defensive player in Wolfpack history. Love getting him at this point in the draft. STEAL!
5.02 Jon Stout - LB Levar Fisher
I considered Dantonio Burnette here but ultimately decided to go with Fisher, mainly because his 492 total tackles remains the most all-time in program history.
A four-year starter at NC State, Fisher was named the ACC Defensive Player of the Year in 2000 after leading the country with 15.1 tackles per game. Fisher also garnered First Team All ACC honors in 2000 and 2001.
5.03 Ethan Barry - RB Matt Dayes
I was actually going defense here but knew Andrew already had two defensive players, so he wasn’t taking another one; therefore, I knew I had to get my pick of offensive player.
Another one where I didn’t know whether to go Dayes or T.A. McLendon. I know what I’m going to get from Dayes every week. Not going to be flashy, but he doesn’t need to be with three other guys who can change the game on one play.
Would’ve had back-to-back 1,000 yard seasons without the injury his junior year, and that’s a very rare feat, especially at that point for the Pack.
5.04 Andrew Schnittker - RB T.A. McLendon
Ethan strikes again. I had my eye on Dayes here, but T.A. is more than a consolation prize, as I join Philip Rivers with another playmaker from his era.
Despite playing just three seasons at State, McLendon is 11th in all-time rushing yards and fourth in rushing touchdowns with 33. An easy pick here as a back with a nose for the end zone.
ROUND 6
6.01 Andrew Schnittker - WR Jakobi Meyers
This might be more recency bias, as I watched and covered Meyers in his time at State (phenomenal interview, by the way), but the numbers don’t lie.
Despite being just a two-year starter (as he redshirted a year to switch from quarterback and left after his redshirt junior season), Meyers sits fifth all time with 168 catches and eighth with 1,932 receiving yards.
I feel good about pairing my big-play threat in Spencer with a reliable, third-down target, slot receiver in Meyers.
6.02 Ethan Barry - LB Manny Lawson
For my money, edge rushers are the second most important players on the field, and you can never have too many.
That’s why I went Lawson over Germaine Pratt. I liked his four years of production, and he was a higher draft pick, as well.
Feel like I got a steal with Lawson here and would’ve taken him in the fifth until my strategy changed. Lawson was higher than Dayes for me, but it worked out for me to get both.
6.03 Jon Stout - DL Ray Agnew
No choice here but to round out my team with a defensive selection. I’ve never seen Ray Agnew play, but the accolades at State and his 11-year NFL career were too impressive to pass on.
Agnew was named ACC Rookie of the Year in 1986, the first defensive player in State history to win the award. He garnered All-ACC honors in 1988 and 1989, and Agnew was also named Team MVP and captain as a senior. The Winston-Salem native ranks No. 9 all-time at NC State with 17 sacks and is tied with seven other players at No. 2 in school history with six fumble recoveries.
The New England Patriots selected Agnew with the 10th pick of the 1st Round in the 1990 NFL Draft. He was only the second NC State defensive player selected in the first round; the Patriots (then Boston) took former Wolfpack DL Dennis Byrd No. 6 overall in 1968. Along with Torry Holt, Agnew was a member of the Super Bowl XXXIV Champion St. Louis Rams in 2000.
6.04 James Henderson – QB Roman Gabriel
This decision came down to Ryan Finley and Roman Gabriel for me. Finley played just three years at NC State and is the school’s all-time leader in completion percentage and is No. 3 in ACC history in passing yards behind Philip Rivers and Tahj Boyd. Number three. He probably passes Rivers had he played four years like Philip.
Given he also led the Pack to 11 ACC wins over a two-year period, something none of the QBs already drafted here have done, that’s pretty impressive.
However, it’s disrespectful to not go with Gabriel, despite his low production #s. He was a two-time All-American and two-time ACC Player of the Year. He has his jersey retired. Gabriel was the No. 1 pick in the AFL draft and the No. 2 pick in the NFL draft.
He’s arguably the most accomplished player in NC State history.
I like Finley, but the pick is Roman Gabriel.
IPS NC State Fantasy Football Draft
ROUND/PICK | TEAM | POSITION | PLAYER |
1.01 | Henderson | RB | Ted Brown |
1.02 | Stout | WR | Torry Holt |
1.03 | Barry | DE | Mario Williams |
1.04 | Schnittker | QB | Philip Rivers |
2.01 | Schnittker | DE | Bradley Chubb |
2.02 | Barry | QB | Russell Wilson |
2.03 | Stout | FLEX | Jaylen Samuels |
2.04 | Henderson | WR | Jerricho Cotchery |
3.01 | Henderson | CB | David Amerson |
3.02 | Stout | QB | Mike Glennon |
3.03 | Barry | WR | Kelvin Harmon |
3.04 | Schnittker | WR | Owen Spencer |
4.01 | Schnittker | LB | Nate Irving |
4.02 | Barry | RB | Nyheim Hines |
4.03 | Stout | RB | Joe McIntosh |
4.04 | Henderson | FLEX | Koren Robinson |
5.01 | Henderson | DT | Dennis Byrd |
5.02 | Stout | LB | Levar Fisher |
5.03 | Barry | FLEX | Matt Dayes |
5.04 | Schnittker | RB | T.A. McLendon |
6.01 | Schnittker | FLX | Jakobi Meyers |
6.02 | Barry | DE | Manny Lawson |
6.03 | Stout | DT | Ray Agnew |
6.04 | Henderson | QB | Roman Gabriel |
Team Rosters
TEAM | QB | RB | WR | FLEX | DEFENSE | DEFENSE |
James Henderson | Roman Gabriel | Ted Brown | Jerricho Cotchery | Koren Robinson | David Amerson | Dennis Byrd |
Jon Stout | Mike Glennon | Joe McIntosh | Torry Holt | Jaylen Samuels | Levar Fisher | Ray Agnew |
Ethan Barry | Russell Wilson | Nyheim Hines | Kelvin Harmon | Matt Dayes | Mario Williams | Manny Lawson |
Andrew Schnittker | Philip Rivers | T.A. McLendon | Owen Spencer | Jakobi Meyers | Bradley Chubb | Nate Irving |