Assessing the Performance of the Wide Receivers for NC State in 2025

RALEIGH — Just before the New Year, NC State already turned its focus away from the 2025 season to retaining key players and preparing for the transfer portal battle. However, the past season was one filled with overcoming adversity and ended in success with a win in the Union Home Mortgage Gasparilla Bowl.

Offensively, the Wolfpack wasn't a juggernaut in the ACC, but did take major strides in the sophomore season of quarterback CJ Bailey. The young signal caller showed improved passing ability under now full-time offensive coordinator Kurt Roper and established chemistry with his versatile group of wide receivers as the year went along.

Those wide receivers, coached by Joker Phillips, entered the season as a young, somewhat inexperienced group. With the exit of star wideout K.C. Concepcion, there were questions about who would take over as the alpha of the group. How did the young bunch of wideouts perform in the 2025 season?

Snap counts for NC State's wide receivers (Primary Contributors)

Nov 1, 2025; Raleigh, North Carolina, USA; North Carolina State Wolfpack wide receiver Teddy Hoffmann (12) catches a pass against Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets defensive back Omar Daniels (9) during the first quarter at Carter-Finley Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Zachary Taft-Imagn Images | Zachary Taft-Imagn Images

Sophomore Keenan Jackson - 604 snaps
Redshirt sophomore Noah Rogers - 532 snaps
Sophomore Terrell Anderson - 460 snaps
Senior Wesley Grimes - 436 snaps
Freshman Teddy Hoffmann - 272 snaps

Assessing the performance of the wide receivers for the Wolfpack

Dec 19, 2025; Tampa, FL, USA; NC State Wolfpack wide receiver Wesley Grimes (6) collides in the end zone with Memphis Tigers defensive back Chris Bracy (5) for a touchdown in the first quarter during the Gasparilla Bowl at Raymond James Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Nathan Ray Seebeck-Imagn Images | Nathan Ray Seebeck-Imagn Images

In the season opener, it was clear Bailey developed chemistry with his versatile group of wide receivers. All offseason, the word versatility was used by the coaching staff and the wideouts themselves to describe the position group as a whole. Despite some of them lacking significant experience, they entered the season as a confident bunch.

Each player had one specific talent, but could move between spots on the field to help Bailey and also frustrate the defense. Jackson, who played the most snaps of any member of the Wolfpack receiver group, was an oversized option in the slot at 6-foot-3, offering a quality red zone option. He scored a pair of touchdowns and played 316 snaps from the slot.

Oct 25, 2025; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA; North Carolina State Wolfpack wide receiver Keenan Jackson (8) warms up before the game against the Pittsburgh Panthers at Acrisure Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images | Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images

Entering the season, the slot receiving options appeared to be sophomore Terrell Anderson and true freshman Teddy Hoffmann. Anderson emerged as the team's top wide receiver option and lined up wide more and more as the season went on. He led the Wolfpack with 625 receiving yards and trailed only tight end Justin Joly in touchdown receptions, with five on the year.

Anderson offered the team the most versatility, as he proved himself as a downfield threat and ran short and medium routes with precision. Against Duke, he took a jailbreak screen pass 75 yards for a touchdown, showing his breakaway speed at a key moment. The sophomore opted for the transfer portal after finishing his second season with the Wolfpack, marking a major loss for the program.

The team's other slot option, the young Hoffmann, began the season by making the offseason talk about chemistry with Bailey, a fellow Floridian from the same area as Hoffmann, look legitimate. He caught five passes for 93 yards in his first game in a Wolfpack uniform. His crisp route-running offered him a role throughout much of the season, but he did struggle with his punt return duties. Hoffmann finished the season with 25 receptions for 353 yards and three touchdowns.

Noah Rogers and Wesley Grimes offered tremendous speed, often competing for the title of fastest on the team. Coming into the season, Rogers looked like the best candidate for a significant breakout, given his former status as a five-star recruit who played one season with Ohio State, a proven factory for talent at the position. That breakout never manifested fully.

The redshirt sophomore finished with five drops in his second season in Raleigh. He tallied 32 catches on 51 targets, racking up 437 yards with just two touchdowns. After his disappointing sophomore season, Rogers opted for the transfer portal in hopes of unlocking another gear at a different stop next season. With Rogers and Anderson on the way out, Hoffmann and Jackson look poised to take over the room.

The final member of the group to contribute productively was Wesley Grimes, the senior member of the group. The Wake Forest transfer took steps as a deep threat in his second season with the Wolfpack. If he wasn't being targeted downfield, the Wolfpack tried to take advantage of his speed in screen situations. Bailey and the NC State staff will miss Grimes.

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