Can NC State Bring in More Help Defensively?

The Wolfpack is hosting two more transfer portal defenders, despite the portal window coming to a close.

Nov 18, 2017; Winston-Salem, NC, USA; A North Carolina State Wolfpack helmet lies on the sidelines during the game against the Wake Forest Demon Deacons at BB& T Field. Mandatory Credit: Jeremy Brevard-Imagn Images | Jeremy Brevard-Imagn Images

RALEIGH — Although the transfer portal is officially closed to new entries, thousands of players remain in the portal, awaiting opportunities at new programs across the country. NC State still has some holes to fill and clearly still has an interest in bolstering the roster with hopes of competing in the 2026 season under veteran head coach Dave Doeren.

The Wolfpack did most of its portal acquisition work on the offensive side of the field, but it still needs help with the defense. The program is hosting a pair of defensive tackle transfer pieces in Marshall's KaTron Evans and Texas State's Devarrick Woods, according to a report from 247Sports. With a number of outgoing players on the defensive line, the Pack must improve its depth in the trenches.

---

More on Evans

Aug 30, 2025; Athens, Georgia, USA; Georgia Bulldogs quarterback Ryan Puglisi (12) tries to escape from Marshall Thundering Herd defensive lineman Katron Evans (5), who has a hold of his inner shirt at Sanford Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Dale Zanine-Imagn Images | Dale Zanine-Imagn Images

Evans already has connections to NC State. He played the 2025 season with the Thundering Herd under head coach Tony Gibson, a longtime defensive coordinator at NC State under Doeren, who took the Marshall job after the 2024 season in Raleigh. The defensive tackle played all 12 games for Gibson's Thundering Herd side, racking up 233 total snaps.

In his limited defensive work for the Herd in 2025, Evans racked up 12 tackles, including 1.5 tackles for loss. At 6-foot-3, 336 pounds, he would offer the Wolfpack an immediate replacement in the middle of the defensive line for standout nose tackle Brandon Cleveland, who exhausted his eligibility and entered the NFL draft process. Evans finished the year with a 64.1 defensive grade for the season, according to Pro Football Focus.

---

More on Woods

I am officially in the Transfer Portal 🙏🙏 pic.twitter.com/renBWVREXg

— Devarrick Woods (@devarrick_woods) January 16, 2026

Woods started his college career at the junior college level before he landed in San Marcos. With the Bobcats, he quietly put together a solid 2025 season, racking up 16 tackles, including nine solo takedowns, one sack and 15 stops, according to PFF. Woods is a slightly smaller player than Evans, measuring at 6-foot-3, 290 pounds. He lined up at nose guard and at other spots in the interior of Texas State's defensive line during the year.

Adding the Texas State transfer would help defensive line coach Charley Wiles build some depth within a group that was heavily reliant on Cleveland and fellow veteran Travali Price during the 2025 season. Woods was a particularly strong run stopper, an area that proved problematic for the Wolfpack last year, grading out with a 70.8 score in that category per PFF.

---

Keep it here for more coverage of NC State football and the transfer portal. Follow on X (Twitter) @WolfpackOnSI and @SennettTucker and never miss another breaking news story again. Want to reach out with questions about the Wolfpack? Send an email to wolfpackonsi@gmail.com to potentially be featured on mailbag stories in the future. 

Please let us know your thoughts when you like our Facebook page WHEN YOU CLICK RIGHT HERE.