Every NC State Player Selected in the First Round of the NFL Draft Since 2000

RALEIGH — NC State developed a reputation as a program capable of producing quality NFL talent, particularly since Dave Doeren took over as head coach 13 seasons ago. On Thursday and in the ensuing days, the next batch of Pack Pros will await their names being called at the 2026 NFL Draft, with dreams of becoming the next great representative of the Pack.

Even before Doeren joined the program, NC State developed and sent out several first-round picks in the NFL Draft, some of whom went on to become legends in the league after being selected. Who are the Wolfpack's first-round picks since 2000?

WR Koren Robinson - No. 9, 2001

Spending one season with a young quarterback named Philip Rivers helped Koren Robinson fly up draft boards. He was named a semifinalist for the 2000 Biletnikoff Award and earned First-Team All-ACC honors as a receiver and return man. He became just the second receiver in school history to top 1,000 yards receiving in a single season, joining the great Torry Holt.

As a pro, Robinson spent seasons with the Seattle Seahawks (who drafted him), Minnesota Vikings and Green Bay Packers. His one season with the Vikings was his most successful, as he earned First-Team All-Pro honors for his work as a returner and receiver.

QB Philip Rivers - No. 4, 2004

There aren't many players who left a legacy as large as the one Rivers left at NC State. He walked away as the greatest quarterback in program history, still holding career records in passing yards and touchdowns. He made two All-ACC teams, including the First-Team in 2003, while also earning ACC Player of the Year and Offensive Player of the Year honors. His No. 17 jersey is retired, although that could change with his son, Gunner, set to program in 2027.

As a pro, Rivers became one of the great gunslingers in NFL history, earning eight Pro Bowl nods and the Comeback Player of the Year Award. He joined 16 other quarterbacks in the 2004 NFL Draft, when he was traded by the New York Giants for Ole Miss quarterback Eli Manning, who went first overall, but did not want to play for San Diego.

DE Mario Williams - No. 1, 2006

Mario Williams became the first NC State player to be selected with the top pick in the NFL Draft since Roman Gabriel decades earlier. The defensive end had a remarkable career in Raleigh, recording 25.5 career sacks. He was named First-Team All-ACC twice.

In the league, Williams bounced around, earning a living as a solid sack artist. He made four Pro Bowls and earned First-Team All-Pro honors with the Buffalo Bills in 2014. He retired in 2016 with 97.5 sacks and 121 tackles for loss.

LB Manny Lawson - No. 22, 2006

The 2006 NFL Draft saw three Wolfpack players selected in the first round, with Lawson being the next in line. The talented defensive end earned First-Team All-ACC honors for his efforts in 2005, recording 10.5 sacks that season.

He was picked by the 49ers and went on to play nine seasons in the NFL in San Francisco, Cincinnati and Buffalo, where he spent one season with Williams, his college teammate.

DT John McCargo - No. 26, 2006

Yet another member of the Wolfpack defensive line went in the first round in 2006, as John McCargo, the man in the middle, joined Williams and Lawson as the third NC State defender taken. He earned freshman All-American honors in 2003. In his sophomore season, he helped the Wolfpack become one of the best defenses in the nation.

McCargo played 44 games in six NFL seasons between Buffalo and Tampa Bay.

DE Bradley Chubb - No. 5, 2018

There was a drought of first-round talent at NC State as Doeren rebuilt the program in Raleigh. Things came together finally when he brought Bradley Chubb in, who broke the first-round dry spell and was selected fifth overall by the Denver Broncos in 2018. He's gone on to have a solid NFL career, but struggled with injuries at some of his stops.

In his senior season, Chubb exploded for the Wolfpack, racking up 10 sacks en route to an ACC Defensive Player of the Year award, First-Team All-ACC honors, and unanimous All-American honors in 2017.

C Garrett Bradbury - No. 18, 2019

Garrett Bradbury was one of three NC State players to participate in Super Bowl LX, where he started at center for the losing New England Patriots. His NFL journey started almost a decade ago, when the Minnesota Vikings selected him 18th in the 2019 NFL Draft.

At NC State, Bradbury won the Rimington Trophy, given to the best center in the country, in his senior season and earned Consensus All-American honors.

OT Ikem Ekwonu - No. 6, 2022

Ikem Ekwonu continued the lineage of talented offensive linemen to come through NC State after a breakout junior season in Raleigh. With the Wolfpack, he earned Unanimous All-American honors in 2021, as well as First-Team All-ACC honors. After starting his career at guard, the Pack moved him to tackle, where he thrived.

Since being drafted by the Carolina Panthers, Ekwonu has shown flashes of greatness as a blocker. At 25, he still has time to prove himself as one of the best tackles in the NFL and has the talent to make it happen.

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