Wolfpack Defensive Linemen Set for Postseason All-Star Games

NC State senior players have accepted invitations to participate in the upcoming Senior Bowl, East-West Shrine Game and NFLPA Collegiate Bowl

Rob Kinnan/USAToday sports

NC State's football season has been over for more than a month, but three members of the Wolfpack still have a game left to play.

Larrell Murchison, James Smith-Williams and Deonte Holden have all accepted invitations to play in postseason college football all-star games that serve as predraft showcases for seniors with NFL aspirations.

All three play on defensive line, continuing the Wolfpack's recent tradition of sending players from those positions into the professional ranks.

Murchison will play in the Senior Bowl, by far the most prestigious of the postseason all-star games, on Saturday, Jan. 25 in Mobile, Ala. A 6-foot-1, 291-pound tackle from Elizbethtown, he led the Wolfpack with seven sacks and 12 tackles for loss while ranking sixth on the team with 48 total tackles.

A week earlier, Smith-Williams will represent State in the East-West Shrine Game, scheduled for Saturday, Jan. 18 in St. Petersburg, Fla.

Smith Williams is a 6-3, 265-pound end from Raleigh whose effectiveness in 2019 was limited by injuries that forced him to miss all or parts of seven games. He still managed to record 20 tackles, a sack and seven quarterback hurries. He had six sacks and 9.5 TFLs as a junior in 2018.

Also on Jan. 18, Holden will play in the NFLPA Collegiate Bowl at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena, Calif.

Holden is a 6-4, 249-pound end from Landover, Md., who already had two degrees from State after being awarded a sixth year of eligibility by the NCAA. He finished his final season with 12 tackles and 1.5 sacks in limited action as a reserve defensive end.

We build #PackPros

Congrats to @honchoholden for his invitation to the @NFLPABowl!#1Pack1Goal 🐺🐺🏈 pic.twitter.com/oAbfnNiiWM

— NC State Football (@PackFootball) November 13, 2019

As important as the games themselves are for the players involved, the week of practices leading up to them can be even more beneficial as an opportunity to display their skills for the multitude of NFL coaches, scouts and general managers that will be in attendance.