How Did First-Round NFL Picks Do Against State?

Since NC State won't have a play chosen on the opening night of the NFL Draft, here's a look at how some first round picks did against the Wolfpack during their college careers

NC State had players selected in the first round of each of the past two drafts -- defensive end Bradley Chubb to the Denver Broncos at No. 5 overall in 2018 and center Garrett Bradbury at No. 16 to the Minnesota Vikings a year ago.

Since the Wolfpack doesn't have anyone projected to come off the board before at least the third or fourth round this season, here's a look at how those taken in the first round performed against State during their college careers to keep us busy:

◼ Isaiah Simmons, LB, Clemson (Arizona Cardinals, No. 8): A talented, versatile defender, Simmons' rise to elite status began with a career performance against State at Death Valley during his junior season of 2018. He recorded a team-leading 12 tackles that day while leading the Tigers to a 41-7 rout of the Wolfpack.

The 2019 ACC Defensive Player of the Year had only three tackles in last season's meeting at Carter-Finley Stadium, but he and the rest of the starters spent more time on the sidelines than on the field as their team rolled to a 55-10 victory.

◼ Mekhi Becton, OT, Louisville (NY Jets, No. 11): Becton missed this year's game against the Wolfpack at Carter-Finley with an ankle injury. It snapped a streak of 22 consecutive games for the mamouth 6-foot-7, 269-pound offensive lineman. Becton did have a connection to State, though. His offensive coordinator and line coach in 2019 was former Wolfpack assistant Dwayne Ledford.

He did see action against State in 2018. Even though the Cardinals came out on the losing end of a 52-10 score, Becton's work in the trenches helped Louisville roll up 254 yards on the ground.

◼ A.J. Terrell, CB, Clemson (Atlanta Falcons, No. 16): The first-team All-ACC selection who was taken by his hometown team didn't have much of an impact in Clemson's 55-10 in Raleigh last November, but then he didn't really need to, finishing with two tackles.

In 2018, Terrell had a pair of pass breakups and a tackle while helping to shut down future NFL receivers Kelvin Harmon and Jakobi Meyers and a much more formidable Wolfpack offense in a 41-7 victory that saw the Tigers limit quarterback Ryan Finley to just 4.6 yards per completion while intercepting him twice.