NC State Adds Punter in the Transfer Portal
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RALEIGH — The transfer portal process continues to churn throughout the first week of 2026, with thousands of players across college football searching for new programs. NC State has been hard at work, bolstering its roster for the upcoming season after losing some key talent.
The Wolfpack added the third player of the transfer class late Tuesday, as former Arkansas State punter Jackson Waller announced his commitment to the program via Instagram. Waller will presumably replace ACC Honorable Mention Caden Noonkester, who exhausted his eligibility after a strong final season in Raleigh. The Pack has yet to add a defensive player, but Waller is the first specialist.
More on Waller
Waller arrives in Raleigh with three years of eligibility left, according to On3. After starting his college career in Dallas with SMU, the punter opted to take his talents to Arkansas State for a larger opportunity to contribute. With the Red Wolves, Waller averaged 41.3 yards per kick on 59 punts during the 2025 season.
He pinned opponents inside the 20-yard line on 19 occasions in Arkansas State's 7-6 run through the Sun Belt. In the Xbox Bowl victory for the Red Wolves, he punted five times for 204 yards, pinning Missouri State inside the 20 once. NC State is banking on being able to develop another punter over a few seasons, as Noonkester slowly became one of the Wolfpack's most valuable weapons during his career.
Thank you Arkansas State
— jackson waller (@jacksonwaller13) December 23, 2025
3 years of eligibility left@HKA_Tanalski pic.twitter.com/rHqqjqz9wh
Since Doeren took over, there has been some serious talent punting the football over the years, most notably AJ Cole. Since leaving the Pack, Cole has gone on to become one of the NFL's best punters with the Las Vegas Raiders. Noonkester became a fan favorite during his time in Raleigh and had one of the most iconic moments of the 2025 season when he recovered his own punt against Florida State.
Special teams has always been an important area in Doeren's eyes and adding a former five-star recruit should help maintain that standard. In his high school career in Texas, Waller punted 100 times for 3,749 yards and even kicked one ball 70 yards during his junior season. While it might not seem like a major acquisition, it gives NC State some comfort at a key position for 2026.
Waller joined East Carolina offensive tackle Jimarion McCrimon and Buffalo wide receiver Victor Snow as the latest addition to the Wolfpack. Doeren and the staff will continue to build the 2026 roster around rising junior quarterback CJ Bailey.
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Tucker Sennett graduated summa cum laude with a B.A. in Sports Journalism from the esteemed Walter Cronkite School of Journalism and Mass Communication at Arizona State University. A former basketball player, he has gained valuable experience working at Cronkite News and brings a deep passion for sports and reporting to his role as the NC State Wolfpack Beat Writer On SI.
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