The Surprise Star of NC State Pro Day
In this story:
RALEIGH — Cian Slone didn't have the most orthodox college football career, but it might not matter. After two seasons at the junior college level followed by two at Utah State, Slone finally made his way into Power Conference football at NC State. There was immediate confidence in his ability to fill a void at outside linebacker for the Wolfpack, but it slowly turned into something more than that.
He quietly worked his way onto NFL draft boards, something no one but Slone himself believed was possible early in his college football journey. At the Wolfpack Pro Day on Wednesday, that process reached another level, as the talented linebacker thrived in his physical testing and in a few different drills, all in front of representatives from all 32 NFL franchises.
Slone's Pro Day avaliability
Slone's rise
When Slone arrived in Raleigh, he quietly worked his way into a more vocal leadership role alongside fellow Mountain West Conference transfer Sabastian Harsh. That duo formed an important tandem in a massively improved pass rush for the Wolfpack, but Slone showed his value far beyond just that aspect of his role. That versatility is what's helping him get on draft boards.
"I feel like I have a ton of position flexibility with me being that outside linebacker and me playing that in multiple different schemes," Slone said. "Obviously, they hit on my effort a lot, which is something I'm really proud of because it's something I can control. I'm just excited to see what these next couple of weeks have in store for me."
Slone finished the 2025 season with 61 total tackles, including 24 solo takedowns, 6.5 tackles for loss and 1.5 sacks. He recovered a fumble in the Notre Dame loss. His signature moment for the Wolfpack came in the second game against Virginia. Slone found himself covering Virginia running back J'Mari Taylor in the end zone and intercepted quarterback Chandler Morris to secure the win for the Pack. His lone year with the Pack proved to be crucial in his development.
"Coming from Utah State, I loved the school, the staff and everything over there, but I thought it was the best interest for me to transfer here," Slone said. "The spot that I played here last year was that outside linebacker role, which you see a lot in the NFL... Just to kind of put that on tape and compete against the best was a great opportunity."
His efforts earned him an invitation to the Senior Bowl, where he joined tight end Justin Joly as the lone representatives for the Wolfpack. While Joly parlayed his Senior Bowl appearance into an invite to the NFL Scouting Combine, Slone never got the call for the event in Indianapolis, changing his approach to the pre-draft process.
He focused heavily on his preparation for the physical testing. It paid off during Tuesday's workout, as Slone had the highest vertical leap on the roster (35.5 inches), a strong broad jump distance (10-foot-1), 23 bench press reps and an unofficial 4.60-second 40-yard dash. He also used a current professional who happened to be one of the best linebackers in Wolfpack history as a role model from afar, as Payton Wilson worked out all offseason around the NC State facility.
"He trains here during the offseason and I've seen him a couple of times out here," Slone said. "He's just a guy you want to model your game after. Physicality, speed, everything he's done for the game, it's really inspiring."
Slone hopes he can be the next in a long line of NC State linebackers to thrive at the professional level, even if his path wasn't the most linear.
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.
Follow SennettTucker