Top NC State Defensive Players Drafted Under Dave Doeren

RALEIGH — Now heading into his 14th season leading NC State football, Dave Doeren used his time with the program to build one of the steadiest in the ACC. Doeren instilled a level of toughness in his version of the Wolfpack that represented the university well. It also helped NC State produce several defensive players in the NFL Draft over the last decade.

Doeren and his staff throughout the years showed an incredible ability to find overlooked and undervalued recruits and mold them into hard-nosed players at both the collegiate and professional levels. During his tenure, Doeren has mentored over 20 players in their quest for the NFL, many of whom went on to become talented defenders at the next level. Four stand out from the rest.

2018 - OLB/DE Bradley Chubb

Bradley Chubb left NC State as one of the greatest defensive players to ever come through the program. The Georgia native arrived in Raleigh as more of an outside linebacker than a defensive end, but Doeren and his staff saw more potential in Chubb as a pass rusher. That proved to be a sharp assessment when NC State shifted Chubb to defensive end ahead of his sophomore season.

In his last three seasons with the program, Chubb racked up 25 sacks, six forced fumbles and 54.5 tackles for loss. He earned numerous honors for his senior season, including being named a Unanimous All-American and ACC Defensive Player of the Year. His efforts were enough to get him selected with the fifth overall pick by the Denver Broncos. Chubb has gone on to become one of the league's most consistent pass rushers, having been named to a pair of Pro Bowls. He is set to play for the Buffalo Bills in 2026. His number is retired at NC State.

2018 - DT B.J. Hill

Defensive tackles don't always have the most eye-popping stats during their collegiate careers, but their impact can be massive. That was certainly the case for B.J. Hill during his four seasons at NC State. As yet another three-star recruit from North Carolina, Hill surprised everyone with his productivity and turned into a solid contributor for Doeren and the Wolfpack.

From 2014 to 2017, Hill amassed 183 total tackles, eight sacks and two forced fumbles. His successful collegiate career got him on the radar for several NFL teams. Ultimately, Hill was drafted by the New York Giants with the 69th overall pick in the third round of the 2018 NFL Draft. He's spent time with the Giants and Cincinnati Bengals, where he's quietly become a standout defender.

2019 - LB Germaine Pratt

Some would argue Germaine Pratt started the lineage of special linebacker play under Doeren's watch at NC State. From 2014 to 2018, Pratt was a tackling machine for the Wolfpack, amassing 235 tackles, six sacks and four interceptions during his career with the program. His final season was particularly exceptional, as he earned First-Team All-ACC honors.

Pratt fought his way onto draft boards, ultimately doing enough to get selected with the 72nd overall pick in the third round of the 2019 NFL Draft, beginning his career with the Cincinnati Bengals. The linebacker spent six seasons with the Bengals before playing with the Raiders and Colts during the 2025 season.

2024 - LB Payton Wilson

The legacy left by Pratt and Chubb in the Wolfpack linebacker room spread to Payton Wilson, the poster child for the modern era of Dave Doeren football. The Hillsborough, N.C., native left the Wolfpack as one of the most successful and productive players in the program's history. Wilson won the Butkus, Bednarik and ACC Defensive Player of the Year awards in 2023 and was named First-Team All-ACC twice (2020, 2023).

His efforts earned him a spot in the Carter-Finley Stadium Ring of Honor not long after he left for the NFL. Wilson was drafted by the Pittsburgh Steelers in the third round of the 2024 NFL Draft, going on to become one of the steadiest linebackers in the league in his first two seasons as a pro. Wilson still works out around the NC State facility during the offseason.

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