Top NC State Offensive Players Drafted Under Dave Doeren

RALEIGH — NC State football developed a reputation as a quality producer of NFL talent during the Dave Doeren era, which began all the way back in 2013 when the former Wisconsin defensive coordinator took over the program. Since the 2014 NFL Draft, 28 former Wolfpack players have been selected during the draft weekend ceremonies, going on to continue their careers at the next level.

Doeren is a major part of the consistent success NC State has put forth over the last decade-plus, often turning undervalued players into quality options at both the collegiate level and subsequently in the NFL. Many of those Pack Pros worked on the offensive side of the ball during their stints with the Pack, with five of them standing out more than the rest. Who are they?

2016 - OL Joe Thuney

After a prestigious college career with NC State that started before Doeren arrived, Joe Thuney was selected in the third round of the 2016 NFL Draft with the 78th overall pick. Thuney was one of the foundational pieces in Doeren's rebuild of the Wolfpack program, helping establish the school as a premier destination for offensive linemen. The lineman earned First-Team All-ACC and All-American honors for the 2015 season.

Despite being taken in the third round, Thuney has gone on to have one of the more successful careers of any player to come out of NC State. The talented lineman amassed four Super Bowl rings during his time with the New England Patriots, the team that drafted him to protect Hall of Fame quarterback Tom Brady, and the Kansas City Chiefs. Thuney just received the inaugural NFL Protector of the Year award for the 2025 season for his efforts in his first year with the Chicago Bears.

2016 - QB Jacoby Brissett

Thuney wasn't the only player taken from the Wolfpack during the 2016 NFL Draft, as the school's young signal-caller became the next to go. Jacoby Brissett began his college career at Florida before playing two seasons in Raleigh for the Wolfpack, amassing a 15-11 overall record and a 1-1 record in Bowl games, including a victory in the St. Petersburg Bowl over UCF in 2014.

Like Thuney, Brissett went in the third round, also being selected by the New England Patriots with the 91st overall pick that year. Brissett has gone on to become one of the more well-respected backup quarterbacks in the NFL, currently playing with the Arizona Cardinals.

2018 - RB Nyheim Hines

Nyheim Hines was one of the early blueprints for the way Doeren wanted to build his program at NC State. The Garner, N.C., native was a high-profile high school player who chose to stay in-state and play for the Wolfpack. He waited his turn in the depth chart before bursting onto the scene in his final two seasons with the team. Hines earned First-Team All-ACC honors for his efforts in 2017.

After establishing himself as one of the most versatile running backs in the draft class, he was picked by the Indianapolis Colts with the 104th overall pick in the fourth round of the 2018 NFL Draft. Hines played parts of five seasons with the Colts, but has bounced around the league with other squads in the following years.

2019 - C Garrett Bradbury

Garrett Bradbury arrived in Raleigh after a stellar high school career, not as a center, but as a tight end. Doeren morphed the talented athlete into an offensive lineman who eventually turned into the 2018 Rimington Trophy winner in his last year with the Wolfpack. He was a consensus All-American and First-Team All-ACC honoree for his efforts that season.

The center never allowed a sack in 900 snaps during the 2018 season, a stat so enticing that it earned him status as a first round draft pick in the 2019 NFL Draft. Bradbury went 18th overall to the Minnesota Vikings, where he spent the first six seasons of his career. He helped the New England Patriots to Super Bowl LX last season before recently being traded to the Chicago Bears to reunite with Thuney.

2022 - T Ikem Ekwonu

Ikem Ekwonu might be the biggest success story for Doeren's developmental process. As another in-state undervalued recruit, the big offensive lineman was recruited as a guard before eventually working his way into the tackle position during three seasons with the Wolfpack. It all came together in his final season with the program, when he earned Unanimous All-American and First-Team All ACC recognition during the 2021 season.

The homegrown product landed in the perfect place: with the Carolina Panthers, who selected him sixth overall in the 2022 NFL Draft. It's been an up-and-down professional career for Ekwonu thus far, but he's shown signs of being one of the stronger offensive linemen in the league at just 25.

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