True Freshman Standouts for NC State in 2025
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RALEIGH — NC State finished the 2025 season with wins in three of the last four games, including a win over Memphis in the Union Home Mortgage Gasparilla Bowl. Given where the team stood after losing to Pitt, it was a remarkable finish to the year and left the program in a positive place for momentum moving forward.
As injuries and general personnel changes mounted, several true freshmen were thrust into action for the Wolfpack on both offense and defense. Without the services of a few of these players, it's hard to say whether NC State would've reached the Gasparilla Bowl, let alone had a chance to end the season 8-5. Who were these youngsters?
Wide receiver Teddy Hoffmann
Much was made about the addition of Teddy Hoffmann during the fall camp and the offseason, as he joined the Wolfpack after an impressive high school career in Florida. His roots in the Sunshine State helped him connect with Hollywood, Florida, native CJ Bailey, the team's quarterback. Throughout the offseason, the pair bonded over their shared upbringing in the South.
That connection helped Hoffmann emerge as one of Bailey's favorite targets early in the season. His ability to bounce from the slot to the outside, mixed with his athleticism and route-running, helped the young wideout finish his first year in college with 25 receptions for 349 yards and three touchdowns. In his first game with the Wolfpack, Hoffmann tallied five catches for 93 yards.
Quarterback Will Wilson
While Bailey earned the comfort of being the Wolfpack's top option at quarterback after taking over for Grayson McCall during the 2024 season, NC State needed to modernize the offense in some new and different ways. Will Wilson, a dynamic freshman quarterback and very talented runner, offered head coach Dave Doeren and offensive coordinator Kurt Roper some flexibility in short-yardage situations.
The freshman got his first opportunities in the second week of the season, as he'd earned the trust of the staff and the offensive line during fall camp. He became a first-down machine, extending Wolfpack drives throughout the first few weeks, while also furthering the level of trust between himself and the coaching staff.
NC State's QB room combined for 320 of NC State's 386 yards in its 42-19 win over UNC:
— Noah Fleischman (@fleischman_noah) November 30, 2025
CJ Bailey: 21-30 passing, 201 yards, 2 TDs; 8 carries, 65 yards
Will Wilson: 12 carries, 54 yards, 4 TDs
Vibes are high amongst the Wolfpack's signal-callers pic.twitter.com/VLlMNNyG9Z
The freshman signal caller really turned things on down the stretch. With sophomore running back Hollywood Smothers hampered by an injury and lacking the physicality of the 6-foot-1, 228-pound Wilson, the quarterback became the go-to option in the red zone and in goal-to-go situations. He scored seven of his 10 rushing touchdowns in the final four games of the season.
Wilson carved out a place in the Wolfpack record book, rushing for a single-game record four touchdowns at the quarterback position against in-state rival North Carolina as NC State throttled the Tar Heels in the regular season finale.
Offensive lineman Spike Sowells Jr.
Offensive line coach Garett Tujague decided to plug in highly-touted freshman Spike Sowells Jr. at right guard after experimenting with some other options at that position during the early portion of the season. That move paid off, as Sowells finished as the Wolfpack's best run blocker, grading out at 67.7 in that category.
Sowells was the jewel of Doeren's 2025 recruiting class and joined the Wolfpack with the expectation of playing a role in some way, shape or form in the early part of his career. With questions at right guard, that opportunity came. Sowells was recruited as a center, but that spot was occupied by solid veteran Jalen Grant. Whether or not Sowells remains at guard will be decided during the offseason, but he more than proved he is capable of playing a position he was somewhat unfamiliar with.
Safety Tristan Teasdell
The Wolfpack suffered several devastating injuries in the offseason and during the first five weeks of the regular season at various positions within the secondary. Safety was one area that was decimated, forcing younger players like Tristan Teasdell to step up in place of his fallen teammates as they recovered from injury. Teasdell emerged as a talented option at the position, getting his first start against Georgia Tech. For the freshman, it was just about staying ready.
"I feel like I was ready for it. I had a bunch of older guys helping me," he said after the Pitt game. "Early on, I wasn't playing a lot in the beginning, but they just helped me stay in the playbook, just staying ready for when I got the opportunity. I felt like I was ready for it."
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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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