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What Does the NC State Tight End Room Look Like?

Tight end coach Gavin Locklear needed to rebuild his group after the three talented tight ends exhausted their eligibility.
Tucker Sennett|
Nov 13, 2021; Winston-Salem, North Carolina, USA; A North Carolina State Wolfpack helmet seen on the sideline during the second half against the Wake Forest Demon Deacons at Truist Field. Mandatory Credit: William Howard-Imagn Images
Nov 13, 2021; Winston-Salem, North Carolina, USA; A North Carolina State Wolfpack helmet seen on the sideline during the second half against the Wake Forest Demon Deacons at Truist Field. Mandatory Credit: William Howard-Imagn Images | William Howard-Imagn Images

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North Carolina State Wolfpack

RALEIGH — Justin Joly, Cody Hardy and Dante Daniels all helped create a national reputation for NC State as a destination for tight ends. Position coach Gavin Locklear helped that trio become the most effective and productive set of players in that role in the country during the 2025 season. With all three gone now, Locklear had to rebuild the position group during the offseason.

With two additions out of the transfer portal, a returner and potential freshman contributors, the Wolfpack remade its tight end group on the fly. While it's unlikely that the 2026 set of tight ends live up to the lofty expectations of the group that came before it, there is enough talent in this group to still be an area of strength in the coming season.

Members of the tight end room for 2026

  • Sophomore Preston Douglas
  • Redshirt junior Hunter Provience*
  • Redshirt freshman Vander Ploog*
  • Freshman Tex Vaughn
  • Redshirt freshman Gus Ritchey
  • Redshirt sophomore Ian Flynt

* - Indicates transfer portal addition

What will things look like?

The Wolfpack appears to have structured the tight end room in a similar manner to the way it built that group over the last two seasons. There should be three players at that position to make an impact in 2026, with some reserves in the developmental phases of their collegiate careers behind those high-value contributors.

Douglas was the developmental project for Locklear in 2025, sitting behind the core group of Joly, Hardy and Daniels, honing skills while waiting for an opportunity as a freshman. He caught his first pass for 18 yards in the Wolfpack's Gasparilla Bowl victory over Memphis, while converting a rush on a fake punt in the game before against rival North Carolina.

Preston Douglas
Benjamin's Preston Douglas before a preseason game against Dwyer on August 16, 2024, in Palm Beach Gardens, Florida. | GREG LOVETT/THE PALM BEACH POST / USA TODAY NETWORK

The two new additions via the transfer portal are more likely to take over significant roles, although there is hope Douglas will be a large part of the offense in 2026 as a pass-catcher and blocker. NC State added Vander Ploog from Oregon, a former blue-chip prospect who never got his shot as a freshman with the Ducks. The 6-foot-6 redshirt freshman was a prolific pass-catching tight end in Southern California as a high schooler, making a competition between him and Douglas likely.

The loss of Cody Hardy's absurd run-blocking left a major hole in the Wolfpack's rushing attack. Enter Hunter Provience, a transfer from reigning FCS-champion Montana State. In the 2025 campaign with Montana State, Provience caught 11 passes for 135 yards and a touchdown. Most of his work came in run blocking situations, as he racked up 225 snaps in those sets according to Pro Football Focus. He graded out with a 65.3 run block score and a 73.7 pass block score.

The Wolfpack should deploy some combination of Douglas, Ploog and Provience in 2026. As for who fills the hole as the primary pass-catcher and red zone target like Joly was, that will be determined throughout spring and fall camp. If Locklear continues to have the same success developing tight ends, there shouldn't be much of a dropoff.

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Tucker Sennett
TUCKER SENNETT

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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