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NC State Extends Offer to Transfer Portal Lineman

Dave Doeren and the Wolfpack are staying active late into the transfer portal window.
Max Dorsey|
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

While the 2026 college football transfer portal is coming to an end, there are still thousands of players available, and teams will continue to target the remaining portal prospects over the next several days. 

NC State and head coach Dave Doeren have done a solid job in the portal so far, bringing in 12 transfers. While it’s a strong class, the Wolfpack may not be done yet, as they recently extended an offer to a defensive lineman transfer from Louisiana Monroe (ULM).

NC State Offers ULM Transfer Defensive Lineman

On Jan. 14, NC State extended an offer to Jerome Simmons, a transfer portal defensive lineman from ULM. Simmons shared on X that the Wolfpack had offered him, writing, “Blessed to receive an offer from [NC State football].”

NC State’s offer to Simmons came just hours after he entered the portal, and the ULM transfer would provide much-needed help to the Wolpack’s defensive line, as the program will be without both Brandon Cleveland and Chazz Wallace in 2026.

Simmons is originally from South Carolina and drew little interest from Division I programs as a high school recruit in the 2022 class. He ultimately enrolled at Highland Community College, where he spent his freshman and sophomore seasons. 

Brandon Clevelan
Dec 30, 2022; Charlotte, NC, USA; Maryland Terrapins quarterback Taulia Tagovailoa (3) scrambles as North Carolina State Wolfpack defensive lineman Brandon Cleveland (44) defends in the fourth quarter in the 2022 Duke's Mayo Bowl at Bank of America Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Bob Donnan-Imagn Images | Bob Donnan-Imagn Images

In 17 games at Highland, Simmons recorded 50 tackles, 11 tackles for loss, 5.5 sacks, one interception, and one forced fumble. He emerged as one of the top JUCO prospects in the 2024 class and committed to South Carolina.

He didn’t see the field for the Gamecocks in 2024 and entered the portal at the end of the season, transferring to ULM. He appeared in eight games for ULM in 2025, recording 10 tackles, and is now back in the portal with one year of eligibility remaining.  

ULM helmet
Nov 20, 2021; Baton Rouge, Louisiana, USA; Louisiana Monroe Warhawks helmets against LSU Tigers during the first half at Tiger Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Stephen Lew-Imagn Images | Stephen Lew-Imagn Images

While Simmons has yet to prove himself at the FBS level, he’s an intriguing portal prospect for NC State, with the size at 6’4”, 340 pounds, and the raw skill set to play in the ACC. 

NC State isn’t the only program showing interest in Simmons so far. The transfer defensive lineman has also received offers from Memphis and UConn since entering the portal. Rivals’ transfer portal rankings list him as a three-star prospect, the No. 2,143 overall player in the portal, and the No. 231 defensive lineman.

NC State helme
Dec 29, 2017; El Paso, TX, United States; General view of the helmets of the Arizona State Sun Devils and the North Carolina State Wolfpack before the 2017 Sun Bowl at Sun Bowl Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Ivan Pierre Aguirre-Imagn Images | Ivan Pierre Aguirre-Imagn Images

While Simmons likely wouldn’t be a starter for the Wolfpack next season, he’d undoubtedly contribute to the defense’s success. With NC State needing an upgrade on its defensive line, the ULM transfer is someone Doeren and his staff will likely make a push for. 

Keep it with NC State On SI for updates throughout the transfer portal process. Ensure you follow on X (Twitter) @WolfpackOnSI and @SennettTucker and never miss another breaking news story again.

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Max Dorsey
MAX DORSEY

Max Doresy serves as the Western United States College Recruiting Beat Writer On SI. He graduated from the prestigious Syracuse University – S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications. Before that, he worked for the Pro Football Network and was part of the recruiting department for Syracuse University's football program.