Wolfpack Ready to Host SEC Offensive Lineman Transfer
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RALEIGH — The transfer portal process moves along with each passing day as thousands of players are still in the market for new teams for the 2026 season. NC State is trying to bolster its roster for the coming campaign in key positions, particularly areas that will support rising junior quarterback CJ Bailey as he looks to carry the team to new heights.
The Wolfpack is set to host another offensive lineman out of the transfer portal over the weekend, with Texas lineman Daniel Cruz scheduled to visit Raleigh on Friday and Saturday, according to a report from 247Sports' Cody Nagel.
The importance of the Cruz visit
Texas OL transfer Daniel Cruz is visiting SMU and NC State this weekend, his agency @APSportsAgency tells @chris_hummer, @mzenitz and me. https://t.co/NDckHXOdjl
— Cody Nagel (@CodyNagel247) January 9, 2026
Since the portal opened Jan. 2, NC State placed a premium on securing visits from offensive linemen looking for a new home. Cruz is the latest target out of that bunch, with one already committed to the program earlier in the week. The Wolfpack is doing its best to keep a group that lost three key starters as sturdy as possible, especially with Bailey returning.
While Cruz hasn't gained the experience he was hoping for during two seasons at Texas, he offers NC State the versatility it is looking for on the offensive line. The former ESPN 300 recruit could play either of the guard spots or center for the Wolfpack, offering them flexibility with Spike Sowells Jr. already in place as a key interior lineman.
Cruz appeared in just two games in 2025, playing 11 offensive snaps in the Longhorns' win over Sam Houston and three more in the victory against Arkansas. In just four pass blocking opportunities, Cruz was solid, posting a Pro Football Focus grade of 76.0 in those reps. He also got some work on special teams throughout the season.
NC State lost starting left guard Anthony Carter Jr. and center Jalen Grant to graduation, leaving Sowells as the lone returner for the interior of the offensive line. Should he choose the Wolfpack, Cruz would likely compete for a starting role at center with Sowells or slide into one of the guard spots, depending on where offensive line coach Garett Tujuague sees him as the most valuable.
The Wolfpack secured a commitment from First-Team All-Conference offensive tackle Jimarion McCrimon from East Carolina. He will slide into one of the starting tackle spots opposite returning starter Teague Andersen. It's clear that the Wolfpack wants to protect Bailey as effectively as possible. An addition from the SEC would go a long way in ensuring that happens.
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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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