Grades For NC State's Defense Through Seven Games

RALEIGH — Through the first seven games, NC State's defense proved to be a capable unit with major flaws. It didn't help that the group lost several key contributors (and its coordinator for two games) throughout that stretch.

The impact of the transfers brought in by first-year coordinator DJ Eliot has been enormous. It's hard to envision where the defense would be without those players. The group will need to step up in the final five games if the team wants to have a shot at bowl eligibility, but how has it looked through the first seven weeks?

Pro Football Focus grades each member of the team's performance during the games. The model takes into account every play in the game and adds it all up to create the player's total grade. Any grade from the 70s to 80s is considered a good performance. The 60s are average. Below 60 would be poor, and above 80 would be elite. These players all have over 100 snaps played.

Who are NC State's Best Defensive Performers Through Seven Weeks According to PFF?

10. Linebacker Kenny Soares Jr. - 67.0

Soares was one of the major transfer additions by Eliot during the offseason, coming over from Northwestern. While he's made some costly mistakes, particularly a blown assignment in the loss against Duke that cost the Wolfpack the game, he stepped up over the last two weeks in the absence of Sean Brown.

9. Defensive lineman Isaiah Shirley - 67.8

Shirley was far from the most consistent member of the defense for the Wolfpack through seven games, but one monster performance kept him in the top 10. Shirley earned ACC defensive lineman of the week after coming away with an interception that he returned for a touchdown to help the Wolfpack take down Wake Forest on the road.

He finished as the highest graded defensive player of the week in all of college football, according to PFF, finishing with a 94.4 in the victory.

8. Linebacker Tra Thomas - 68.6

Thomas proved to be a solid complement to Cian Slone, the team's best player at the linebacker position. In the JACK role, Thomas acted as a pass rusher and drop back linebacker and performed admirably through the first seven weeks.

He dominated in the win over Campbell, finishing with a defensive grade of 84.4. The veteran defender has two sacks to go along with his 10 tackles on the season.

7. Cornerback Jamel Johnson - 71.2

The veteran cornerback started the season with a game-sealing tackle against East Carolina deep in NC State territory. He's been a reliable option in the secondary ever since. His four pass breakups are tied for the most on the team with Devon Marshall.

6. Defensive end Chase Bond - 73.0

Bond played his best game in the season opener against East Carolina and hasn't quite been the same since. He came up with a tackle for loss in the win and finished with an 85.2 defensive grade. He showed improvement in the win over Campbell, but lacked consistency throughout the other five games.

5. Cornerback Brian Nelson II - 73.7

Along with Johnson, Nelson proved to be a solid addition to the secondary out of the transfer portal. The North Texas transfer struggled against the run and with tackling, scoring 29.7 and 41.7 in those categories through seven weeks, but made up for those shortcomings with his coverage.

On 24 targets, Johnson allowed just 14 receptions, with an average of 6.3 yards. He's broken up three passes so far, but has yet to replicate his ball-hawking skills he showed when he was a member of the Mean Green.

4. Defensive tackle Brandon Cleveland - 74.6

As the man in the middle for the defensive line, Cleveland showed his improvement through the first seven games. While his efforts often go unnoticed in the stat sheet, he proved to be one of the Wolfpack's best defenders against the run, averaging 73.1 run defense grade through seven weeks.

3. Cornerback Devon Marshall - 79.9

Throughout fall camp, Marshall acted as the most confident member of the defense. He proved his confidence was warranted through the first seven games. As indicated earlier, his four pass breakups are tied for the most on the roster, but his coverage has been equally impressive.

On 30 targets, Marshall allowed just 15 receptions. While his efforts slipped against Virginia Tech and Duke, teams have been hesitant to target receivers he's covering.

2. Defensive end Sabastian Harsh - 81.6

Without Harsh, the Wolfpack defense would be absolutely lost. A true game wrecker, the Wyoming transfer came into the season with rave reviews from the coaching staff and his teammates and has not disappointed. His four sacks lead the team and he's made critical play after critical play.

Harsh finished with grades over 90 against East Carolina and Campbell, dominating in those wins. He was ejected from the Wake Forest game, which killed his score in that game and forced him to miss the first half of the loss to Duke. He recovered nicely in the next three matchups.

1. Linebacker Cian Slone - 82.2

Slone has done it all for the Wolfpack in the first seven games. A game-winning interception against Virginia? Check. Crucial tackles to stop explosive runs on the edge? Check. As with Harsh, the defense would be completely lost without Slone's services.

His versatility made him a PFF darling in the first seven games, as he mixed in quality coverage and 10 quarterback hurries, as well as a sack. Slone has 19 tackles on the season and missed virtually the entire Duke game after he left early with an injury.

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