Why are NC State Coaching Staff Visiting Senior Bowl
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Members of the North Carolina State football staff made their way to Mobile, Ala., on Wednesday to support former players on the path to achieving their NFL goals at the Panini Senior Bowl.
Head coach Dave Doeren, defensive coordinator DJ Eliot, and tight ends coach Gavin Locklear were among the contingent that checked in with Cian Slone and Justin Joly as they continued to impress NFL scouts, coaches, and front office personnel and compete among some of the best prospects and 2026 NFL Draft hopefuls.
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Eliot Supports Slone
As a first-year assistant on NC State's staff and a transfer player, Eliot and Slone arrived in Raleigh at the same time. As a former linebacker, the defensive coordinator helped the unit take its game to the next level. That included Slone, a former Utah State All-Conference standout, who made 24 tackles with 1.5 sacks and secured a spot on Mel Kiper Jr's Top 10 Off-Ball Linebacker rankings ahead of the 2026 NFL Draft.
Slone, fellow transfer Sabastian Harsh, and former Wolfpack edge rusher Kenny Soares Jr were critical players in unlocking the NC State defense during ACC play, displaying versatile skill sets that included both rushing the passer and dropping into coverage. He's projected to come off the board sometime on Day 3 as a potential depth linebacker with high potential due to his versatility.
Players like that usually start their careers on special teams, but Slone will use the Senior Bowl to try to show he can do more for an NFL franchise.
Locklear Supports Joly
As a former NC State walk-on, Locklear understood what it takes to play in the program, but his impact goes beyond that. He worked his way up from volunteer and grad assistant to full-time tight ends coach in 2025 and was an instrumental part of recruiting Joly out of high school.
Upon getting the full-time job, Locklear called working with Joly every day a "blessing" and was determined to help the tight end reach his full potential as a focal point of the Wolfpack offense. Joly led all ACC tight ends with seven touchdown catches, but the entire tight end room had a great season, placing three players among Pro Football Focus's top-graded with over 200 snaps.
Now, its leader is continuing to show his high ceiling as he pursues the NFL. Joly is currently a projected Day 2 or Day 3 pick.
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Travis Tyler joined On SI as a writer in January 2026. He has experience contributing to FanSided’s NFL, college football, and college basketball coverage, in addition to freelance work throughout the Dallas–Fort Worth area, including high school, college, and professional sports for the Dallas Express and contributions to the College Football Dawgs, Last Word on Sports/Hockey, and The Dallas Morning News. In addition to his writing, Travis contributes video and podcasting content to Fanatics View and regularly appears as a guest analyst. He is a graduate of Michigan State University and SMU and is an avid Detroit sports fan with a deep knowledge and appreciation of sports history. Follow Travis Tyler on Twitter at @TTyler_Sports.