- BEST IN STATE -

Introducing the ‘Best In State’ top offensive players for FBS

Strong OL, quarterback room headline our preseason honors list

Eric Lusk

Published

August 18, 2023

First-team Best In State players include, from left to right: Bryson Nesbit (UNC), Bradley Rozner (NC State), Jalon Calhoun (Duke) and Nate Noel (Appalachian State).

This week, NC Football News is unveiling its preseason Best In State teams for FBS football in our state (North Carolina, NC State, Duke, Wake Forest, East Carolina, Charlotte and Appalachian State).

Here, we introduce the FBS Best In State Offense. The group is led by our preseason Offensive MVP Drake Maye from North Carolina and our preseason MVP offensive lineman Graham Barton from Duke. The quarterback room is strong. The offensive line first-rate. Skill players abundant.

(Check out our Best In State Defense HERE).

Best In State FBS First-Team Offense

**Isaiah Helms and Bucky Williams from App State both appear on the Outland Trophy watch list. (Graphic courtesy Appalachian State Athletics).**

QB: Drake Maye (North Carolina) – Heisman hopeful, All-American, All-ACC, ACC champion?

RB Justice Ellison (Wake Forest) – Rushed for a career-high 114 yards and a touchdown in big win over Florida State a year ago.

RB Nate Noel (Appalachian State) – Boasts a career average of 6.1 yards per rush (368 carries, 2,240 career yards, 13 touchdowns)

WR Jalon Calhoun (Duke) – Preseason All-ACC player has 45 career starts, 203 receptions (for 2,360 yards) and 13 touchdowns

WR Bradley Rozner (NC State) – Unique transfer from Rice started his college career in 2016, averaged nearly 20 yards per catch a year ago (among the tops in the nation).

TE Bryson Nesbit (North Carolina) – Honorable mention All-ACC a year ago, ranking third on the team in catches (35) and receiving yards (507)

OL Graham Barton (Duke) – Goals for the 2023 season, in his own words (per PFF.com interview): “Win and keep (quarterback) Riley Leonard nice, clean and safe. Help us run for thousands of yards. Those are my personal goals.”

OL Bucky Williams (Appalachian State) – Outland Trophy candidate graded out as the top run-blocker in the Sun Belt a year ago, allowed just one sack in 336 passing-blocking situations.

OL Isaiah Helms (Appalachian State) – Outland Trophy nominee has played in 46 games, starting 25 for Appalachian State after transferring in from Western Carolina.

OL Jacob Monk (Duke) – One of the team captains has started 45 games already (3,051 snaps), recently named to Bruce Feldman’s “Freaks List” for his weight-room prowess.

OL Timothy McKay (NC State) – Led the Pack in pancake blocks and finished as a semifinalist for the William V. Campbell Trophy, which recognizes the nation’s top scholar-athlete.

Best In State FBS Honorable Mention Offense

QB Riley Leonard (Duke) – Received votes for ACC Player of the Year honors

QB Brennan Armstrong (NC State) – Passing yardage in 2021 while at Virginia (4,449 yards) exceeded Maye’s All-ACC passing total last season (4,321).

RB Shadrick Byrd (Charlotte) – Led the 49ers in both rushing (620 yards) and kick returns a year ago; fifth in team history with 2,949 all-purpose yards.

RB Elijah Green (North Carolina) – Started last five games of last season, reeled off an 80-yard TD run against Georgia Tech

RB Omarion Hampton (North Carolina) – Became the first Carolina freshman to rush for 100-plus yards in his debut (he had 101 yards, two touchdowns against Florida A&M) since legend Charlie “Choo Choo” Justice against Virginia Tech in 1946.

RB Rahjai Harris (East Carolina) – Earned American Athletic Conference rookie of the year and all-conference honors in 2020, coming back from an injury that sidelined him most of 2022.

RB Jaylen Coleman (Duke) – Averaged 4.7 yards per carry a year ago, rushed for 96 yards against Virginia, had a key touchdown in the bowl win over UCF.

RB Jordan Waters (Duke) – Returning starter has appeared in 38 career games, scoring two touchdowns against both Northwestern and North Carolina a year ago.

RB Durell Robinson (Charlotte) – New coach Biff Poggi wants to “run the dang ball” and this four-star freshman could be focus of the attack.

WR Donavon Greene (Wake Forest) – Would have vied for first-team recognition had a preseason knee injury not sidelined him for the next 3-5 months; still worthy of a mention here.

WR Jahmal Banks (Wake Forest) – Tallied three multiple touchdown games in helping Demon Deacons jump to a 6-1 start last season.

WR Devontez Walker (North Carolina) – Will he play? A difference-maker if he does (preseason All-ACC). Currently dealing with an NCAA transfer eligibility issue and waiting on appeal.

WR Jordan Moore (Duke) – Returning starter has 60 career catches for 656 yards and five touchdowns

WR Taylor Morin (Wake Forest) – Tied for eighth in Deacs’ history with 17 touchdown receptions, needs 474 receiving yards to crack into top 10 all-time in receiving yards.

WR Christian Horn (Appalachian State) – Hauled in 33 passes for 600 yards in 2022, ranking third in the Sun Belt in yards-per-catch (18.2).

WR Nate McCollum (North Carolina) – Switching ACC allegiances from Georgia Tech, caught 60 passes from three different quarterbacks a year ago.

WR Jsi Hatfield (East Carolina) – Has explosive potential in the receiving, rushing and return game, has 1,367 all-purpose yards

TE Trent Pennix (NC State) – Has 40 career receptions for 522 yards and eight touchdowns.

TE Shane Calhoun (East Carolina) – Has started 26 games and helped pave the way for 19 100-yard rushing efforts.

OL Panda Askew (Charlotte) – Has two years of starting experience, including eight games a year ago at left guard. Helped protect a passing attack that set a school-record with a 271.0 passing average.

OL Damion Daley (Appalachian State) – Started 12 games at left guard, earning third-team All-Sun Belt honors from Phil Steele, a year ago.

OL Michael Jurgens (Wake Forest) – Has played in and started 34 games – all at center – for the Deacs; has logged 2,541 snaps over the past three years, more than anyone else on the current roster.

OL Spencer Rolland (North Carolina) – Blocked for an offense that averaged 309.3 yards passing per game, 462.8 total yards per game and 34.4 points per game

OL DeVonte Gordon (Wake Forest) – One of the most durable players in the ACC, played 1,026 snaps a year ago, including 80-plus plays in six games. Honorable mention All-ACC.

OL Isaiah Foote (East Carolina) – Started all 13 games on the line for the Pirates a year ago, earning preseason All-AAC recognition this summer

OL Dylan McMahon (NC State) – Three-year starter on the offensive line, moved to center at the end of last season to fill in for injured teammate.

OL Corey Gaynor (North Carolina) – Earned honorable mention All-ACC, played 1,050 snaps and allowed only two sacks.

OL Dustyn Hall (East Carolina) – Transfer from South Florida has 26 career starts.