What will NC State football depth chart look like in opener vs ECU? Our final prediction

With the end of fall practice last week, NC State football can turn its attention to the start of the 2022 football season.

The Wolfpack, ranked No. 13 in the USA TODAY Coaches Poll and the Associated Press poll, opens the season on Sept. 3 at ECU with expectations at an all-time high.

So what personnel should you expect to see in Week 1? Here's our final prediction for NC State's opening day starters and their backups.

Quarterback

The starter: Devin Leary, r-jr.

The reserves: Jack Chambers, grad transfer; MJ Morris, fresh.

Leary, the preseason ACC Player of the Year, returns from a 2021 season that saw him rise to national prominence behind a 35-5 touchdown-to-interception ratio. He'll be backed up by either Chambers or freshman MJ Morris, who have split second-team reps in the fall. Former backup Ben Finley has dropped to fourth team.

Running back

The starter: Jordan Houston, jr.

The reserves: Delbert Mimms, r-soph; Demie Sumo, soph; Michael Allen, fresh

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After three years in reserve, Houston (163 rushes, 752 yards, six TDs) will get his shot as the starting running back for the Wolfpack. He's the only back with any true experience heading into the season. Mimms and Sumo have six career carries between them and Allen, N.C. State's four-star running back from the class of 2022, hasn't even sniffed a down of college football.

Wide receiver

The starters: Thayer Thomas, grad; Devin Carter, r-jr; Porter Rooks, soph.

The reserves: Darryl Jones, grad; Keyon Lesane, jr.; Julian Gray r-fresh; Jasiah Provillon, r-junior; Anthony Smith, soph.

The two obvious starters are Thomas and Carter, who combined for 82 catches, 1,152 yards and 14 touchdowns in 2021. With the exception Rooks (23 catches, 298 yards), returning wide receivers combined for 15 catches last fall. Jones, a Maryland transfer, has 23 career catches for 319 yards, but averages 13.9 yards a catch and could become a big-play threat for the Wolfpack.

Tight End

The starters: Trent Pennix, r-jr; Chris Toudle, r-soph

The reserves: Kam Walker, r-soph Ezemdi Udoh, r-fresh; Cedric Seabrough, fresh; Fredrick Seabrough, fresh.

NC State plays in an offensive system that uses tight ends in multiple ways, including an H-back that can be more of a pass-catching threat in the backfield. Pennix and Toudle will be the Wolfpack's best option at either the H-back or traditional tight end position. Both found success last year after converting to the position out of necessity.

Left Tackle

The starter: Anthony Belton

The reserves: Timothy McKay, r-soph; Bryson Speas, R-Sr

The 6-foot-6, 330-pound Belton has arguably the toughest task this season, replacing first-round pick Ikem Ekwonu, who protected Leary's blindside last fall. Belton has the measurables but lacks experience. He was on the field for just 11 snaps last fall and was the starting tackle during the spring game in April. If Belton struggles, Speas could move from right to left tackle.

Left Guard

The starter: Chandler Zavala, r-sr.

The reserves: Sean Hill, r-fresh.

Zavala returns to the left guard position after his appeal for an extra year of eligibility was granted, giving NC State a strong interior presence for its run game. Before his injury, Zavala's last three game grades from Pro Football Focus (PFF) were 79.1 vs. Furman, 71.0 in the double overtime win over Clemson and 67.0 against Louisiana Tech.

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Center

The starter: Grant Gibson, r-sr.

The reserves: Lyndon Cooper, r-fresh.

Gibson returns for his sixth season as the anchor for NC State's offensive line. Gibson was voted to the All-ACC preseason team and has started the last 35 games for the Wolfpack.

Right Guard

The starter: Dylan McMahon, r-soph.

The reserves: Derrick Eason, r-jr.

McMahon started the first five games last season at right guard before moving to left guard after Zavala's injury. He'll get the starting nod over Eason, but will be pushed by the redshirt junior. Eason started the last seven games at right guard last season and is one of the Wolfpack's more versatile linemen.

Right Tackle

The starter: Bryson Speas, r-sr.

The reserves: Timothy McKay, r-soph; Patrick Matan, r-fresh.

Speas has been a starter on the line for the last three years, mainly at right tackle. He could slide to left tackle if Anthony Belton struggles which would likely move McKay to right tackle. Matan has yet to play much since arriving in the fall of 2020 but has been a steady presence on the two-deep.

Defense

Defensive End

The starters: Savion Jackson, jr.; Davin Vann, soph.

The reserves: Travali Price, r-fr.; C.J. Clark, r-soph.

This could be a breakout year for Jackson, who had 23 tackles, 1.5 for loss and five quarterback hurries in nine games last season. The 6-foot-2, 290-pound junior has garnered praise during fall camp and could be a standout in the Wolfpack's three-man front. Vann is another player that looks to have earned a starting spot during fall camp and could beat out Clark.

Nose Tackle

The starter: Cory Durden, r-sr.

The reserves: Joshua Harris, r-soph.

Durden will return to nose tackle this season after filling in for injured C.J. Clark at defensive end last season. Durden, a Florida State transfer, garnered first-team All-ACC honors in replacement of Clark. Harris lost 40 pounds this offseason and could be a key contributor off the bench.

Linebacker

The starters: Drake Thomas, jr.; Isaiah Moore, r-sr.; Payton Wilson, r-jr.

The reserves: Caden Fordham, r-fresh.; Devon Betty, soph.; Jaylon Scott, Jr.; Jordan Poole, r-fresh.

NC State could have one of the strongest linebacker cores in the country with the return of Isaiah Moore and Payton Wilson from season-ending injuries. Thomas led the Wolfpack with 100 tackles, 13.5 tackles for a loss and three interceptions last fall. If Wilson can remain healthy, he could be one of the best linebackers in the country.

Cornerback

The starters: Derrek Pitts Jr., r-sr; Shyheim Battle, r-soph; Tyler Baker-Williams, sr.

The reserves: Teshaun Smith, r-jr.; Aydan White, soph.; Joshua Pierre Louis, soph.

Pitts, a Marshall transfer, quickly fit into NC State's system, finishing with 43 tackles and a team-high six pass breakups last fall. Battle is set to begin his third season as a starter, matching Pitts with six pass breakups in 2021 combined with two interceptions and 28 tackles. Baker-Williams will get the start at nickel and be backed up by JPL.

Safety

The starters: Tanner Ingle, sr.; Cyrus Fagan, r-sr

The reserves: Devan Boykin, so.; Jakeen Harris, jr.

Ingle can be a difference maker on defense as long as he's healthy and stays away from targeting penalties. Ingle was named first-team All-ACC last year after producing 82 tackles, an interception and four pass breakups. Fagan, who is returning from a Week 2 season-ending injury last fall, could be the starter in Week 1 but will share the load with Harris, who played well in his place.

Special Teams

Placekicker

The starter: Chris Dunn, sr.

The reserve: Shane McDonough, r-sr.

Dunn, the school's all-time leader in points and made field goals, returns for his fifth season with the Wolfpack. Last fall, he hit 13-of-19 field goals including a 10-for-12 mark in the final six games of the year. He's made all 170 extra-point attempts during his four-year career.

Punter

The starter: Shane McDonough, r-sr.

The reserve: Chris Dunn, sr.

The Towson transfer finished third in the CAA last year, averaging 41.3 yards a punt with eight kicks over 50 yards.

David Thompson is an award-winning reporter for the USA Today Network covering NC State and Duke athletics. He can be reached at dthompson1@gannett.com, at 828-231-1747, or on Twitter at @daveth89

This article originally appeared on The Fayetteville Observer: NC State football roster: Depth chart predictions for ECU game