Dicker Departs New Kickers Compete

NC State 2024 Special Teams Preview

Dicker Departs, New Kickers Compete

After two seasons as NC State's kicker, Christopher Dunn is departing for the NFL. The Wolfpack have three kickers competing to take his place: redshirt junior Collin Smith, redshirt sophomore Ben Freeland, and true freshman Ethan Hullihan. All three kickers have shown promise in practice, and the competition is expected to be close.

Punter and Returner Picture Clearer

While the kicker position is up for grabs, the Wolfpack have more clarity at the punter and returner positions. Junior Trenton Gill will be the punter for the third straight season. Gill averaged 42.8 yards per punt last season, which ranked eighth in the ACC. Senior Thayer Thomas will once again handle the punt return duties. Thomas averaged 9.8 yards per return last season, which ranked second in the ACC.

New Faces at Specialist Positions

NC State also has several new faces at the specialist positions. Redshirt sophomore Jakeen Harris and true freshman Jaylon Moore are both competing for the kickoff return job. Harris has the most experience of the two, but Moore has shown impressive speed in practice. Redshirt freshman Timmy Horne is the favorite to win the long snapper job. Horne was a four-star recruit out of high school and is considered one of the best long snappers in the country.