Injury update: NC State RG Spike Sowells ruled out at Pitt

NC State’s injury woes continue to get worse, but this time the offense is the affected phase of the team going into Saturday’s road tilt at Pitt (3:30 p.m., ACCN).

Freshman right guard Spike Sowells Jr. was ruled out Friday night ahead of the Pack’s clash with the Panthers, according to the ACC’s availability report. Sowells, who left the loss at Notre Dame early two weeks ago with an undisclosed injury, will not be dressed for the first time this season.

Sowells emerged as the Wolfpack’s starting right guard in its Week 5 clash with Virginia Tech to have started each of the last three games. He allowed five total quarterback pressures over the span, but conceded just one sack. 

The former four-star recruit out of Louisville (Ky.) Male was performing at one of the highest levels along NC State’s offensive line over the past few weeks. Now, however, the Wolfpack will have to make do without him. Redshirt junior Val Erickson, a former Missouri transfer, is likely to draw in as the starting right guard at Pitt. 

Erickson has appeared in three games this season, mostly as a part of the Wolfpack’s right guard rotation earlier this fall. He has logged 59 snaps on the line in 2025, allowing just one quarterback pressure over that stretch. 

While Erickson is likely to start at guard, Sowells was also the Pack’s backup center. It is likely that redshirt junior Rylan Vann will serve as Jalen Grant’s top reserve at Pitt.

Starting left guard Anthony Carter Jr., meanwhile, remains questionable to play. 

Here’s a look at the rest of NC State’s availability report.

NC State’s availability report

OUT

LB Sean Brown
S Rente Hinton
DB Isaiah Crowell
WR Jonathan Paylor
CB Jaren Sensabaugh
LB AJ Richardson
S JJ Johnson
LB Cole Wilson
S Daemon Fagan
LB Sterling Dixon
S Brody Barnhardt
OL Tyler West
OL Trent Mitchell

OL Spike Sowells Jr.