LB Caden Fordham dreamed of earning the No. 1 jersey at NC State. Now it’s his, and he understands the responsibility

By Noah Fleischman

Caden Fordham arrived at NC State as a wide-eyed freshman with plenty of energy. He was eager to learn, and within the Wolfpack’s star-studded linebacker room, there was plenty of opportunity. 

In a way, Fordham had his choice of role models to look up to. As a freshman, he had the likes of Drake Thomas, Isaiah Moore, Vi Jones and Payton Wilson ahead of him — all of which have since made NFL rosters. But there was just something about Moore, who donned the prestigious No. 1 jersey, that made Fordham strive to be just like him. 

That single-digit is only awarded to a player that Wolfpack coach Dave Doeren believes fits the standard of “elite work ethic in practice and training habits,” while also leading his teammates. Moore became the poster child of the jersey, wearing it for three straight seasons to become the longest-tenured player to don it. 

Fordham set a goal from that year forward: he wanted to wear the No. 1 by the time he left NC State. 

It took four years, including an injury-shortened 2024 campaign after tearing his ACL halfway through the season, but Fordham realized his dream Tuesday. Doeren introduced the physical defender as the next to wear the No. 1 jersey in a team meeting, signaling the passing of the torch after Davin Vann wore it the last two seasons before graduating.

“Caden is the alpha wolf of our football team,” Doeren said. “He learned under some of the best linebackers in school history – Payton Wilson, Drake Thomas and Isaiah Moore – and is carrying that tradition forward. I look forward to watching him lead on and off the field this season.”

Fordham wore a wide grin as he met with the media a few hours later following the Wolfpack’s practice nine days out from the season opener against East Carolina on Aug. 28 (7 p.m., ACC Network). For him, donning his new number for the first time was a dream come true.

“It means a lot,” said Fordham, who boasts 110 career tackles. “The guys before me, like Isaiah Moore, I’ve seen the way they came out and competed every day, how they carried themselves and what this number means to this university and our team. 

“It’s such a blessing. I’m thankful for all my teammates and Coach Doeren for giving me the opportunity to wear it. I’m going to do everything in my power to uphold the standard to what this number means.”

The number has become ingrained in the Wolfpack’s culture. To even have a chance of earning it, a player has to work as hard as they can at all times. Fordham, who battled back to return from his knee injury ahead of schedule, has done that to this point. 

Another facet of the number is to be a commanding leader of the team. And despite being sidelined for the final seven games last fall, and rehabbing during spring practice, Fordham found his voice. He wasn’t on the field with his teammates, yet Fordham was still able to lead the unit from the back of the position room. 

That stood out to Moore, who is now the Wolfpack’s assistant linebackers coach. In a way, one No. 1 saw the next in line blossoming right before his eyes.

“He took this team this offseason, even while being injured and going through the recovery process, and found an opportunity to lead,” Moore said. “He did it his own way. He didn’t try to be me, try to be Payton, try to be Drake. He just wanted to be Caden Fordham. I told him that would be enough, and it was enough. I’m extremely happy for him. It couldn’t happen to a better person, and I’m honored to have him in the club with me.”

While Moore had served in that role for three seasons, he wasn’t the only one to witness Fordham’s leadership evolution up close. Redshirt senior linebacker Sean Brown, who transitioned to the position from safety last fall, was able to watch Fordham emerge from his leadership shell — just as he did at the same time.

“He’s always had that leadership in him, it’s just that me and him waited our turns because we had a bunch of guys in front of us that were real leaders that we got to learn from,” said Brown, who was named a captain for the second straight year Tuesday, along with quarterback CJ Bailey, offensive lineman Anthony Carter Jr., and Fordham. “Once those guys went away and left us to lead, it was our turn to step up. It’s always been there.”

Now, after following some of NC State’s top leaders of recent history — Moore, Vann and Wilson — Fordham is ready to leave his own mark in Raleigh. It’s been a winding path to this moment, but the linebacker is ready to play exactly like they did for the Wolfpack.

“You have to play your tail off, no matter what,” Fordham said of the responsibility of the No. 1 jersey. “Nobody cares if you’re hurting or tired. You have to come in every day and be the same guy everyone looks up to. Just carry yourself the same way, no matter what, and lead this team.”