NC State football post-transfer portal 2026 depth chart projection: Defense

After installing a new defensive scheme this past fall under D.J. Eliot, NC State had a complete cycle to stock the unit with players that fit what the second-year play-caller wants to operate with. In turn, the Wolfpack added six players from the transfer portal to bolster its defense going into the new campaign. Although it will be a mix of new faces and returning players rising into more-significant roles, the Pack’s defense is going to have several different people in key roles due to eligibility exhaustion of critical players this offseason. Here’s a look at what the Wolfpack’s 2026 defensive depth chart could look like after the wave of transfer portal additions.