NC State TE Dante Daniels seeking another season of eligibility from NCAA via JUCO waiver

NC State redshirt senior tight end Dante Daniels is seeking another year of eligibility from the NCAA after spending his first three seasons at the junior college level to begin his collegiate career.

“Dante is in the mix of trying to get another year, so we’re hopeful for him,” Wolfpack coach Dave Doeren said. “With the whole junior college thing, you just never know. We might get another year for him and we’re trying.”

Daniels, who is trying to use Vanderbilt quarterback Diego Pavia’s reasoning for his junior college seasons not counting to earn more time at the Division I level, spent three years at Butler Community College after moving to the United States from Windsor, Ontario, Can. He redshirted the 2021 campaign before appearing in three in 2022 with a career-best seven appearances en route to nine receptions for 133 yards and a score in 2023 as an honorable mention All-American.

The 6-foot-6, 279-pound tight end put together his best season in his two years with the Pack as he hauled in six receptions for 52 yards and a touchdown this past fall. He logged a trio of catches for 32 yards and a score in 2024.

Daniels has excelled as a complementary pass blocker for standout blocking tight end Cody Hardy this fall. He posted an above-average 76.5 mark in pass blocking, according to Pro Football Focus this season, as he did not allow a single quarterback pressure when used as another protector for Wolfpack sophomore quarterback CJ Bailey.

If Daniels were to get another season of eligibility, it would help NC State’s transition away from its senior-laden room this fall as Justin Joly and Hardy were the other two most-used tight ends on the offense. The Wolfpack, as of now, is set to boast a young tight ends group in 2026 with rising redshirt sophomore Ian Flynt, rising sophomore Preston Douglas, rising redshirt freshman Gus Ritchey and incoming freshmen Stephen Brown and William Vaughn.

Daniels would be a critical addition for the Wolfpack’s roster next fall as his 470 total snaps at NC State outnumber the other five combined for just 66 — 66 of which were by Douglas — in an NC State uniform.