North Carolina State University Athletics
CollegeFootballNews.com Preseason Honors
7/15/2004 12:00:00 AM | Football
July 15, 2004
NC State was picked ninth in the nation in the CollegeFootballNews.com preseason poll. The website also lists the Wolfpack in a four-way tie with Florida State, Miami and Virginia for first place in its preseason ACC poll.
Individually, CollegeFootballNews.com has junior tailback T.A. McLendon, sophomore defensive end Mario Williams and senior rover back Andrew Maddox listed as preseason first-team All-ACC selections, with Maddox ranked sixth in the league regardless of position, McLendon 13th, Williams 26th and junior halfback Tramain Hall 30th. McLendon is the top rated running back in the conference, Hall is the fourth best receiver, Williams is the No. 4 defensive lineman and Maddox is ranked second among ACC defensive backs. Williams was also selected the top breakout player in the ACC for 2004.
McLendon was also picked preseason first-team All-ACC by Athlon Sports along with senior linebacker Pat Thomas. Junior tight end T.J. Williams, Mario Williams and Maddox were named second team, while Hall and sophomore offensive guard Leroy Harris were selected third team.
Maddox was highlighted by CollegeFootballNews.com as one of the "117 Players You Should Know in 2004" and that website ranked McLendon 18th on its preseason Heisman watch list.
Thomas was also recently named to the Nagurski Award Watch List by the Football Writers Association of America. The award, named after Hall of Famer and University of Minnesota and Chicago Bears star Bronko Nagurski, recognizes the best all-around defensive players throughout the year with the Bronko Nagurski Player of the Week. In November, five finalists will be selected by the FWAA All-America committee and the trophy will be presented to the winner at a banquet on December 8 in Charlotte, N.C.
Phil Steele's College Football Preview has the Wolfpack ranked 23rd in the nation, the Blue Ribbon College Football Preview has NC State 25th. Athlon, The Sporting News and Lindy's have NC State unranked in the top 25. Athlon and Lindy's projects NC State sixth in the ACC, while The Sporting News and Phil Steele picked the Pack seventh (behind Florida State, Miami, Clemson, Virginia, Maryland and Virginia Tech) in the preseason league standings.
