NC State's offense returns 62% of its production. The defense returns 46%. Layton and Ethan go position by position through the 2026 Wolfpack defense — every projected starter, all five defensive transfers, and whether a rebuilt unit is a downgrade or an upgrade.

KaTron Evans is suing the NCAA after his waiver was denied a day before camp. Harvey Dyson arrives from Tulane to carry a pass rush that generated only 20 sacks last season — and Ethan digs into why that number should have been much higher. Josiah Victor has 96 career snaps and might be the most important player on the roster.

By the end, the two of us flatly disagree on how good this defense can be.

Part 2 of our 2026 preview series. Full season predictions coming next.

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