Tyler Baker-Williams Earns Preseason Praise
NC State hasn't gotten a lot of love thus far from those selecting the preseason college football award watch lists.
That's to be expected coming off a 4-8 season that finished with six straight losses.
But at least one source does think highly of the Wolfpack and the talent it has on hand heading into what we hope will be the 2020 season.
Already this summer, the website PFF College has listed junior defensive tackle Alim McNeil as the third highest-rated returning interior linemen in the ACC and sophomore Ickey Ekwonu as the third-highest graded offensive tackles in the league.
Now, PFF College has highlighted another rising star by recognizing junior nickel Tyler Baker-Williams as the fourth-highest rated returning slot cornerbacks not only in the ACC, but in the entire nation among Power Five programs.
The 6-foot-1, 205-pound Raleigh native earned a rating of 77.0, putting him behind only Washington's Elijah Molden (90.8), TCU's Trevon Moehrig (88.1) and Oregon's Jevon Holland (82.7).
Highest-graded returning Power 5 slot CBs in 2019:
— PFF College (@PFF_College) July 16, 2020
➤ Elijah Molden, Washington (90.8)
➤ Trevon Moehrig, TCU (88.1)
➤ Jevon Holland, Oreon (82.7)
➤ Tyler Baker-Williams, NC State (77.0)
➤ Jaylen Mahoney, Vanderbilt (74.0) pic.twitter.com/lZtvnFUAfz
Baker-Williams spent last season splitting time with Stephen Griffin, starting three games and recording 499 snaps from scrimmage. He projects to be the full-time starter in 2020 with Griffin having graduated.
He had his best game against Clemson with seven tackles. He also had six tackles and a half sack against Ball State while finishing the season with 39 tackles, 2.5 tackles for loss, three pass breakups and two special teams stops.
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