Nov 2, 2024; Raleigh, North Carolina, USA; North Carolina State Wolfpack football team takes the field against the Stanford Cardinals at Carter-Finley Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Zachary Taft-Imagn Images Zachary Taft-Imagn Images

NC State Coach's NFL Pedigree Inspiring Players

Originally posted on NC State Wolfpack on SI
By Tucker Sennett | Last updated Aug 7, 2025 1:30 PM ET

North Carolina State Wolfpack head coach Dave Doeren made sweeping changes to his coaching staff following the 2024 season. One change came at defensive coordinator, where Doeren added DJ Eliot as the primary coordinator in addition to Charlton Warren as his co-coordinator.

Eliot most recently served as an analyst on Dave Aranda's staff at Baylor, but he brought with him a pedigree and experience at the NFL level that's proven to be valuable in swaying players to come to NC State, as well as garnering respect once they're within the program.

Eliot's NFL Experience

After 23 years of college coaching, Eliot got his shot in the pros with the then-reigning NFC Champion Philadelphia Eagles in 2023 under head coach Nick Sirianni.

With the Eagles, Eliot coached standout linebacker Haason Reddick and helped begin the development of college standout linebacker Nolan Smith, who was drafted by the Eagles out of Georgia.

After just a season in the pros, Eliot returned to the college ranks before ultimately ending up in Raleigh with Doeren and the Wolfpack.

With the Wolfpack

Given his background as a professional-level linebackers coach, Eliot was able to draw in some fresh faces for the Wolfpack linebacker corps, including Northwestern transfer Kenny Soares Jr.

"(Eliot) coming from the league and being that guy who knows what it looks like, you can't really beat it," Soares said.

The unique advantage of Eliot's wisdom from spending time around NFL talent affected both recruiting and his coaching, something Doeren likely saw coming upon hiring him as the coordinator.

"He coached some of the best players that play nowadays so you can't really beat that," Soares said.

Even the returners mentioned the big differences in the culture and scheme under Eliot, something they hadn't undergone in several seasons.

"He has a lot of experience being with the Eagles," defensive back Devon Marshall said. "He coached NFL guys. He's seen a lot, and he's taken a lot of that stuff that he's seen, and every meeting that we have with him, he's given us new details that we can take into the game or at practice."

That professional atmosphere is becoming more and more prominent across college football, especially with the situation up the road in Chapel Hill with Bill Belichick and the Tar Heels.

Wolfpack fans can only hope Eliot's professional background will help turn around a defense that struggled mightily in the 2024 season.

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This article first appeared on NC State Wolfpack on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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