Dec 30, 2022; Charlotte, NC, USA; North Carolina State Wolfpack helmets during the first half against the Maryland Terrapins in the 2022 Duke's Mayo Bowl at Bank of America Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jim Dedmon-Imagn Images Jim Dedmon-Imagn Images

NC State Safety Ready For First Real Chance

Originally posted on NC State Wolfpack on SI
By Tucker Sennett | Last updated Aug 21, 2025 8:00 AM ET

Redshirt freshman safety Ronnie Royal III sat on the sidelines for a season, waiting his turn. With the 2025 NC State football season a week away, Royal will get his shot for the Wolfpack in his second year with the program.

The defensive unit for NC State underwent a rebuild of sorts in the offseason. Head coach Dave Doeren hired co-defens ive coordinators DJ Eliot and Charlton Warren to implement a new scheme and attract different talent after former coordinator Tony Gibson left for Marshall.

Royal looks to be one of the beneficiaries of those changes, with a newfound spirit and commitment to leading the defensive backs.

Ready to Eat

Sitting out a year wasn't easy for Royal. He came to NC State as a four-star recruit and dominated both sides of the ball in high school. He played both defensive back and running back throughout his entire career at Gulf Shores High School. The adjustment to playing one way wasn't easy.

"I used to have fun having the ball in my hands. Now, you never do," Royal said. " … Now it’s more focused on tackling. My big goal is to tackle and get the ball back so I can have the ball in my hands again

Given the players in front of him as a freshman, Royal never got a real shot. However, instead of feeling bad about that, it fueled him even more.

" It made me a lot more hungry. I put my head down and really focused. I got to college, and at first, I didn’t know how it was going to go. I didn’t know if I was going to sit a year or go ahead and play. I had to stay ready," Royal said. "It just made me more hungry."

That hunger drove Royal into the rotation of veteran safeties like Renté Hinton and JJ Johnson.

Royal's Development

The addition of Warren to the coaching staff spurred Royal's development even more. The coach's background with safeties and nickels gave the safety someone with a treasure trove of wisdom to lean on as he learned the college game.

"He’s a great coach. He taught me a lot on technique and concepts of the game," Royal said.

Warren and the staff helped the young defensive back improve his communication skills greatly, something Royal admitted he needed to work on. While he needed to work on gaining a vocal presence on the field, he didn't lack another key quality for safeties.

"I love to hit. I’m not scared to hit or come down when I need to come down. Physicality, no problem," Royal said.

The young safety might remain on the outside of a starting role for the Wolfpack in 2025. However, Royal's increased development gives the NC State staff another option for depth, something many teams are struggling with in the modern era of college football.

Ensure you follow on X (Twitter) @WolfpackOnSI and @SennettTucker and never miss another breaking news story again.

Please let us know your thoughts when you like our Facebook page WHEN YOU CLICK RIGHT HERE.

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

More must-reads: