It’s time to unleash Davion Dozier.
Dozier will face his former team tonight when NC State hosts Appalachian State at Carter-Finley Stadium, and through three games, the Wolfpack hasn’t come close to utilizing the skill that made his addition from the Transfer Portal so intriguing in the first place.
His ability to stretch the field.
Dozier transferred to NC State this offseason after catching 20 passes for 448 yards and five Touchdowns for Appalachian State in 2025.
He ranked third on the team in receiving yards and second in Touchdown receptions.
Dozier only played nine games.
He missed the first three games of the season before emerging as one of App State’s most dangerous weapons.
What immediately jumped out to me when Dozier committed to NC State was his big-play ability.
Dozier averaged a ridiculous 22.4 yards per reception last season.
This wasn’t a receiver simply accumulating catches underneath and letting volume produce his yardage. Dozier was stretching defenses vertically and making explosive plays.
That’s why his usage through three games at NC State has been so surprising.
Look, I’m not a coach.
I’m not at practice every day.
There could be things happening behind the scenes that aren’t visible on Saturdays.
But I’ve been continually surprised by how little Dozier has been utilized through NC State’s first three games.
He has only four receptions for 35 yards, averaging 8.8 yards per catch.
More importantly, the Wolfpack hasn’t been using him to attack defenses vertically.
Dozier’s Average Depth of Target currently sits at 9.3 yards.
Last season at Appalachian State?
18.2 yards.
That’s nearly double.
| Season | Receptions | Yards | Yards/Rec. | aDOT |
| 2025 at App State | 20 | 448 | 22.4 | 18.2 |
| 2026 at NC State | 4 | 35 | 8.8 | 9.3 |
That’s a dramatic change in how Dozier is being used.
NC State brought in a receiver who proved he could make plays down the field, and through three games, the Wolfpack hasn’t really asked him to do it.
It’s not as if Dozier has struggled when he’s gotten on the field.
His 66.6 Overall PFF Grade is tied for the second-highest among NC State’s Wide Receivers, yet Dozier ranks seventh in the Wide Receiver room in snaps.
That’s the part I have a hard time understanding.
Keenan Jackson playing significantly more snaps makes complete sense. He’s playing like a legitimate No. 1 Wide Receiver.
Jojo Trader ranking second in the room also adds up. NC State brought the Miami transfer in with significant expectations, even if we’re still waiting to see him consistently live up to his potential.
After that?
It’s harder for me to understand why Victor Snow, Chance Robinson, Tyran Warren and Ashton Locklear have all logged more snaps than Dozier.
That’s not a knock on those players, but Dozier has a higher grade than all of them.
Dozier didn’t come to Raleigh as some developmental flier from Appalachian State.
Before spending last season in Boone, he played his first two collegiate seasons at Arkansas.
Coming out of high school, both 247Sports and Rivals ranked Dozier as a 4-star prospect.
Then, when he finally received an opportunity to play significant snaps at Appalachian State, he showed exactly why he had been so highly regarded.
NC State doesn’t need Dozier to become its No. 1 receiver. Jackson has firmly established himself in that role, but this offense desperately needs players who can stress a defense vertically.
Dozier has already proven he can do exactly that.
Tonight, Dozier’s former team comes to town.
There’s something almost too perfect about the opportunity.
Dozier knows the Appalachian State program. He knows many of the players on the other sideline, and you can bet he’d love nothing more than to make a few plays against his former team.
This isn’t about manufacturing a revenge-game narrative. It’s about using a player according to what he has already shown he does best.
NC State has a 6-foot-3 receiver who averaged 22.4 yards per catch last season and entered the program with a proven ability to make plays down the field.
Through three games, his Average Depth of Target has been cut nearly in half, and six other Wide Receivers have played more snaps.
Tonight feels like the perfect night to change that.
Unleash Davion Dozier.