The Wolfpacker: An Independent Magazine Covering NC State Sports
Issue link: https://read.uberflip.com/i/1153250
44 ■ THE WOLFPACKER starter Stephen Louis, who was a fifth-year senior last fall. Some may expect Emezie to feel the pressure of being the potential feature re- ceiver, but that runs contrary to his laid- back persona. "I don't really get pressure," he said. "Pressure is when you allow people, exter- nal expectations to give you problems. It's not that I don't care, but that's not what I play for. I play for me and this team, that's what I play for." Emezie is confi- dent that the receiv- ing corps led by him- self, redshirt junior C.J. Riley and redshirt sophomore Thayer Thomas can handle picking up with where Harmon, Meyers and Louis left off. "They're gone, of course they're great, but we'll step right in," Emezie said. "You're not losing anything with us." Bright Future Since Emezie has arrived at NC State, his mother became determined to learn the sport of football and has been to every sin- gle game with the exception of last year's road contest at Marshall. There's a chance that she could be watch- ing her son do bigger things down the road. Harmon and Meyers chasing their NFL dreams was not lost on their teammate. "Kelvin had always talk about how he was going to go to the NFL and it hap- pened — speaking it into existence," Emezie noted. "I can't worry about that too much cause that's way later down the line, but all these guys that I was in the room competing with are now in the NFL — Ryan [Finley], Kelvin, [Bradley] Chubb. The list is endless. "Seeing that turned into reality makes it really possible as an achievable goal." Entering his junior year, Emezie said he is working harder than ever and has contin- ued to grow mentally. "When you look at champions, they hold their heads high through whatever," Emezie said. "If I make a mistake or whatever, I am not going to put my head down. I'm going to keep my head up and maintain my con- fidence throughout camp and throughout the season, and just keep my consistency throughout camp and working out." It's that matura- tion that has allowed Emezie to put that game against Wake Forest during his fresh- man year in perspec- tive. Last year while playing Louisville, the wideout got the same play and route he did when he fumbled against the Deacons. This time, though, the result was a touchdown. "Of course I care because we lost the game, but how can you let one play destroy you?" he asked. "I could be on a whole dif- ferent path and still not playing and stuff, but I feel like a true champion picks his head up and attacks that situation." ■ "The year before was my first year playing football, and they were saying, 'He could be good.' I was like, 'I am going to be good.' I had four touchdowns in my first game, and I knew." ■ Emezie on the beginning of his football career in the eighth grade CBS Sports tabbed Emezie as the No. 2 wide receiver and No. 7 overall player in the ACC plus the No. 13 wideout and No. 76 overall player nationally for 2019. PHOTO BY KEN MARTIN