NC State RB Duke Scott earns No. 1 jersey for 2026 season

Each year, NC State coach Dave Doeren chooses one player to award the No. 1 jersey to. It’s not a uniform that is handed out to just anyone, rather it is distributed to a player that “exhibits elite work ethic and practice and training habits, while also serving as an exemplary leader.”

After defensive players have worn it for each of the last seven seasons, redshirt sophomore Duke Scott was rewarded with the number going into the 2026 season, the program announced Monday afternoon.

“Since he first stepped on campus, Duke has been consistent in his work ethic, habits and pursuit of excellence,” Doeren said in the announcement. “He leads by example both on and off the field, and I’m looking forward to watching him continue to grow as a player and as a leader.”

Scott, who is set to be a starter for the first time in his career in the upcoming campaign, rushed for 581 yards and four touchdowns on 106 carries in his breakout redshirt freshman season last fall.

The Stockbridge, Ga., native impressed in his first-career start against then-No. 8 Georgia Tech with 24 attempts for 196 yards, averaging 8.2 per carry. Scott earned ACC Running Back of the Week and Rookie of the Week honors after that performance, while finishing as the runner-up for the Associated Press National Player of the Week.

Scott, who was also named to the All-ACC Academic Team this past season, is one of the Wolfpack’s top performers in the weight room. He owns a 38.5-inch vertical jump, a 10-foot, 2-inch broad jump, a 350-pound bench press, 405-pound clean and 4.35 40-yard dash.

History of the No. 1 jersey under Doeren

2014: CB Jarvis Byrd
2015: S Hakim Jones
2016: TE Jaylen Samuels
2017: TE Jaylen Samuels
2018: WR Stephen Louis
2019: DE James Smith-Williams
2020: LB Isaiah Moore
2021: LB Isaiah Moore
2022: LB Isaiah Moore
2023: DE Davin Vann
2024: DE Davin Vann
2025: LB Caden Fordham
2026: RB Duke Scott