RALEIGH — Cian Slone didn’t have the most orthodox college football career, but it might not matter. After two seasons at the junior college level followed by two at Utah State, Slone finally made his way into Power Conference football at NC State. There was immediate confidence in his ability to fill a void at outside linebacker for the Wolfpack, but it slowly turned into something more than that.
He quietly worked his way onto NFL draft boards, something no one but Slone himself believed was possible early in his college football journey. At the Wolfpack Pro Day on Wednesday, that process reached another level, as the talented linebacker thrived in his physical testing and in a few different drills, all in front of representatives from all 32 NFL franchises.
Slone’s Pro Day avaliability
Slone’s rise
When Slone arrived in Raleigh, he quietly worked his way into a more vocal leadership role alongside fellow Mountain West Conference transfer Sabastian Harsh. That duo formed an important tandem in a massively improved pass rush for the Wolfpack, but Slone showed his value far beyond just that aspect of his role. That versatility is what’s helping him get on draft boards.
“I feel like I have a ton of position flexibility with me being that outside linebacker and me playing that in multiple different schemes,” Slone said. “Obviously, they hit on my effort a lot, which is something I’m really proud of because it’s something I can control. I’m just excited to see what these next couple of weeks have in store for me.”
Slone finished the 2025 season with 61 total tackles, including 24 solo takedowns, 6.5 tackles for loss and 1.5 sacks. He recovered a fumble in the Notre Dame loss. His signature moment for the Wolfpack came in the second game against Virginia. Slone found himself covering Virginia running back J’Mari Taylor in the end zone and intercepted quarterback Chandler Morris to secure the win for the Pack. His lone year with the Pack proved to be crucial in his development…