NC State cornerback Malik Dunlap is entering the transfer portal
N.C. State cornerback Malik Dunlap won’t be with the Wolfpack for its final two games.
Tuesday morning, Dunlap posted on social media that he would be entering the transfer portal.
“This was not (an) easy decision for me,” Dunlap posted on Twitter and Instagram, “but after much prayer, meditation and talking to my family, I have decided that it is my best interest to put my name in the transfer portal.”
Dunlap (6-foot-4, 220 pounds) played in nine games this season for the Wolfpack (7-3, 6-3 ACC) and started five at left corner. Dunlap’s snaps, however, took a dive as the season progressed. After playing a season-high 84 snaps at Virginia, Dunlap’s plays dropped to 59 (Duke), 59 (UNC), 43 (Miami), 32 (FSU) and finally just six versus Liberty. He didn’t play at Syracuse last week, but was in uniform.
“He’s trying to make some decisions on what he wants to do next,” N.C. State coach Dave Doeren said Monday when asked about Dunlap’s absence from the two-deep. “We’re allowing him the opportunity to do that, so we are planning like he will not be here.”
Sophomore Cecil Powell started the last three games at left corner for the Wolfpack. Aydan White, a true freshman from Asheville, has seen more playing time at corner. After playing just six snaps prior to the Liberty game Nov. 21, White was in for 17 plays in that game and got his first interception. He played 66 snaps versus Syracuse.
In nine games this season, Dunlap, who played at Harding High School in Charlotte, finished with 20 tackles, one tackle for loss and four passes broken up. He appeared in 23 games in two seasons for N.C. State with 10 starts.
Dunlap signed with the Wolfpack in 2018 as a three-star prospect according to 247Sports. He was the No. 45 player in the state of North Carolina.
This story was originally published December 1, 2020 at 10:58 AM with the headline "NC State cornerback Malik Dunlap is entering the transfer portal."
