NC State lineman drafted in second round of NFL Draft. Here’s where he’s headed (2025)

An N.C. State offensive lineman is headed to the NFL after hearing his name called in the 2025 Draft in Green Bay, Wisconsin.

Offensive tackle Anthony Belton was selected by the hometown Green Bay Packers in the second round as the No. 54 overall pick. Belton was selected earlier than many draft analysts expected; most published mock drafts placed him as a third- or fourth-round pick.

Belton is 6-foot-6 and is officially listed at 336 pounds, with nearly 34-inch arms, and 10.25-inch hands. He has the size and length to create problems for opposing defenses.

Belton joins an exclusive group of N.C. State players to hear their names in the draft, and is the Wolfpack’s earliest pick since the Carolina Panthers selected Ikem “Ickey” Ekwonu, also an offensive tackle, in the first round in 2021. The Wolfpack has had at least one draftee in 10 consecutive seasons.

The offensive lineman from Florida started his career at Georgia Military College, a junior college, before transferring to N.C. State. He redshirted his first season with the Pack before becoming a three-year starter, primarily at left tackle. He is known for his ability to control the block, especially the pass block.

According to Pro Football Focus, Belton finished the season with an 87.3 grade in the pass block. He ranked No. 14 out of 601 tackles. He finished with a 73.6 overall grade on offense and ranked No. 102 out of 643 tackles. Belton played 735 snaps on the offensive line in 2024.

The most common pre-draft criticism of Belton was that he struggles at times with body control and footwork. He has also struggled with pre-snap penalties, but the graduate student played with more discipline in the latter half of the season.

With additional coaching, scouts expect Belton to become a more consistent player who can easily overtake opponents and help control the run game. That, coupled with his size, makes him a promising draftee.

During his time at N.C. State, Belton developed into one of the team’s leaders, especially in his final year. Head coach Dave Doeren praised Belton last season, noting his effort in fall camp and efforts to be an example to other players. He appeared in 40 games, starting in 32. He did not play in the Wolfpack’s bowl game; instead he participated in the Senior Bowl.

The graduate student started in all but one regular-season game this past season. He was ejected at Clemson for spitting on opposing player Tre Williams. Belton claimed Williams spit on him first.

“That’s not a representation of him. He’s a great young man that made a bad mistake, and he’ll pay for it,” Doeren said. “Our hope is he’ll grow from it and get better.”

Belton played but did not start the following week against Northern Illinois. He did not have any other significant disciplinary issues the rest of the year.

Coming out of high school, Belton was unranked by online recruiting services. He received Division I interest but did not have any offers due to his academic standing. Belton started his career on the junior college level before receiving Division I offers in 2020.

This story was originally published April 25, 2025 at 9:27 PM.