RALEIGH, N.C. -- In today's version of college football, stories like Jaylon Scott's are rare.
With the combination of the transfer portal, NIL and general competition at every program across the country, players often don't remain with teams for more than multiple years without earning a starting role. But despite waiting behind one of the most productive trios of linebackers in NC State history for the last four years with a just a few starts sprinkled in, Scott has remained in Raleigh.
And wouldn't you know it, the move is paying off.
Through the first eight games, Scott has already set career-highs with 46 tackles, 4.5 tackles for loss, two sacks, two pass deflections and one forced fumble. And he surpassed his career high in tackles for loss and sacks in style against Clemson, forcing the first fumble of his career on a play that saw 10 NC State defenders drop into coverage with Scott as the lone blitzing player.
"I'm very, very, very thankful for my teammates," Scott said after the win over Clemson. "I have to say: my D-line, they're good at picking up -- not signals, but good at like picking up if things are being said repetitively. They're good at picking things up. We had a little clue there.
"I'm 100 percent grateful for my D-line, for my fellow linebackers for letting me know that it was going to be a slide protection to the opposite side away from me. Since I knew that, it made me want to go make a play."
Scott's journey has been anything but perfect, though. The Shelby (N.C.) native played in six games during the 2019 season, so he was unable to redshirt as a freshman. He gained valuable experience during that campaign, but played in just 148 total snaps as a sophomore in 2020, getting his lone start in the Gator Bowl loss.
The following season, Scott entered the year as a backup, but wound up with six games started due to an injury to Payton Wilson and Isaiah Moore. But after getting his chance as a starter for half the season, he once again agreed to stay with the Pack despite taking a backseat to Wilson, Moore and Drake Thomas for a fourth straight season.
It's something that's extremely uncommon in this era, but one that Dave Doeren believes should be viewed as an example to others put in similar situations.
"In general to see at the high school level now, kids are picking up and transferring all the time," Doeren said. "It's sad. Parents are robbing young people of adversity. 'That's okay, honey. Let's do this. That's too hard.' That's sad. That's why we're a soft country.
"I'm proud of Jaylon, really proud of him. Really proud of him. It wasn't easy. He wasn't always great with it. There were times where I had to get after him. He's hung in there. He's going to be a college graduate. He's playing really good football. He changed the trajectory of his life because he hung in there. It's a great story."
Heading into Saturday's game against Miami, Scott and the rest of the senior on the roster have just two home games left on the schedule. Just two more opportunities to run out of the tunnel in front of the Wolfpack fans. Just two more chances to have the home crowd behind him and his brothers around him.
While he can see the light at the end of the tunnel when it comes to his college career, just getting the chance to be in the role he's in is something he's appreciated all season. Much like his career with NC State, nothing is promised for Scott moving forward, so this could very well be the end of his football career once the season concludes.
And he makes sure he shows it on the field, but also every time he steps to the microphone.
"Yeah, these are my last two home games ... this is my last year of eligibility left," Scott said. "I tell you what, I've taken it all in since the very beginning of the season. If you notice, even in my interviews, I just harp on my teammates -- my team -- I just love these guys. I know it's coming to an end soon and I know sooner or later I won't have this. I won't have these guys to come back to, wake up to every morning to see. Those types of relationships, those bonds, you just won't have it.
"I've been cherishing it since the beginning of the season."
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