Former NC State corners Mike Stevens and Johnathan Alston get NFL camp invites

Both of NC State’s much-harried starting cornerbacks from 2018 will have their shots with NFL teams. Neither Johnathan Alston nor Mike Stevens were drafted, but they have earned at least a glance in the rookie camps for their respective clubs.

Alston is getting his chance with the Miami Dolphins, while Stevens has been invited to rookie camp with the Carolina Panthers.

Alston began his career at NC State as a wide receiver and actually spent the bulk of his college career there, but he became a pretty damned good cornerback in the latter part of his career. Stevens hovered on the two-deep as a corner for a while before earning a starting job, though he also had a senior season limited by injury. I don’t think we saw how good Stevens could be.

Both of these dudes have a chance, but it’s a crowded field. Alston has the size but lacks the instincts or the wheels. Stevens has the instincts and maybe the wheels but lacks the size. Both kids are good players, just good players with obvious blind spots. It’s tough from here on.