NC State’s kickoff specialist with big-leg upside and freshman volatility
Charlie Birtwistle is a redshirt freshman kicker at NC State who was used primarily on kickoff duties in the 2025 season, averaging 63.20 yards on 40 kickoffs with 25 touchbacks and just one out-of-bounds kick, a solid sign of leg strength and control. He arrived from South Point (Belmont, N.C.) and was listed as part of a young specialist group, but his value is less about flash and more about ceiling: if he cleans up consistency, he profiles as a useful field-position weapon. The main watchout is health, since late-2025 reports tied him to an undisclosed injury.
