Sought-after OL with a famous dad picks NC State over UNC and Duke. ‘So proud’
AI-generated summary reviewed by our newsroom.
- Colt Hauser, a three-star Class of 2027 offensive lineman, committed to NC State.
- Hauser is listed at 6-foot-1 and 280 pounds and will add interior depth.
- His father is actor Cole Hauser, known for playing Rip Wheeler on Yellowstone.
N.C. State athletics is no stranger to recruiting players with ties to popular athletes, current and former. One football recruit, however, has ties to a different type of public figure.
Offensive lineman Colt Hauser committed to N.C. State Monday night. He is a three-star recruit in the class of 2027 and will add depth on the interior. Hauser is listed at 6-foot-1 and 280 pounds.
Hauser is from West Palm Beach, Florida, and had interest from North Carolina, Duke, East Carolina and West Virginia. Hauser visited West Virginia on May 29 and N.C. State on June 5. He was scheduled to visit Duke on June 17 and UNC two days later.
The incoming offensive lineman helped lead Cardinal Newman High School to a 1A Florida state championship last fall.
“First and foremost, I want to thank the man upstairs for making this possible,” Hauser wrote in an announcement on social media. “Thank you to every coach that has recruited me in this process. After a great official visit and a great conversation with my family, I am blessed to say I will be committing to Pack football.”
Famous dads of Wolfpack commits
Hauser is one of 13 commits in the upcoming signing class, including quarterback Gunner Rivers.
Rivers’ dad, Philip, had a prolific college career at N.C. State and in the NFL, playing as recently as last season.
Like Rivers, Hauser also has a famous father.
Cole Hauser, Colt’s dad, is an actor known for playing Rip Wheeler in the television series “Yellowstone.” In his 30-year acting career, he’s been in movies such as in “Good Will Hunting” and “Olympus Has Fallen.” He also appears in “Dutton Ranch,” a spinoff of the Yellowstone series that premiered on May 15.
“So proud of how you have conducted yourself throughout the process son!” Cole Hauser wrote on X. “I can’t wait to see what you do with the Wolfpack.”
The Hausers are longtime members of the acting and film industry. Harry Warner, one of the founders of Warner Bros., is Colt Hauser’s great-great grandfather. Cynthia Daniel, Colt Hauser’s mother, is a former actress and photographer.
This story was originally published June 9, 2026 at 10:55 AM.
