Assessing NC State's Quarterback Room After Spring Camp

RALEIGH — While NC State underwent a fairly massive roster overhaul with so many players leaving for one reason or another, several position groups remained fairly steady, including the most important one on the roster: the quarterback room. Head coach Dave Doeren and his staff maintained continuity at quarterback, creating tremendous upside for the looming 2026 season.

Rising-star signal-caller CJ Bailey is back for his junior season in Raleigh, making the Wolfpack one of the few teams in the ACC with a returning multi-year starter. However, depth at the most important position is critical and the Pack has options behind Bailey if something were to happen during the season. What does the position group look like after spring camp?

QB1: CJ Bailey

In his first full season as a starter, Bailey took on massive responsibility as the youngest team captain in the Doeren era of the program. There was no doubt that Bailey was ready to take on a bigger role, and he proved it right away. As a sophomore, he passed for 3,105 yards, 25 touchdowns and nine interceptions, completing 68.8% of his attempts.

Now, he'll need to take a leap as a processor and prove he can find ways to get the Wolfpack over the hump against some of the best teams in the ACC, an area in which he struggled as a sophomore, other than a stellar performance against Georgia Tech.

QB2: Will Wilson

The Wolfpack is getting back its top offensive gadget from the 2025 season, as Will Wilson is back for his sophomore year in Raleigh after rushing for 146 yards and 10 touchdowns in his first collegiate campaign. His signature performance came against the program's bitter rivals, the UNC Tar Heels, when he scored four touchdowns on the ground.

Wilson is likely to work in a similar role to the one he operated in during 2025. However, there might be an even greater level of trust from the staff in the talented Wilson now that he's played a full year. That could open the playbook to even greater potential in the red zone.

QB3: Tad Hudson

After Lex Thomas opted to transfer elsewhere, the Wolfpack needed a steady backup option with more collegiate experience than Wilson. Enter Tad Hudson, a redshirt junior from Coastal Carolina who racked up 1,253 passing yards during the 2025 season with the Chanticleers.

Hudson is a break-glass option for the Wolfpack with more of a passing pedigree than the younger Wilson. One fun fact about the Coastal Carolina transfer is that he's the younger brother of Ann Michael Maye, former UNC and current New England Patriots quarterback Drake Maye's wife.

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