NC State’s Portal Blueprint Has One Clear Focus: CJ Bailey
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RALEIGH — The 2025 season ended swiftly for NC State football, although the Wolfpack hoisted a trophy at the Union Home Mortgage Gasparilla Bowl after beating the Memphis Tigers for the program's first bowl win since 2017. Dave Doeren and his staff quickly began the process of retaining key players and assessing potential options out of the transfer portal for 2026.
The program received a huge boost when talented quarterback CJ Bailey announced his intention to return to NC State for a third season under Doeren. With the most important player on the team back in line for another run at things in the ACC, the Pack was able to construct a plan for the highly chaotic transfer portal season, which began Jan. 2.
QB1. 🐺#1Pack1Goal pic.twitter.com/r4KA7f6Yvz
— NC State Football (@PackFootball) January 2, 2026
With star running back Hollywood Smothers off to Alabama and tight end Justin Joly destined for the NFL, Bailey became the unquestioned face of the offense for the 2026 season. However, the team lost significant talent on the offensive line, requiring more work in the portal to ensure Bailey has the protection he needs to get NC State to the top of the conference.
The plan became clear as the visits started in Raleigh. NC State is all in on Bailey.
What is the blueprint?
The stats show that Bailey was a much better quarterback when he felt protected. When he was sacked two or more times as a sophomore, the Wolfpack finished 2-3. Two of those losses were games where the opposing defense took the sophomore signal caller down four different teams.
Bailey also showed a tendency to turn the ball over and make additional mistakes against the best defensive lines NC State faced throughout the season. Eight of Bailey's nine interceptions came against Notre Dame, ACC champion Duke and National Championship contender Miami. Outside of the losses to those teams, he threw a pick in the first game of the season against East Carolina.
With two offensive linemen exhausting their eligibility and one bound for the transfer portal, NC State made its priorities clear quickly. The team needed to invest in keeping its star quarterback upright, first and foremost. That meant a starting caliber tackle and at least one guard needed to come into the fold for offensive line coach Garrett Tujague to feel comfortable heading into 2026.
After organizing things in the trenches for Bailey, the Wolfpack needed to add some players who could catch Bailey's passes, as four of the team's top pass catchers were on their way out through the portal and graduation. The shopping list was in hand by mid-December, giving the staff time to evaluate players at every position of need to help Bailey.
Bringing in the help
While some nice incoming freshman pieces were arriving at wide receiver in the form of Amiri Acker and Tyreek Copper, NC State sought some proven talent to support its talented quarterback. Enter First-Team All-MAC selection Victor Snow, an undersized, speedy slot receiver from Buffalo who became the first player to commit to the Pack out of the portal.
Snow has the potential to be a lesser version of a player who thrived for the program in 2023, K.C. Concepcion. Both players share more of a running back build and offer enough versatility to be weapons in special teams situations and out of the backfield. If Snow can replicate some of the production and speed Concepcion brought to the Wolfpack, Bailey will be a very happy quarterback.
Let’s work! #Committed #Wolfpack 🐺 pic.twitter.com/m5taR4Gny5
— Chance J Robinson (@ChanceJRobinso1) January 9, 2026
Bailey hasn't been afraid to share how much he loves his South Florida roots during his time in Raleigh. Adding a player he grew up with, who would also be another weapon at wide receiver, became a no-brainer for Doeren and the Wolfpack staff. NC State secured a commitment from Miami wideout Chance Robinson, a player looking for a chance to shine after sitting out most of his first two years at the collegiate level.
The Wolfpack took a hit when it lost Jacarrius Peak, the stalwart left tackle, to the portal. However, it was prepared for his exit and immediately brought in a solid contingency option. East Carolina starting left tackle and All-Conference performer Jimarion McCrimon committed to the Pack, filling one of the starting tackle spots before Peak even found his new home at South Carolina.
For Doeren and offensive coordinator Kurt Roper, Bailey showed enough development to make such investments worthy. There's no reason to think the Wolfpack is done supporting its young quarterback yet, either, with more pass catchers and offensive linemen still flying in and out of Raleigh, considering bringing their talents to NC State.
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Tucker Sennett graduated summa cum laude with a B.A. in Sports Journalism from the esteemed Walter Cronkite School of Journalism and Mass Communication at Arizona State University. A former basketball player, he has gained valuable experience working at Cronkite News and brings a deep passion for sports and reporting to his role as the NC State Wolfpack Beat Writer On SI.
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