What the Latest Transfer Addition Means For NC State Football
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RALEIGH — NC State handled the brunt of its transfer portal work during December and January, but one hole remained in February. The Wolfpack lost backup quarterback Lex Thomas, leaving the quarterback room somewhat thin behind CJ Bailey and Will Wilson, who did most of his work as a short-yardage runner and will likely stay in that role for the 2026 season.
Head coach Dave Doeren and the Wolfpack staff decided it needed a more experienced voice in the room to place behind Bailey, so they turned to an in-state option. Coastal Carolina quarterback Tad Hudson joined the Wolfpack on Sunday, according to reports from both 247Sports and On3. Hudson joins the program with two more years of eligibility.
More on Hudson
Hudson started his collegiate career just down the road from Raleigh at UNC, joining the Tar Heels as a three-star recruit out of Hough High School in Cornelius, North Carolina. He opted to head to the coast and join the Chanticleers after never gaining much traction or playing time in Chapel Hill, where he eventually earned a larger role during the 2025 season.
Under former NC State offensive coordinator Tim Beck, Hudson took over the starting job at Coastal Carolina after another former member of the Wolfpack, MJ Morris, struggled in the early part of the season and lost his role. Hudson threw for 1,253 yards, six touchdowns and seven interceptions across 11 appearances, seven of which were starts.
NC State is set at QB for the 2026 season with CJ Bailey back, but it needed depth and experience behind him.
— PackPower247 (@PackPower247) February 15, 2026
The Wolfpack got just that with the commitment of Tad Hudson, who has two more years of eligibility after playing last season with Coastal.
✍️: https://t.co/x3C3eGib6r pic.twitter.com/wxWrsTeba1
Hudson gained extensive experience with the Chanticleers, something the Wolfpack lacked with Thomas backing up Bailey. Now, should something happen to the talented starter, NC State has a player in the building who has been in the heat of battle frequently in his college career so far. At 6-foot-3, 227 pounds, Hudson is a big player who can take hits and survive in the pocket with his arm.
There's also a unique connection to the area and the NC State-UNC rivalry for Hudson. He is the brother of Ann Michael Maye, the wife of former UNC quarterback and New England Patriots starter Drake Maye. Hudson grew up around the rivalry and obviously knows its seriousness from the other side of things.
In adding Hudson, the Wolfpack's roster feels as though it's reached a point of finalization for the 2026 season. Spring practices are right around the corner in March for Doeren and his staff, so the process of getting players up to speed and conditioned is well underway. Hudson is just another piece of the puzzle.
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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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