NC State’s True Freshman Quarterback CJ Bailey has been nothing short of sensational this season.

Through 8 games (5 starts), Bailey has completed 69.5% of his passes for 1,610 yards and 11 touchdowns and 4 interceptions. His Passing Efficiency Rating is 157.0.

For perspective, Philip Rivers’ Passing Efficiency Rating in his Freshman season in 2020 was 126.1. To put it even more perspective, if Bailey finishes the season with a Passing Efficiency Rating of 157.2 or higher, he will finish with the 2nd best Rating in a single season in NC State history. Rivers’ Passing Efficiency Rating of 170.5 in 2003 is the Wolfpack record in a single season, and Devin Leary’s Rating of 157.1 in 2021 ranks 2nd.

Through Week 10, Bailey’s PFF Grade of 78.6 is the highest grade of any True Freshman Quarterback in the entire FBS (50+ dropbacks). His Passing Grade of 81.8 also leads the nation.

Out of all the True Freshmen Quarterbacks in the FBS (168 teams), Bailey ranks 1st in Touchdown Passes (11) and Completion Percentage (69.5%), and 2nd in Passing Yards (1,610) and Completions (130). It’s worth noting that Nebraska’s Dylan Raiola, who ranks 1st in Passing Yards and Completions, has 88 more dropbacks than Bailey.

Bailey was expected to redshirt his season, with the Wolfpack bringing in Redshirt Senior Grayson McCall from Coastal Carolina out of the Transfer Portal. After McCall suffered his 1st concussion of the season, Bailey started his first two college games. When McCall suffered his 2nd concussion of the season against Wake Forest, which led to his retirement from football, Bailey became QB1.

The future is bright for Bailey, and for NC State. The Wolfpack needs to do whatever they have to this offseason to keep Bailey in Raleigh next season.

NC State (5-4) is currently a 3-point favorite in their upcoming home game against Duke (6-3) next Saturday. The Total is sitting at 50.5. The Moneyline for NC State is -150. The Moneyline for Duke is +130.

NC State defeated Stanford 59-28 to improve to 5-4 on the season yesterday. Here’s a PFF Grade Report for the Wolfpack Defense in Week 10.

Senior Defensive End Davin Vann – 89.8
Junior Cornerback Devon Marshall – 81.6
Redshirt Junior Defensive End Travali Price – 76.1
Freshman Defensive End Joshua Alexander-Felton – 76.0
Freshman Linebacker Cannon Lewis – 73.5
Senior Safety Bishop Fitzgerald – 71.6
Sophomore Cornerback Brandon Cisse – 70.7
Junior Nose Tackle Brandon Cleveland – 69.9
Redshirt Junior Linebacker Jayland Parker – 67.6
Junior Cornerback Rente Hinton – 67.5
Redshirt Freshman Linebacker Kamal Bonner – 67.4
Redshirt Senior Defensive End Noah Potter – 66.4
Redshirt Sophomore Defensive Back Jackson Vick – 65.3
Redshirt Sophomore Nose Tackle DJ Jackson – 64.0
Redshirt Freshman Linebacker Kelvon McBride – 63.4
Redshirt Freshman Safety Zack Myers – 61.8
Senior Safety DK Kaufman – 60.2
Redshirt Junior Linebacker Sean Brown – 57.7
Redshirt Freshman Defensive End Isaiah Shirley – 53.3
Redshirt Sophomore Nickel Isaiah Crowell – 49.1
Senior Cornerback Aydan White – 46.9
Senior Linebacker Devon Betty – 43.2
Redshirt Freshman Nickel Tamarcus Cooley – 38.2

Notes

• Davin Vann posted his highest grade of the season and the 2nd highest game of his career.
  • His career best was in 2022 against Charleston Southern in Week 2 (90.7)
• Devon Marshall posted his highest grade of the season and the 2nd highest game of his career.
  • His career best was against Stony Brook in Week 9 last year as a member of UCONN (84.3).
• Travali Price posted his highest grade of his career.
• Isaiah Shirley posted his lowest grade of his career.
• Isaiah Crowell posted his lowest grade of his career.
• Aydan White posted his 2nd lowest grade of the season.
• Devon Betty posted his lowest grade of the season.
• Tamarcus Cooley posted his lowest grade of his career.

Top-7 Highest Graded Wolfpack Offensive Players Through 9 Games

1. Senior Defensive End Davin Vann – 79.0
1. Junior Cornerback Devon Marshall – 79.0
3. Junior Nose Tackle Brandon Cleveland – 72.9
4. Redshirt Sophomore Nose Tackle DJ Jackson – 72.8
4. Redshirt Junior Linebacker Caden Fordham – 72.8
6. Redshirt Sophomore Defensive Back Jackson Vick – 71.0
7. Sophomore Cornerback Brandon Cisse – 70.6

Top-5 Lowest Graded Wolfpack Offensive Players Through 9 Games

1. Senior Linebacker Devon Betty – 53.0
2. Redshirt Junior Linebacker Jayland Parker – 54.7
3. Redshirt Freshman Linebacker Kamal Bonner – 56.7
4. Redshirt Junior Linebacker Sean Brown – 59.0
5. Redshirt Sophomore Nickel Isaiah Crowell – 60.9

NC State defeated Stanford 59-28 to improve to 5-4 on the season yesterday. Here’s a PFF Grade Report for the Wolfpack Offense in Week 10.

Freshman Quarterback CJ Bailey – 90.7
Redshirt Sophomore Right Tackle Jacarrius Peak – 89.3
Freshman Wide Receiver Keenan Jackson – 87.8
Redshirt Senior Running Back Jordan Waters – 84.4
Redshirt Senior Running Back Demarcus Jones – 77.7
Junior Wide Receiver Wesley Grimes – 77.3
Redshirt Freshman Running Back Hollywood Smothers – 73.4
Junior Tight End Justin Joly – 73.3
Redshirt Senior Right Guard Timothy McKay – 71.9
Redshirt Senior Left Tackle Anthony Belton – 71.4
Redshirt Junior Tight End Matt McCabe – 71.3
Redshirt Junior Left Guard Anthony Carter Jr. – 70.8
Redshirt Senior Right Tackle Dawson Jaramillo – 69.9
Freshman Wide Receiver Terrell Anderson – 66.4
Junior Tight End Dante Daniels – 64.4
Redshirt Junior Tight End Reid Mitchell – 63.4
Redshirt Senior Center Zeke Correll – 62.4
Sophomore Wide Receiver Kevin Concepcion – 62.2
Redshirt Junior Wide Receiver Dacari Collins – 61.7
Redshirt Junior Wide Receiver Jakolbe Baldwin – 59.8
Redshirt Freshman Left Guard Kamen Smith – 58.3
Freshman Wide Receiver Tank Boston – 58.1
Redshirt Sophomore Wide Receiver Ashton Locklear – 58.1
Redshirt Freshman Wide Receiver Noah Rogers – 55.8
Redshirt Freshman Left Tackle Rico Jackson – 53.3
Redshirt Junior Right Tackle Patrick Matan – 51.9
Redshirt Freshman Quarterback Lex Thomas – 29.6

Notes

• As an Offense, this was the 2nd highest grade (83.2) of the season besides a grade of 84.3 against Louisiana Tech.
• CJ Bailey posted his highest grade of his career.
• Jacarrius Peak posted his 2nd highest grade of the season.
• Keenan Jackson posted his highest grade of his career.
• Jordan Waters posted his highest grade of the season.
• Demarcus Jones posted his highest grade of his career.
• Wesley Grimes posted his highest grade of his career.

Top-7 Highest Graded Wolfpack Offensive Players Through 9 Games

1. Redshirt Sophomore Right Tackle Jacarrius Peak – 81.7
2. Freshman Quarterback CJ Bailey – 78.6
3. Redshirt Senior Center Zeke Correll – 76.6
4. Redshirt Freshman Running Back Hollywood Smothers – 75.2
5. Redshirt Senior Running Back Jordan Waters – 73.0
6. Junior Tight End Justin Joly – 72.7
7. Redshirt Junior Left Guard Anthony Carter Jr. – 71.3

Top-5 Lowest Graded Wolfpack Offensive Players Through 9 Games

1. Redshirt Junior Tight End Matt McCabe – 44.3
2. Junior Tight End Dante Daniels – 59.2
3. Sophomore Running Back Kendrick Raphael – 63.3
4. Freshman Wide Receiver Terrell Anderson – 63.9
5. Freshman Wide Receiver Keenan Jackson – 64.0