WATCH: NC State CB Brian Nelson II Embraces Underdog Role (with transcript)

Redshirt Sophomore Cornerback Brian Nelson II (6’0″/197) transferred to NC State from North Texas this offseason. Nelson II earned 1st Team All-AAC honors in 2024, tallying 53 tackles and 4 interceptions.

Yesterday, Nelson II spoke with the media after practice, highlighting why he transferred to NC State, the potential of the Wolfpack Cornerbacks, embracing the underdog status, amongst other things.

You can watch the video above, and read the transcript below.

Six months ago, you probably didn’t know much about NC State. What have you learned since?

I learned a lot. It’s a great place and a great program.

We go by the motto, HTT, hard, tough, together. We really live by that every day, and do our best to be a brotherhood and just grow.

What has this corner competition been like so far?

It’s been good competition.

Just having great guys around me, Devon Marshall and Jamel Johnson. It’s great competition, just knowing that we’re all going to need each other on the field no matter who’s starting or not. We’re going to need each other as brothers.

What was it that made you want to come here?

When I first got here, it just felt like family. It felt like home. They really showed major love to me, expressing to me how they wanted me here.

I’m needed. I’m just the right fit for them. Really seeing the type of resources they have, the culture, really brought me here.

What’s it like playing against the receivers every day?

It’s a good competition regardless. Noah Rodgers, Wesley Grimes, Keenan (Jackson), Terrell (Anderson), they’re coming to practice every day, ready to work, knowing they’re going to go against some big competition.

Some of the transfers have talked about playing with a chip on their shoulder, being under recruited out of high school. Are you kind of in that mode, too?

Yeah, for sure. Out of high school, I was recruited late.

I didn’t really get that many offers until my senior year, so I was fortunate to go to college and go to a D1 school. So I just always happened to have a chip on my shoulder, just knowing schools have overlooked me.

I’m ready to work wherever I go.

I get the impression that you guys feel pretty confident about your team, even if the outside expectations are a little lower. Do you guys feel like you kind of have an ace in your pocket, like you’re going to kind of surprise people?

Yeah, for sure.

I love being an underdog, regardless of what the media says or not. Being an underdog is just like a great chip to have on your shoulder, because you know you get to prove people wrong. You just get to bloom out of nowhere, and just show people what we’re really about.

You had good interception numbers last year. What is it about your ability to get the ball in the air?

I live by that, man, just being a ball hawk, and getting the ball back to the offense. I really live by that, and that’s all I really want to do. To make plays for our team and build trust throughout the whole team, knowing that they can depend on me, having a baller out there.

Do you set numbers for how many pass deflections and how many interceptions you want to get in a season, or is it just kind of winging it?

I mean, sometimes I try to set numbers, not trying to limit myself, but just knowing it’s a high expectation. Going out there and doing this is going to send me to a higher place, so setting a number really helps me to go out there and work harder.

How much do you still feel like you have to prove?

I have a lot to prove, no matter what I did last season. That’s last season, and this is a new year.

So just knowing I have to get better and improve myself. I take that to the gym, because people are depending on me and some people have doubted me. Knowing I have to prove myself really matters to me.

Who’s been the toughest guy to defend against so far?

I mean, they’re all good receivers, so that’s really a hard question to answer. No matter who’s in front of me, they’re all good competition. They all have their differences, but they’re all good.