Six Former NC State Players Remain in the 2026 NFL Playoffs After Divisional Round

When the 2026 NFL Playoffs began, 12 former NC State players were represented. After the conclusion of the first two rounds, six remain.

Linebacker Drake Thomas helped propel Seattle to a dominant 41-6 win over San Francisco in the Divisional Round on Saturday. Thomas finished with six tackles and one tackle for loss, earning an overall PFF grade of 88.4 – the third-highest mark on the Seahawks’ defense. His coverage grade of 90.1 ranked second on the team.

The Seahawks will host the Rams on Sunday at 6:30 p.m.

Los Angeles has three former Wolfpack players on its roster: safety Tanner Ingle, defensive tackle Larrell Murchison, and center Dylan McMahon. None of the three appeared in Sunday’s 20-17 overtime win over the Bears. Former NC State All-American Joe Thuney started at left tackle for Chicago, playing every snap and earning a PFF grade of 61.9.

Center Garrett Bradbury and defensive tackle Cory Durden helped lead the Patriots to a 28-16 win over the Texans in the Divisional Round. Durden started the game and, despite not recording a statistic, earned a team-best 90.6 pass-rush grade. Bradbury also started and played every snap, finishing with a 52.9 overall grade and an 83.6 pass-blocking grade, which ranked second among New England linemen.

The Patriots will travel to Denver on Sunday for the AFC Championship Game at 3 p.m.