Phil Steele Ranks NC State Tied for 5th in ACC, Names 8 Wolfpack Players Preseason All-ACC

Phil Steele has released his annual 2026 College Football Preview magazine, and the longtime college football analyst is bullish on NC State heading into the upcoming season.

Steele projects the Wolfpack to finish tied for fifth in the ACC and selected eight NC State players to his 2026 Preseason All-ACC teams.

Phil Steele’s 2026 ACC Preseason Rankings

1) Miami
2) SMU
2) Clemson
2) Louisville
5) Pitt
5) Virginia
5) Virginia Tech
5) NC State
9) Georgia Tech
9) FSU
11) Duke
12) UNC
12) Wake Forest
12) Cal
15) Syracuse
16) Stanford
17) Boston College

NC State is tied with Pitt, Virginia, and Virginia Tech for fifth, trailing only Miami and a three-way tie for second.

Eight Wolfpack Players Earn Preseason All-ACC Honors

Second Team

C Spike Sowells

Third Team

QB CJ Bailey

LB Harvey Dyson

CB Brian Nelson II

KR Duke Scott

PR Victor Snow

Fourth Team

OT Jimarion McCrimon

LB Popo Aguirre

CJ Bailey Headlines Returning Core

Quarterback CJ Bailey enters his third season as NC State’s starter after one of the best passing campaigns in school history.

2025 Statistics

68.8% completion percentage
3,105 passing yards
25 touchdowns
9 interceptions
150.7 passer efficiency rating

Bailey’s 150.7 passer efficiency rating ranks third in NC State single-season history, while his career mark of 147.8 is the best in program history.

After just two seasons, Bailey already ranks:

8th in career passing yards (5,518)
8th in career completions (469)
2nd in yards per attempt (7.89)
6th in 300-yard passing games (6)

Spike Sowells Continues to Rise

Sophomore center Spike Sowells is the Wolfpack’s highest-ranked selection after earning Second Team honors.

Sowells broke into the starting lineup midway through last season and quickly established himself as one of NC State’s top offensive linemen.

He earned PFF True Freshman All-American honors while making six starts and finished with a 68.4 overall PFF grade.

Impact Transfers Earn Recognition

Several newcomers arrived in Raleigh already carrying impressive résumés.

LB Harvey Dyson

The Tulane transfer totaled:

36 tackles
11.5 tackles for loss
8 sacks
2 forced fumbles

Dyson led the AAC in sacks while posting a 90.4 PFF pass-rush grade that ranked among the nation’s best edge defenders.

CB Brian Nelson II

The former North Texas standout finished last season with:

29 tackles
6 pass breakups
1 tackle for loss

Before transferring to NC State, Nelson earned First Team All-AAC honors.

WR Victor Snow

Snow arrives from Buffalo after an outstanding All-MAC season.

In 2025, he recorded:

62 receptions
815 receiving yards
8 receiving touchdowns
91 rushing yards
2 rushing touchdowns
1 punt return touchdown

His 14.5-yard punt return average ranked second in Buffalo program history.

OT Jimarion McCrimon

McCrimon started every game at left tackle for East Carolina last season, earning First Team All-AAC honors.

He now gives NC State another experienced piece along the offensive line.

LB Popo Aguirre

The Miami transfer appeared in all 16 games for the Hurricanes.

His 86.3 PFF run-defense grade ranked third on Miami’s defense, showcasing the physicality he’ll bring to NC State’s linebacker room.

Duke Scott Ready for Bigger Role

Running back Duke Scott earned Third Team honors as a kickoff returner after a productive sophomore campaign.

Scott recently became the youngest player ever to receive Dave Doeren’s prestigious No. 1 jersey.

Last season he totaled:

581 rushing yards
4 rushing touchdowns
5.5 yards per carry

He also averaged 21.3 yards per kickoff return.

Final Thoughts

Phil Steele’s preseason projections paint an optimistic picture for the Wolfpack entering 2026.

Being picked to finish tied for fifth in a deep ACC and placing eight players on the preseason All-ACC teams reflects both the returning talent and the impact of NC State’s transfer additions.

Now the challenge becomes turning those preseason accolades into results on the field.