NC State is about to kick off its 2026 season tomorrow at 3:30 p.m. at Virginia, and one of the biggest names to watch in the secondary is cornerback Brian Nelson II.
Nelson II is heading into the year in a very different spot than he was when he arrived in Raleigh. The North Texas transfer came to NC State before last season and wasted little time making his presence felt, even if he spent much of the year coming off the bench.
Over the course of the season, Nelson II put together 29 tackles and six pass breakups. He didn’t crack the starting lineup until the final three games, after opening the first 10 contests as a reserve. By season’s end, he had also posted an overall PFF grade of 65.7.
Now, the Wolfpack is counting on him in a much bigger way. Nelson II is projected to start in the secondary, and his teammates have also voted him one of NC State’s captains for 2026.
That leadership role comes with plenty of intrigue because Nelson II has already shown he can play at an all-conference level. In 2024, his last season at North Texas, he earned 1st Team All-AAC honors.
Last year was about settling in and earning trust at NC State. This season, he enters as both a starter and a captain, with the possibility of an All-ACC-caliber year hanging right there in front of him.
The first look comes tomorrow afternoon in Charlottesville.
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